Five East Riding beaches have been honoured with prestigious Blue Flags or Seaside Awards for 2025.
Hornsea and Withernsea have both been awarded Blue Flag status by environmental organisation Keep Britain Tidy in the internationally recognised scheme announced today (Thursday 15 May).
And Seaside Awards have been presented to three other beaches – Bridlington North, South Landing and Wilsthorpe – in the annual programme recognising the UK’s best beaches.
Hornsea has now achieved a Blue Flag for five years running, while Withernsea has earned one for three years in a row.
As part of the awards Hornsea, Withernsea and Wilsthorpe all recorded ‘excellent’ water quality results, with Bridlington North and South Landing recording ‘good’ results.
Councillor Barbara Jefferson, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s cabinet member for heritage and coastal, said: “I’m extremely proud that Hornsea and Withernsea will be flying Blue Flags once again and that Bridlington North, South Landing and Wilsthorpe have achieved Seaside Awards.
“These are fantastic achievements and prove that our beaches are among the best in the country.
“We are blessed with marvellous beaches in the East Riding, from Flamborough and Bridlington down to Hornsea and Withernsea.
“They are always popular with residents and visitors, and no doubt will be again this summer.”
The council’s coastal services team, which manages the area’s beaches, achieved all five awards it applied for.
Now in their 38th year, Keep Britain Tidy’s annual awards honour the UK beaches which meet high standards in quality, cleanliness, safety, and the range of facilities they have for the public.
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches.
Blue Flag, the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas, is an environmental education programme managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.
It is only presented to beaches with water which has achieved the highest classification as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and has an environmental education programme, and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.
Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
- Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary,
- Environmental information including displaying details about local eco systems,
- Environmental management, including litter and waste,
- 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.
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “In England we are lucky enough to have some of the best beaches in the world. It’s wonderful to see the flags flying proudly over these East Riding beaches, demonstrating their quality to residents and visitors alike.
“The awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach and site managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who should take pride today in their tireless efforts to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular blue spaces.
“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards.”
Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. It sets the standard for the management of parks and beaches and inspires people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably.
It runs campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks Week, Buy Nothing New Month, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces, the Blue Flag/Seaside Awards for beaches and the Green Key for sustainable tourism and hospitality. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, its campaigns and programmes visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.
This year 55 sites, including one inland water, were awarded both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award, while 23 sites, including one marina, received the Blue Flag only and 66 beaches received the Seaside Award only. The full list can be accessed at www.keepbritaintidy.org/blue-flag-and-seaside-award-winners-2025
These awards are the only way for the public to be assured that beaches are delivering a safe, clean and well-managed space for them to enjoy.
Testing of bathing waters is carried out by the Environment Agency during the bathing season from May to September. The current classification and in season test results are available at the Environment Agency’s Swimfowebsite.
Our coast is a natural environment and water quality may vary, particularly after heavy rainfall when the advice from the World Health Organisation is to refrain from entering the water for at least 24 hours.
