East Suffolk’s beautiful beaches have once again received national awards, ranking them amongst the best in the country.

Each year, the country’s best beaches are awarded Blue Flags and Seaside Awards and once again, four of East Suffolk’s beaches have been selected.

Both Felixstowe (Felixstowe South and Pier) and Southwold (Southwold Pier) have received combined Seaside Awards and Blue Flags whilst the beaches at Lowestoft South of Claremont Pier (bathing / resort) and Kessingland (non-bathing) have received Seaside Awards.

Paul Wood, Head of Economic Development and Regeneration at East Suffolk Council said: “East Suffolk’s beaches are hugely popular with residents and visitors, and we are delighted to once again receive these prestigious awards which reflect the quality of our beaches and the cleanliness of our coastline. This will provide an extra boost to our important tourism sector as it continues to recover from Covid restrictions. Anyone visiting East Suffolk’s beaches this summer can be sure they are visiting one of the best in the country.”

In total, 206 beaches in England have been presented with an award recognising the quality of the beach, the way it is managed and the facilities it offers to visitors. The Blue Flag is an international award and this year 78 locations have met the high standard required.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.

“The Blue Flag is the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

“We’d therefore like to recognise and applaud all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches. The collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses all contribute to the success of these sites in achieving the incredibly high standards demanded.”

Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education and is presented to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes. This is the fourth consecutive year in which Felixstowe has received the Blue Flag and the second consecutive year for Southwold.

The Seaside Award, run by Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, meet the required standards for water quality and other specified criteria.