Top accolade for Banff coastline
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The beach at Inverboyndie near Banff has achieved Scottish Beach Award status for 2019.
The accolade from environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful recognises the high standards provided across the country to beach users.
The annual Scottish Beach Awards recognise the best beaches across the country and act as the benchmark for local environmental quality all along Scotland’s coastline.
Eight beaches in Aberdeenshire have been awarded the status.
Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee, Peter Argyle, said: “These beaches continually receive awards from Keep Scotland Beautiful and rightly so, as our teams work hard all year round to keep them clean and safe for visitors.
“We all recognise how lucky we are to have such amazing natural spaces on our doorstep and how that can contribute to the local economy, so we are delighted to receive this renewed recognition for our efforts.
“It's huge testament to our hard working teams, as well as the valued volunteers in our communities who give up their time to take part in beach clean events, and to the other local people who take great pride in keeping Aberdeenshire a beautiful place to live, work and visit by disposing of their waste responsibly.”
The 2019 awards recognise 61 award winning beaches.
The other Aberdeenshire winning beaches were: Balmedie; Collieston; Cruden Bay; Fraserburgh Tigerhill; Fraserburgh Waters of Philorth; Peterhead Lido and Stonehaven.
Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I would like to congratulate Aberdeenshire Council for setting such high standards and securing its Scottish Beach Awards.
"With the country set to mark 2020 as Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, it is only right that we celebrate the achievements of communities, organisations and local authorities across the country in making sure that our beaches provide visitors with the fantastic shoreline experience that they deserve.
“Scotland’s coastlines and waters attract thousands of visitors every year. These beach users can be assured that where they see the Scottish Beach Award flag they will have the experience they are looking for: a clean beach, excellent amenities and signposting about the local area, as well as information about water quality.”
For a beach to be successful in achieving a Beach Award, it has to meet a range of criteria, including beach safety, access and facilities, and cleanliness.
Focusing on local environmental quality, the award is designed to complement the work currently undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality.
A map showing all the award-winning beaches with directions, facilities and images can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/beach
