RECOGNITION FOR THANET BEACHES

Thanet’s beautiful coastline has been recognised, with the area receiving one of the highest number of beach awards in the south east for 2011.

In total, Thanet has been handed awards for 10 of the area’s beaches, with Botany Bay and Joss Bay in Broadstairs and Westbrook Bay all receiving Blue Flag awards. For each beach, it’s the third time that they’ve been named as Blue Flag winners. Blue Flags are only handed out to those beaches which have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management.

Thanet has also taken a total of seven Quality Coast Awards, which rewards beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management. To achieve this, beaches have to meet strict criteria, including clean sands, being free of litter and dog fouling, having good access and facilities and guideline water quality.

Minnis Bay, St. Mildred’s Bay, West Bay in Westgate, Margate Main Sands, Stone Bay, Viking Bay and Ramsgate Main Sands have all received the Quality Coast Award this year. It’s the fifth year running that Viking Bay has received the award, while all the other beaches had previously been Blue Flag winners. Their status has dropped this year, following poor water quality results during the summer 2010 season.

Commercial Services Manager, Mark Seed: “There’s no denying that it’s a real shame that we haven’t been able to achieve more Blue Flag awards this year, especially as historically we’ve done so well in the past. Certainly anyone visiting the area this summer won’t notice any difference in the superb facilities they find on Thanet’s beaches. There’s just as much for the whole family on some of Britain’s best loved beaches, as there has been in previous years.

“Obviously it’s disappointing that minor problems with water quality last year affected our Blue Flag assessment and that’s the reason that we’ve lost a number for this season. The problems all seem to be down to freak weather conditions last year and as the results show, it’s the first time for many years that we’ve been affected in this way.”