'One in four' UK children has never swum in the British sea
For the millions of people whose childhood holidays involved huddling behind a windbreak on the rain-lashed UK coast, there was some surprising news this week: a quarter of the country’s children have never swum in the British sea.
What’s more, almost one in five have never set foot on a UK beach.
That’s according to a survey of parents with children under 15 years old, carried out by the charity Keep Britain Tidy to launch its annual list of England’s Blue Flag beaches.
Why are so many youngsters being deprived of the delights of a UK seaside holiday? According to the charity, parents frequently cite concerns about unclean seawater and litter - which makes the unveiling of the Blue Flag beaches, which all pass muster for their cleanliness, safety, water quality, and facilities, all the more pertinent.
Sixty-five English beaches make the list, while 125 were given a Seaside Award, a separate status which recognise beach management and water quality. That’s a huge improvement on the 12 English beaches given a Blue Flag in 1987, the year the scheme was introduced.
The South West is home to more clean coastline than any other corner of the country, with 26 Blue Flag beaches and 50 with a Seaside Award. They include Blackpool Sands in Devon, one of Telegraph Travel’s favourite British beaches, and - new for 2018 - Great Western in Newquay.
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - South West
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - South West list
The South East has 15 Blue Flag beaches, plus 21 with a Seaside Award, including Brighton Central, as well as Botany Bay and West Wittering - both on our list of top UK spots.
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - South East
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - South East list
Northern England has eight, including Whitby and Blackpool South.
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - North East, North West and Yorkshire
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - North East, North West and Yorkshire list
There are 16 Blue Flag beaches in the east of England, including Southwold, Cromer and Central Beach, Skegness.
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - East Midlands and East of England
Blue Flag beaches 2018 - East Midlands and East of England list
“Blue Flag and Seaside Awards set the standard for our beaches, including the war against the litter and plastic that does so much damage to our marine environment,” said Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy. “We are committed to creating a great environment on our doorstep for everyone to enjoy and offering a quality mark that shows everyone just how fantastic our beaches can be.”
At a glance | What's a Blue Flag beach?
Beyond England, Wales has 45 Blue Flag beaches - as of 2017; this year’s have not been announced - and Northern Ireland has eight. Scotland, as of last year, has none.
Are young Britons snubbing the UK seaside?
Keep Britain Tidy’s survey suggests that fewer youngster are spending their holidays at the UK seaside.
Britain or the Med? | Why UK beaches are best
Domestic holidays are also falling from favour with millennials, according to recent statistics from VisitEngland, which show that 16–34 year olds took 1.4 million fewer holidays at home last year than they did a decade ago.
Factors such as the falling cost of flights to Europe have been cited, as well as a desire for young Britons to spend more on adventurous holidays to far-flung destinations. “[Millennials] often prefer the idea of Europe because it seems more exotic, but is the same price – if not cheaper – than a holiday at home,” said Sherelle Jacobs, Telegraph Travel’s resident millennial travel expert. “With London being the big exception, European city break destinations also tend to be better marketed for cultural weekends.”
