Blue Flags flying high again at North Tyneside's beaches

King Edwards Bay, Tynemouth Longsands, and Whitley Bay have been awarded Blue Flag status by Keep Britain Tidy – and won a further three Seaside Awards as well.

The blue flag is an international quality mark which is awarded to those beaches with the best water quality, facilities, safety standards, environmental education, and management.

Mayor Norma Redfearn CBE said: “As uncertainty continues around international travel, the UK tourism boom is expected to continue, and visitors will be looking to North Tyneside for their summer holidays.

“The 2021 Blue Flag and Seaside Award will help to make up their minds about our beautiful coastline.

"The awards let people know they are choosing to visit some of the safest and cleanest beaches anywhere in the UK.

“I am very proud to have retained the awards and grateful to our staff and volunteers who work so hard to maintain these incredibly high standards.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “This year, more than ever, we are going to be relying on our country’s beautiful beaches to escape for a much-needed break after all the stresses and strains of the past year.

“Whether it’s camping in Cornwall, renting a cottage in North Yorkshire or simply having a day out at the seaside in Sussex, a fantastic beach is an essential part of a holiday for so many of us.

“Last year, due to the pandemic, we did not have the opportunity to celebrate all the great award-winning beaches around the coast so this year we are delighted to have even more winners than we did in 2019, thanks to the incredible work of the teams around the country that make our beaches clean and safe for us all to enjoy.

“From environmental education for the local community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of these awards.

“As we all plan our 2021 holidays much closer to home, thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Award those choosing to holiday at a destination with an award-winning beach can be assured it will be clean and safe and meet the highest standards for water quality and management.”