Keep Britain Tidy has today (May 15) announced the winners of the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2026- with Thanet achieving four Blue Flags and 12 Seaside Awards.
Blue Flags and combined Seaside Awards have been awarded for Minnis Bay, Birchington; Botany Bay and Joss Bay in Broadstairs, and Ramsgate Main Sands.
But St Mildreds Bay, Westgate and Margate Main Sands have not retained their blue flags from last year. Instead they received Seaside Awards, along with West Bay in Westgate, Westbrook Bay, Walpole Bay in Margate and Stone Bay, Viking Bay and Louisa Bay in Broadstairs.
The awards are an international stamp of approval for some of the Isle’s key beaches. They reflect a high standard of water quality, safety, and environmental management required by charity Keep Britain Tidy and follow rigorous assessment.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Coastal Services, said: “We’re very proud of our four Blue Flags and twelve Seaside Awards. These awards are the result of a great deal of hard work to keep up the high standards of our beaches. Work goes on all year round, not just over the summer.
“Our fabulous beaches are one of the main reasons that people come to Thanet. Local people, as well as visitors, expect our coastline to be well-maintained and safe, and this year’s awards show that our beaches are meeting the standards that people look for.
“I would like to thank all of the council officers, partners, businesses, volunteers and residents, who work hard at keeping our beaches as clean and enjoyable as possible.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “England is fortunate to boast some of the world’s finest beaches, and it’s encouraging to see this reflected in the awards to 12 beaches in Thanet, signalling its high standards to all who visit or live nearby.
“Everybody involved in these achievements should feel proud of their ongoing work to care for and enhance these important local blue spaces.”
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 ecosystems
- 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
i think thanet still has a chance in the nationals for the golden turd award ?
Shut up you idiot.
I look forward to seeing a picture in coming months of Cllr Albon receiving the ‘Black Bin Bag Award’ for services to overflowing bins! In tough competition with Birmingham.
Well, the state of our beaches, I am not surprised.
They are not looked after, especially around the coast of Cliftonville. I cannot remember the last time any cleaning was done, including dead mammals and fish.
There are no toilets, water and bins all along the beaches. Sand dunes cover the lower promenade from Sacketts Gap towards Foreness. Then you have endless pumping of raw sewage at Foreness Point outlet by Southern Water too. It doesn’t need to even rain for that to happen. How could any authority award Blue Flags there?
Three beaches in Southern Water’s area had their water quality downgraded in 2025 compared to 2024.
Two of these are in Thanet.
It’s lucky that they do not award these in the summer.
The mess that visitors leave Botany Bay in after coming to it because it’s beautiful is a disgrace and if it wasn’t for the many volunteers that clear up after the inconsiderate idiots it would be getting the brown flag award.