Beaches across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole have once again been recognised among the UK’s very best, receiving a significant number of prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy for 2025. This annual recognition underscores the area’s unwavering commitment to providing visitors with world-class beach experiences.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has awarded the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole area 9 international Blue Flags and 10 Seaside Awards this year. This impressive count reaffirms the area’s leading position, proudly holding more Blue Flags than any other UK destination – a key draw for visitors seeking quality and confidence in their beach choice.
Blue Flags are a globally recognised mark of excellence, signifying well-managed beaches with excellent water quality, strong environmental education programmes, and high safety standards. For visitors, this means choosing a beach that is clean, safe, and environmentally responsible. Seaside Awards further celebrate the quality and diversity of beaches across the UK, offering a range of experiences for all beach-goers.
The beaches receiving the coveted Blue Flag status for 2025, and standing out as top-tier destinations, include Durley Chine, Fisherman’s Walk, Sandbanks, Shore Road, Canford Cliffs, Branksome Chine, Avon Beach, Highcliffe, and Friar’s Cliff. Many of these, along with other fantastic beaches across the conurbation, including Bournemouth Pier, also received Seaside Awards, highlighting the breadth of high-quality options available to visitors.
Securing and maintaining these awards requires continuous investment and dedicated year-round work on seafront maintenance, safety, and environmental programmes. The funding for the award applications is made possible through the crucial support and partnership of the Destination Management Board, local businesses, and BIDs, working in conjunction with BCP Council teams who manage essential services like beach cleansing, waste disposal, and facilities. Collaboration with organisations like the RNLI ensures public safety on the water, while securing funding for coastal protection projects safeguards this vital natural asset for future generations of visitors.
These accolades are a fundamental element of the region’s tourism success, attracting millions of visitors annually and significantly boosting the local economy. They provide visitors with confidence in the quality of their chosen destination. Visitors are encouraged to contribute to preserving the beauty and cleanliness of these award-winning beaches by disposing of litter responsibly and adhering to the ‘Leave Only Footprints’ principle, supporting the area’s vision for sustainable and eco-friendly tourism, and helping to keep these beaches award-winning for years to come.
Andy Lennox, Chair of the Destination Management Board, said, “These awards are a perfect example of cross-organisation collaborative working. Together, a powerful coalition of local businesses, business improvement districts, and BCP Council to secure our beaches and retain Blue Flag status once again. This is a testament to the collective commitment to quality, safety, and environmental excellence. Having to retain these flags each year ensures that everyone remains focused on those values.”
Cllr Richard Herrett, Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure, and Commercial Operations at BCP Council, said: “We are immensely proud to have our beaches recognised, once again, as Blue Flag locations – highlighting our stunning natural surroundings. Each day, our dedicated teams work around the clock to ensure our beaches meet Blue Flag standards, so that residents and visitors can enjoy the best of our coastline. We are fortunate to have such a breathtaking stretch of coastline on our doorstep and ask our visitors to help us stay award-winning by picking up their litter, leaving only footprints, and protecting our environment for generations to come. I want to thank our partners, as well as local businesses and organisations, who have all united and worked together in order to retain our Blue Flag status for another year.”
