Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2025.
In total 12 beaches across Yorkshire and the Humber – which incorporates East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire – have been presented with awards recognising the quality of the beaches, the way they are managed and the facilities they offer to visitors.
The Blue Flag is the world’s most recognised award for beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.
This year three beaches across the region have met the high standards required:
● Whitby – North Yorkshire Council
● Hornsea – East Riding of Yorkshire Council
● Withernsea – East Riding of Yorkshire Council
And ten beaches in the region were awarded the Seaside Award, including one of the Blue Flag winners. They are:
● Bridlington North – East Riding of Yorkshire
● Wilsthorpe – East Riding of Yorkshire
● South Landing – East Riding of Yorkshire
● Filey – North Yorkshire Council
● Runswick Bay – North Yorkshire Council
● Cayton Bay – North Yorkshire Council
● Robin Hoods Bay – North Yorkshire Council
● Sandsend – North Yorkshire Council
● Whitby – North Yorkshire Council
● Scarborough North Bay – North Yorkshire Council
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and blue spaces and promoting the country’s best beaches.
Blue Flag beaches are free for all to enjoy, with visitors able to experience the same quality as destinations like Spain or Trinidad and Tobago without the environmental impact – or price tag – of flying.
Blue Flag is an environmental education programme managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
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Safety and services such as first aid, and lifeguards where necessary
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Environmental information, including displaying details about local ecosystems
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Environmental management, including litter and waste
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Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the ‘sufficient’ standard.
Blue Flag is only presented to beaches and inland bathing waters with bathing water which has achieved the highest classification as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and have an environmental education programme, while Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.
