Mayor’s ‘take it home’ plea as Blue Flag Skegness prepares for busy Bank Holiday
Skegness is preparing for a busy Bank Holiday weekend after the town’s central beach retained its prestigious Blue Flag status for 2026.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy confirmed that Skegness Central Beach, alongside beaches in Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, had once again met the high standards required for the internationally recognised award.
The Blue Flag scheme recognises beaches for water quality, cleanliness, environmental management, safety and facilities.
With a heatwave forecast for the Bank Holiday weekend, Mayor of Skegness Coun Dan Kirk said the town was expecting huge crowds and urged visitors to help keep the resort at its best by taking rubbish home with them.
He said: “It’s going to be rammed this weekend. Cleanliness is critical to achieving Blue Flag status, but the town’s success is also about the facilities, lifeguards, toilets and the overall quality people experience when they come here.
“Having that recognition gives people confidence in Skegness. If you’re going for a dip, go for it - but swim between the flags because the beaches are going to be busy.
“We’d ask people to respect the environment and, where they can, take rubbish home with them. Even if everybody just takes one thing away, whether it’s disposable barbecues or litter, it all helps keep the beach looking fantastic.”
Coun Kirk also praised the teams and volunteers who help maintain the resort throughout the year, including East Lindsey District Council who are out at 6am each morning doing “a mammoth job combing the beach”.
“A special thank you goes to all the people who work hard to keep the beach clean and safe because it really does make a difference,” he said.
He added that Skegness offered more than just its award-winning beach, highlighting its “excellent and reasonably priced” food establishments, accessible drinking water points, lifeguard facilities and quieter areas such as Seacroft for visitors wanting a more peaceful seaside experience.
Dogs are not permitted on the Blue Flag section of beach during the restriction period.
The beaches are among 61 across the country to receive Blue Flag status this year. To qualify, inspectors carry out unannounced visits during the bathing season to assess standards including safety services, environmental information, litter management and water quality.