East Coast resorts fly flag for quality beaches

Scarborough was highly placed with 11 successes in the Quality Coast Awards (QCAs) and Blue Flag awards, just beating the Kent resort of Thanet, which achieved 10.

The Yorkshire seaside town was just below Torbay with four Blue Flags and 10 QCAs, and the Isle of Wight with three Blue Flags and 11 QCAs, which tied for the top spot.

All of Yorkshire's leading resort towns will be flying Blue Flags this summer despite mixed bathing water results at the end of the last holiday season.

Five beaches made the grade in the Yorkshire region, one less than last year. They were Bridlington North, Filey, Whitby West Cliff, and Scarborough's North Bay, along with Cleethorpes's Central in Lincolnshire.

Filey hoisted the Blue Flag in 2006, 2007 and 2008, but dropped out last year. But Hornsea and Withernsea did not seek to retain their flags after disappointing bathing water results last year.

Instead, Hornsea and Withernsea were among 18 beaches to qualify for Quality Coast Awards, two more than the region attained last year.

QCAs were introduced by the Keep Britain Tidy group that awards the Blue Flags to recognise those beaches which offered an excellent experience without being able to attain the pristine water quality achieved by Blue Flag winners.

In East Yorkshire, the QCAs went to Barmston; Bridlington South; Danes Dyke; Fraisthorpe; Hornsea; South Landing; Wilsthorpe; and Withernsea. Both Cleethorpes Central (again) and Cleethorpes Marine Embankment were similarly honoured.

All the rest of the QCAs were in the Scarborough area: Filey (again); Cayton Bay; Robin Hoods Bay; Runswick Bay; Sandsend; Whitby West Cliff (again); Scarborough North Bay (again); and Scarborough South Bay.

As well as the eight Quality Coast Awards, three of the Yorkshire Blue Flag Awards were also in Scarborough Borough. Filey, Whitby West Cliff, and Scarborough North Bay were also among just 32 UK beaches to receive both the Blue Flag and a QCA.

Keep Britain Tidy's Media and Communications Co-ordinator Fiona Ashurst said: "The Yorkshire beaches are right up there as fantastic, but water quality can fluctuate.

"But 18 Quality Coast Awards is a good showing and having five Blue Flags is brilliant, although they were outnumbered by beaches in the south and south- west."

In all, 150 beaches across England were recognised for their high quality environment and facilities – down on the total last year, but significantly up on a decade ago.

Blue Flag status, which reflects the cleanliness of water but also local amenities, was awarded to 71 beaches in 2010. Although down by one from last year, it still represents a near-tripling of the figure for a decade ago.

QCAs, which focus more on facilities and beach environment, saw a slight fall with 111 beaches awarded the title compared with 113 in

2009.

Northern regions saw a marked upswing in beaches included on the list. In the North East, the number of Blue Flags nearly doubled, while Cumbria helped boost the figures for the North-West, receiving four

QCAs in Copeland.

The awards come amid a UK holiday boom. Last year saw a 13 per cent increase in spending by people taking a vacation in England, figures from Visit England show.

The chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, Phil Barton, said: "As more and more people decide to swap trips abroad for the convenience of holidays at home, they are discovering a renewed love for our glorious coastline and quality resorts."

A Keep Britain Tidy spokesman said: "The Quality Coast Awards were set up in 2007 to reflect the fact a lot of water meet the basic water quality level but cannot achieve the higher results demanded by a Blue Flag. The aim is to give rural beaches a place rather than just the resort beaches."

Top in region

Bridlington, North Beach

Filey

Scarborough North Bay

Whitby West Cliff

Cleethorpes Central