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St Andrews West Sands and Gullane Bents celebrate three decades of beach management

01 July 2022

Beach users and those that care for beaches gathered at St Andrews West Sands in Fife and Gullane Bents in East Lothian today, 30 June 2022, to celebrate three decades of beach management with us.

Both beaches first joined the beach award scheme as the first in Scotland and have consistently achieved award status for the past 30 years.

Combatting climate change, tackling litter and managing and enhancing places are key to what we do, and Scottish beaches are all impacted by these challenges.

Our beaches are enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year, all taking part in different activities, from wild swimming to family picnics, to walking, paddle boarding and land yachting. 

To ensure our beaches are managed sensitively for nature and people, beach managers and communities work hard to drive investment and make ongoing improvements to facilities and natural habitats.

This year 53 beaches, from Shetland to the Scottish Borders, were recognised with Scotland’s Beach Award by the charity which supports beach managers and communities striving to manage and improve the beaches they love and care for.

Fife retains its title as the region with the most awards, home to 15 winning beaches. East Lothian has eight award beaches.

Barry Fisher, our CEO, said: “As the only accreditation for beach management of its kind in Scotland, we have supported beach managers and communities across Scotland to drive up environmental standards at many of our beaches for residents and visitors alike.

“Popular beaches attract a diverse range of visitors, all of whom look for different facilities and have different expectations. Scotland’s Beach Award scheme, and the collective expertise of beach managers across Scotland, drives improvements through a framework which supports the management of our beach environments and the people who visit them. 

“Scotland’s coastlines and waters attract thousands of visitors every year and I’d encourage everyone to #RespectProtectEnjoy these beaches this summer.”

To be successful in achieving Scotland’s Beach Award, a beach must be managed in accordance with a number of criteria, including beach safety, access and facilities, and cleanliness. Focusing on local environmental quality, the award is designed to complement the work undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality.  The full criteria can be accessed here.

A map showing all the award-winning beaches with directions, facilities and images can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/beach

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