It’s official, Sidmouth Town Beach has won another prestigious Blue Flag Award for its Town Beach, an award that highlights the safety and cleanliness of the beach to visitors. This isn’t the only award the town is celebrating, as it has also recently been given the Seaside Award for the quality of the beach and the facilities that are on offer to visitors.
Speaking about the awards to local press, Deirdre Hounsom, a member of the council’s Tourism and Economy Award, said: “I’m really happy that Sidmouth has this Blue Flag for the beach as it is one of the hooks we hang our tourism offer on – the fact that the beach is so safe and clean.”
The award really is thanks to a community effort, as Deirdre explains: “It’s great that we have so many people helping to look after our beach with regular litter-picking sessions and I’d like to ask everyone to keep our beach clean by not leaving any waste behind when they visit.”
Sidmouth’s Blue Flag Award and the Seaside Award have been rewarded by Keep Britain Tidy, a national campaign that are committed to preserving Britain’s natural beauty. The Blue Flag beach awards are widely considered to be the Gold Standard for beaches and are internationally recognised.
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, told local reporters: “The success of these beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our blue spaces – from beach managers and volunteers to local residents and businesses. The huge commitment needed to maintain marvellous beaches worthy of these awards cannot be underestimated.
“People who visit a beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be assured that the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.”
Sidmouth Council’s Tourism and Economy Working Group Chair, Louise Cole, said: “We are lucky to have such a unique, beautiful coastline and beaches on our doorstep. This quality mark conveyed by the Blue Flag Award reassures us and is something to celebrate, particularly as Sidmouth has developed an array of water-based activities over the last five years. Whether a day on the beach, rockpooling, sea swimming or paddleboarding, the beach is our playground and needs careful conservation and preservation for the future.”
Sidmouth is one of 206 beaches across Britain which have been awarded the Blue Flag award. Nearby, Exmouth and Seaton also received Blue Flag Awards, while Budleigh Salterton and Beer also won the Seaside Award.