Teignbridge beaches recognised in prestigious awards

Four beaches in Teignbridge have been recognised for their quality in the prestigious annual Keep Britain Tidy Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for Summer 2025. 

Dawlish Warren has received the highest recognition with the internationally recognised Blue Flag award and Dawlish Town beach, Coryton Cove, and Ness Cove received the coveted Seaside Award. 

Cllr John Nutley, Executive Member for Leisure and Recreation said:“Having the Blue Flag award for Dawlish Warren and the Seaside Awards for Dawlish Town beach, Coryton Cove and Ness Cove does not only encourage our local residents and the wider communities to come and enjoy a day on the beach, it also encourages our visitors thinking of having their holidays at our resorts knowing we have these awards and that we pride ourselves in the standards we keep so they can come and enjoy their holidays in a clean and safe environment”.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “In England we are lucky enough to have some of the best beaches in the world. It’s wonderful to see the flag flying proudly over Dawlish Warren, demonstrating their quality to residents and visitors alike.

“The awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach and site managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who should take pride today in their tireless efforts to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular blue spaces.

“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards.”

The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches.

Blue Flag, the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas, is an environmental education programme managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

It is only presented to beaches with water which has achieved the highest classification as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and has an environmental education programme, and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.

• Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
• Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary
• Environmental information including displaying details about local eco systems
• 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 winners must meet the 'sufficient’ standard.

The awards mean that visitors to beaches flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be confident that they will be clean, safe and meet environmental and water quality standards.

Applications for the Seaside Awards for Ness Cove and Dawlish Town beach were very kindly funded by Shaldon Parish Council and Dawlish Town Council respectively.