BRITAIN’S answer to the Mediterranean with sandy beaches and palm-tree-lined promenades, won’t have a single Blue Flag beach this year.
Devon‘s English Riviera, formed of three towns – Paignton, Brixham and Torquay – will lose all of its Blue Flag beaches this year after the local council agreed to scrap the scheme.
At a recent meeting, Torbay Council agreed to leave the internationally recognised scheme which awards high-quality beaches.
While the English Riviera stretches across the South Devon coast, every single one of its awarded beaches sits under Torbay Council’s control.
There are six beaches in total with the award including Broadsands Beach in Paignton; Oddicombe Beach in Torquay; Preston Beach in Paignton; Torre Abbey Sands in Torquay; Breakwater Beach in Brixham and Meadfoot Beach in Torquay.
One beach – Oddicombe in Torquay – has even held a Blue Flag status since the scheme launched 38 years ago.
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The council has said that the decision has been made as local leaders believe the scheme wasn’t meeting the bay’s needs anymore and that it had become too expensive, reports theBBC.
The scheme has recently updated its criteria to include a requirement for designated zones for swimmers, surfers, boarders and motor boats at each beach.
However, for smaller coves, Torbay Council believes this is unpractical.
Councillor Martin Brook said: “I think the Blue Flag lot have shot themselves in the foot.
“Places all over the country are going to pull out of the scheme.”
The council is now planning to introduce a new scheme that would be run locally called the English Riviera Beach Standards (ERBS) scheme.
ERBS will replace the Blue Flag scheme, managing all of Torbay’s 25 beaches and coves and it would cost £260,000 less to run.
It will also allow the council to test the water standards more frequently.
The beaches will be accessed against three categories.
The first is ‘excellence’, which celebrates the highest-quality beaches in the area – ones that consistently have a great visitor experience.
The second category is ‘quality’, which looks at what unique offerings each beach has.
And the third category is ‘natural’, which highlights unspoilt beaches in the region.
Each beach will be assessed every year under the new scheme.
According to the council, the scheme will also allow water to be monitored more often, there to be a stronger focus on environmental protection and sustainability, visitor experience to be improved, be better value for money and more accurately present Torbay’s coastline.
Councillor Adam Billings, Cabinet Member for Pride in Place and Parking, said: “Torbay’s coastline is central to our identity, and these new beach awards will highlight just how deeply we value and protect it.
“By creating a locally designed system, we can focus on what truly matters to our communities, our visitors and our environment.”
Under the new ratings current Blue Flag beaches Oddicombe, Meadfoot, Torre Abbey, Broadsands and Breakwater would all move into the ‘excellence’ category.
Then in the ‘quality’ category, Maidencombe, Anstey’s Cove, Goodrington North and Goodrington South beaches would feature.
And finally, Watcombe, Petitor, Babbacombe, Peaked Tor, Corbyn Head, Livermead, Fairy Cove, Oyster Cove, Saltern Cove, Armchair Cove, Elberry Cove, Churston, Fishcombe, St Mary’s Bay, Beacon Cove and Hollicombe beaches would be in the ‘natural’ category.
The council added how Paignton and Preston Beaches will currently not be categorised due to a multi-million waterfront upgrade project taking place.
Locals are skeptical about the idea of a new scheme though, with one person commenting on social media: “Is the blue flag recognised across the globe?
“Why replace (your words) something that has been around for over 40 years. Unless you look to make cut backs on facilities.”
Another added: “Why have a local system that means nothing to our visitors…. Stick to the Blue Flag system that is known throughout the UK.”
The new scheme is set to come into force on March 2, with the former £11,000 Blue Flag budget being used to set up the scheme.
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