Nationwide campaign group Keep Britain Tidy has this week awarded Berrow beach a coveted ‘Seaside Award’ while Burnham-On-Sea beach has missed out for a second year running.
Keep Britain Tidy awards its prestigious Seaside Awards to the best beaches around the UK.
While Berrow’s beach has been praised this week, unfortunately Burnham’s ‘poor’ bathing water quality rating from the EU means the town is disqualified.
News of Berrow’s award was this week welcomed by Sedgemoor District Council, which manages the beach. Its Chairman, Cllr Mike Cresswell, will formally receive the award this week.
While Burnham’s beach is not on the awards list for a second year running, work is underway to clean up the beach and improve its sea water.
The Friends of Burnham Beach undertake regular beach cleans to reduce marine litter and improve the bathing water quality. A major programme of work is also underway by Wessex Water to improve the sea water quality.
Burnham’s beach received a ‘poor’ rating in the latest EU inspection due to the stricter new EU bathing water quality standards – even though local councillors and tourism bosses stress that the town’s sea water quality has not worsened. It is only the method of surveying it that has changed.
Sedgemoor spokeswoman Claire Faun welcomed Berrow’s award, saying: “At a time when more and more people are choosing to holiday in the UK, the growth of visitors, alongside residents, enjoying our delightful and dramatic coastline has highlighted not only the demand but the continued importance of presenting and retaining clean, attractive and well-managed beaches.”
“Although Seaside Award beaches can often be very different, they are a symbol of quality which guarantees to residents and visitors that the beach is one of the best in the country.”
