East Devon beaches proud to fly Blue Flags and Seaside Awards this summer
As international Blue Flag award reaches its 39th year, the area’s best beaches are celebrating
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2026, and among them are four sites in East Devon.
This year the beaches meeting the required high standards are:
- Budleigh Salterton: Seaside Award (designated bathing water)
- Exmouth: Combined Award - Blue Flag and Seaside Award
- Sidmouth: Combined Award - Blue Flag and Seaside Award
- Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder - Seaside Award (designated bathing water)
Councillor Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment – Operations, said:
“This is very positive news for East Devon, with Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Sidmouth and Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder all receiving national recognition this year. These awards reflect the hard work that goes into keeping our beaches clean, safe and welcoming for residents and visitors, and it is especially pleasing to see Exmouth and Sidmouth once again achieving both Blue Flag and Seaside Award status.
“For Budleigh Salterton, the beach has received a Seaside Award this year rather than a Blue Flag because its bathing water classification was rated good rather than excellent, likely reflecting a mix of factors including storm overflow discharges and agricultural pollution in the River Otter catchment. Seaton and Beer have not received awards this year because, without lifeguard provision, they are not currently able to meet the zones of use requirements, and at Beer there is also no first aid provision on site. We will continue working with partners to support the highest possible standards across our coastline.”
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 in East Devon 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 designed to raise standards across England’s coastline and inland waters, while shining a spotlight on the country’s top beaches. These awards are the only way for the public to be assured that beaches are delivering a safe, clean and well-managed space for them to enjoy.
Blue Flag is an environmental education programme managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
- Safety and services such as first aid, and 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 (designated bathing waters) winners must meet, as a minimum, the 'sufficient’ standard.
