Three beaches fail EU Blue Flag test

Scarborough North Bay, Whitby, and Cleethorpes kept theirs, but Bridlington North, Hornsea, and Withernsea failed to meet the new “excellent” standard under the EU Bathing Waters Directive.

Filey and Bridlington South were stripped of their Blue Flags last summer after failing water quality tests, while Scarborough South Bay has not had a Blue Flag in the last 10 years.

But there was better news for the region with 16 Yorkshire beaches being declared clean enough to earn Seaside Awards, which replace Quality Coast Awards, along with Cleethorpes Central, Cleethorpes Humberston Fitties, and Cleethorpes Marine Embankment, which won the award in North East Lincolnshire.

The results, announced yesterday by Keep Britain Tidy, showed 55 English beaches were awarded Blue Flags, down from the 79-beach total of last year.

Beaches also had to provide information to beach users advising where they can obtain real time information on discharges from nearby combined sewage overflows, if that discharge could temporarily affect the bathing water quality.

Coun Richard Burton, portfolio holder for civic wellbeing and culture at East Riding Council, said: “Today’s announcement by Keep Britain Tidy is a mixed one for our part of the Yorkshire coast. Obviously we are really pleased to have secured Seaside Awards for our resort beaches in Bridlington, Withernsea and Hornsea but we are also disappointed to have lost the coveted Blue Flags.

“The council is working closely with a number of partners in the Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership, including Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, Welcome to Yorkshire, and Scarborough Borough Council, and is confident that we will once again see Blue Flags flying along the East Yorkshire coast in the not too distant future.”