National campaign group Keep Britain Tidy has presented Berrow beach with a coveted ‘Seaside Award’ this week, but Burnham-On-Sea beach has missed out again this year.
Keep Britain Tidy awards its prestigious Seaside Awards to the best beaches around the UK – and Berrow has won for several years.
But because Burnham-On-Sea has a ‘poor’ bathing water quality classification from the EU, the town has been told it cannot win one of the awards.
A project is underway to clean-up Burnham beach and improve the sea water quality in the wake of the more stringent new EU regulations two years ago.
The Friends of Burnham Beach and Litter Free Coast and Sea Somerset have been carrying out beach cleans to reduce marine litter and improve the bathing water quality.
It comes after Burnham’s beach suffered a ‘poor’ rating due to the stricter EU bathing water quality standards coming into force, even though local councillors and tourism bosses stress that the sea water quality has not worsened, it is only the method of assessing it that has changed.
Claire Faun, spokeswoman for Sedgemoor District Council, which runs the beach, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Berrow joins the country’s very best beaches, from popular holiday spots to quiet, more hidden-away spots. What unites them all is knowing that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.”
“Berrow Beach can provide a wonderful day out for the family. It is an exceptional beach with sand dunes, picnic areas, and both lifeguards and beach wardens providing safety cover and advice.”
And Berrow Parish Council Chairman Barry Kew told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are very pleased to get this award. We know tourists do look up ratings and awards online before visiting, so this will help us attract more people into the area.”
“It’s great that our clean, well-maintained beach has been recognised in this way and our thanks go to all those who help us to keep our beach in the highest standard.”
Keep Britain Tidy says 190 awards have been given to England’s very best beaches, including 65 international Blue Flags and 125 Seaside Awards – eight more than last year – with 42 beaches achieving both awards. See the full list.
