Bathing boost for Sunshine Coast (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Bathing boost for Sunshine Coast

12:10am Friday 28th May 2010

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THE Sunshine Coast's beaches have been given another boost after getting a clean bill of health from water watchdogs.

All of Tendring's beaches hung on to their ratings in the Marine Conservation Society's Good Beach Guide.

It's the third time in a fortnight they have been given the thumbs-up. Tourism chiefs celebrated last month after picking up prestigious Blue Flags for Clacton, Brightlingsea and Dovercourt, and Quality Coast awards for six beaches in the district.

Now seven beaches have been given top marks for being pollution-free zones. Clacton, Martello Tower, Jaywick, Frinton, Holland on Sea, Brightlingsea and Dovercourt all retained their ratings from last year.

Clacton's Groyne 41 beach and Walton passed basic water standards but Groyne 41 is rated as "poor" and is on a shortlist of beaches in danger of failing tougher standards when they are introduced in 2015 unless improvements are made.

The beach awards are seen as vital to attract sun-seekers to resorts. Their importance skyrocketed last year as more credit crunch victims decided to holiday in the UK sparking fierce competition for holiday-makers' cash.

Martyn Chipchase, who has a seafront cafe in Clacton, says getting the all-clear for bathing beaches is vital for the tourist trade.

"In this day and age people look at health and safety," he said.

"When I was a kid you didn't care where you went swimming or about the consequences, but now it's high profile and it's important to people."

The MCS said water quality at two thirds of the 129 bathing beaches it tested in the south east last summer were excellent.

There are five UK beach awards but the MCS's is the only one that focuses entirely on water quality standards and the risk of sewage pollution.

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