Highcliffe, Avon and Friars Cliff beaches given Blue Flag status despite hundreds of sewage warnings in 2023

HIGHCLIFFE, Avon and Friars Cliff beaches retained their Blue Flag status for this year – despite bathers being warned in 2023 that sewage had been discharged into the sea in the coastal areas more than 400 times.

Action group Surfers Against Sewage revealed that it had issued alerts 204 times for Friars Cliff last year and 210 for Avon Beach. It said eight people had reported being sick after bathing in the sea at Highcliffe over four years.

Kirsty Davies, community water quality manager for the group, said: “We track thousands of sewage spills at official designated bathing waters and Blue Flag beaches every summer.

“The water industry seems to consider even our most loved beaches as a place they can dump their sewage pollution, and Blue Flags lure water-users into a false sense of security.

“Unfortunately, a Blue Flag doesn’t mean sewage-free. One of the conditions beaches must satisfy to be awarded a Blue Flag is that there is system in place to warn the public of a sewage discharge.

Wessex Water revealed it had dumped waste at all three beaches last summer, which SAS says can affect bathing water quality.

The sewage outage was made “preliminary because of heavy downpours”, the water company said at the time.

But despite the pollution last year, the three beaches retained their Blue Flat status, which makes them among the best in the country.

The Noisy Lobster restaurant at Avon beach and Highcliffe and Walkford Parish Council were praised for supporting the bid for the beaches to gain Blue Flags again.

A flag is described by Keep Britain Tidy as an “international award presented to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes”. They rely on ongoing work and investment in seafront maintenance, protection and development.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hold 12 Blue Flags in total, more than any other UK destination. In 2022, 10.3-million day and staying visitors were attracted to the BCP area and its coastline, generating £914m for the local economy. To qualify for a Blue Flag award, beaches must satisfy standards in four categories, with 33 individual targets covering environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services.

BCP also collaborates with The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and volunteer lifeguards to promote public safety, while its Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) team has secured more than £40m in funding to tackle flooding and coastal erosion, protecting beaches for future generations.

Cllr Millie Earl, deputy leader of BCP Council and cabinet member communities, said: “We are proud to have our beaches recognised as Blue Flag locations for another year, highlighting the outstanding qualities of our beautiful coastline.

“Every day an exceptional amount of work goes into ensuring our beaches meet Blue Flag criteria, and this achievement is testament to the joint effort of the council, its partners, local businesses and organisations, who have united to retain these prestigious awards.

“We are fortunate to have such a breath-taking coastline.”