East Runton regains Blue Flag as six North Norfolk beaches achieve prestigious awards

Date published: 15th May 2024

Six beaches in North Norfolk have been awarded either Blue Flag or Seaside Awards for the 2024 season from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Four beaches in the district have achieved Blue Flag status as East Runton beach has been awarded the Blue Flag once again after losing it in 2022.

Sheringham, Cromer and West Runton have retained their Blue Flag status once again - both Sheringham and Cromer have held a beach award since 1988.

Mundesley and Sea Palling have also achieved Seaside Awards – an award presented to some of the best beaches in England.

The Council has been proactively working with partners such as the Environment Agency and Anglian Water to see the return of Blue Flags to Mundesley and Sea Palling.

Cllr. Tim Adams, Leader of North Norfolk District Council, said:

“We’re really proud to have the Blue Flag award returned to East Runton for this year and our thanks go to the officers who have worked with our partners to make this happen.

North Norfolk is home to some incredible beaches, but to have 6 award-winning beaches is an exceptional achievement.”

Cllr. Liz Withington, portfolio holder for Communities, Leisure & Outreach said:

“We’re exceptionally proud of all of our beaches in North Norfolk, and to see them awarded these prestigious awards is a testament to how well looked after they are.

These beaches are loved by so many, and we’re pleased to see the Blue Flag returned at East Runton.”

To qualify for either Blue Flag or Seaside Award status, a beach must meet a certain set of criteria set out by Keep Britain Tidy.

The assessment criteria include water quality, water safety (such as lifeguarding), cleanliness of the beach, local amenities such as public transport and toilets.

Another strand encourages public engagement and educational programs around our environment and local eco systems; each summer, the Council’s Leisure teams do a ‘Summer Tour’, holding educational events at the various beaches to highlight water safety and marine environmentalism.

The Environment Agency undertake regular bathing water testing to monitor the standards and safety of the water for the public.

This information can be found on the Environment Agency’s SWIMFO website.

Throughout the summer season, the safety of swimmers and visitors to these beaches is overseen by the RNLI who provide a vital lifeguarding and first aid service.

The flags will be raised when the lifeguarding season begins on Saturday 25^th May.

Blue Flag and Seaside Award are international awards which are managed in Britain by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Find out more about the Blue Flag Award and the charity Keep Britain Tidy