Seventy three beaches across England have been given the thumbs up as top places to visit by receiving the first ever Quality Coast Awards.

Quality Coast Award is a brand new beach award which recognises the diversity and quality of England’s coastline. 

For too long rural hideaways have been in the shadow of bigger seaside resorts, so this award sees the start of a celebration of all that our country’s coast has to offer. 

Alan Woods, Chief Executive of ENCAMS which runs the Quality Coast Award said: “The traditional seaside experience of building sandcastles and snacking on ice cream is still favoured by many. But it is just one of the reasons why people go to the coast; others use the beach as a place to walk their dogs or get a breath of fresh air whatever the weather.

“The Quality Coast Award commends those beaches that can offer the best cleanliness, facilities and standards for the type of visitor their sandy stretch attracts.”

Included in the tally are 11 beaches in the Isle of Wight – the majority of the island’s beaches. There has also been significant success up north with six beaches in Yorkshire being commended as ideal coastal spots. Plus Sandy Bay in Devon and Cleethorpes Humberston Fitties beach in Lincolnshire, which have never been recognised by any beach award before, are amongst the winners.

Accompanying the awards is a new website www.qualitycoast.org. This is the first time beach lovers have been given the opportunity to choose the coastal destination which best suits their needs. By selecting whether they intend to go in the water, take their dog, require disabled facilities or parking nearby – the site then matches them to the most appropriate beach.

It’s not just the type of experience that Quality Coast Award recognises, but also the time of year people go and for how long. Gone are the days when people made their annual pilgrimage to the seaside for a week in summer. Now, people go all year round, for varying lengths of stay and for different reasons.

Every Quality Coast Award beach has to meet strict criteria including: 

• Clean sands free of litter and dog fouling 
• Consideration given to pedestrians’ safety on and around the beach 
• Assessment on how many people the beach can hold at one time 
• Good access to the coastal spot 
• Any facilities must be clean and in good working order

Additionally coastal areas recommended on www.qualitycoast.org as a place to swim will have obtained guideline water quality.  Beaches that are great for playing on will have an enforced dog ban. Those offering a good getaway from hustle and bustle must have a natural coastal environment free from man-made attractions and destinations ideal for a coastal walk need easy pedestrian access to the beach.

Added Alan: “People enjoying our shores are very discerning visitors: they know what they want, when and how. They told us what they need from their beaches and beach awards and we listened. I wish them a great deal of pleasure at these Quality Coast Award beaches.