Mundesley and Sea Palling regain Blue Flag status as six North Norfolk beaches achieve Blue Flag status

Date published: 15th May 2025

Six beaches in North Norfolk have been awarded Blue Flag status for the 2025 season from the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Cromer, Sheringham, East Runton, West Runton, Mundesley, and Sea Palling have achieved Blue Flag status. This marks the first time Mundesley and Sea Palling have regained the award since losing their status in 2022, along with East Runton, which regained its status in 2024.

Sheringham and Cromer have both held a beach award since 1988. Last year, Mundesley and Sea Palling achieved Seaside Award status.

Cllr Tim Adams, Leader of North Norfolk District Council, said:

"This is a significant achievement, highlighting the continued commitment of the Council towards sustaining our visitor destinations.

"The blue flags have been awarded because of various discretionary services that the Council provides in these locations, including public toilets, cleansing activity,  water supply, and beach lifeguard services.

"Whilst the reasons for losing the flags in the first place were because of external factors out of our control, we have continued to provide these various discretionary services, and we are delighted that this work by our colleagues across the Council has been recognised once again.

"The Blue Flag is an accolade recognised internationally demonstrating cleanliness and excellent environmental management and safety standards, and we now look forward to flying these flags in Sheringham, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer, Mundesley and Sea Palling over the next year."

Cllr Liz Withington, portfolio holder for Communities, Leisure and Outreach, said:

"Earning Blue Flag status is a proud moment for North Norfolk’s coastal towns and NNDC. It’s a mark of excellence that tells visitors our beaches are not only beautiful, but also clean, safe, and sustainably managed. This recognition boosts our local tourism economy while affirming our commitment to protecting the natural environment for future generations."

To qualify for either Blue Flag or Seaside Award status, a beach must meet a certain set of criteria set out by Keep Britain Tidy.

The assessment criteria include water quality, water safety (such as lifeguarding), cleanliness of the beach and local amenities such as public transport and toilets.

Another strand encourages public engagement and educational programs around our environment and local ecosystems; each summer, the Council’s Leisure teams do a ‘Summer Tour’, holding educational events at the various beaches to highlight water safety and marine environmentalism.

The Environment Agency undertake regular bathing water testing to monitor the standards and safety of the water for the public.

This information can be found on the Environment Agency’s SWIMFO website.

Throughout the summer season, the safety of swimmers and visitors to these beaches is overseen by the RNLI who provide a vital lifeguarding and first aid service.

Blue Flag and Seaside Award are international awards which are managed in Britain by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Find out more about the Blue Flag Award and the charity Keep Britain Tidy