No sea needed as land-locked York opens urban beach in city centre

The urban beach at the city’s Coppergate Centre, known as Coppergate Strand, opened this weekend after 15 tonnes of premium quality sand was delivered to the site.

Recreating a classic British beach scene, the sand will be surrounded by wind breaks, with a host of buckets, spades, windmills and sand moulds, as well as a few deckchairs.

The name – Coppergate Strand – is of Viking origin, as ‘strond’ is the Norse word for ‘beach’. The Strand in London was a sandy area by the riverside during the time of the Vikings, and its name stuck for more than 1,000 years.

Centre manager Pippa Unwin said: “The benches in Coppergate are always a popular place for people to sit during the summer, so we thought that creating our own urban beach was a great way to give families some chill-out time in the city centre this summer. The stores in the Coppergate Centre sell everything you might need for a beach holiday, from sunscreen and sunglasses to beachwear and flip-flops, so you don’t need to wait until you get home to try out your beach attire.

“You can even cool down with cold drinks and ice creams available – perfect for anyone who wants the beach experience without having to face the traffic jams on the A64!”

A special foot-washing area has been set up so that no-one has to wander around York with uncomfortably sandy feet. Coppergate Strand will remain open throughout the school holidays.