The residents of an idyllic seaside resort are furious after the top tourist attraction in their town was destroyed for the summer due to toxic sewerage.
Locals in Norfolk say their lives and livelihoods have been blighted by the loss of the coveted “Blue Flag” award in the wake of a water quality survey.
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Residents angry with Anglian Water are blaming the company for dumping millions of litres worth of sewage untreated into the sea, only a quarter-mile from their golden beaches.
Tourism, shopping and restaurants will be affected by the loss of status for three of the beaches.
And their fury rose when they realised that they can’t get the “Blue Flag” award back for another three years.
East Runton is a village near Cromer (Norfolk) that has been affected. It also contains a 130-caravan holiday park with views of the ocean.
The toxic sewage is causing the local community, which heavily relies on tourism and visitors to support its livelihood, to fear the worst.
Local Clare Stagg, who helps out at the RNLI station in Cromer, said: “We are less than a mile away from the spot where Anglian Water pump out into the sea – and at times that water is untreated.
“I like to swim off this beach, and sometimes there is a film of water on the surface.
“But this downgrading of the beach’s status is a real blow – it will really damage the local economy.
“The village’s pubs and shop rely on visitors especially in the summer and if people shun us it will be a real blow to them. It is good to have a cleanliness and safety rating system – but it has to be fair.”
While Parish council clerk Barbara Emery said: “The water here is clean and safe enough to bathe in – and ironically the village next door which is less than a mile away has kept its blue flag.
“It may just have been that on the day they tested there had been an outflow from the water-treatment plant. Losing our Blue Flag might put some people off coming to the area.
“We rely on tourism and thousands visitors enjoy our beach every year – this will only have a negative effect and it’s the last thing we want.”
Sea Palling, on the Norfolk Coast, is also concerned about its downgraded ratings.
We rely on tourism and thousands visitors enjoy our beach every year – this will have a negative effect and it’s the last thing we want.”
Barbara Emery
Patsy Adam, the parish clerk said “We’re very worried.” It appears that the water treatment discharges are causing this problem.
“We have lots of holiday lets and caravans here – the population doubles in the summer – as well as a large number of daytrippers.”
Tourism brings in more than £500 million a year to North Norfolk and provides more than 10,000 jobs.
Bev Reynolds, the Mundesley Council clerk said “We’re very angry about losing our Blue Flag.”
“But we are just a mile from a water treatment plant and there have been breakdowns which may explain the downgrading.
“But we feel very aggrieved about it – people will look at things like beach and water qualities and if they see we have lost our Blue Flag status they will simply go somewhere else.
“What make it particularly upsetting is that in the past we have won the ‘Best Beach in Norfolk’ award.”
One Norfolk local added: “I blame the water companies – its profits, dividends, huge salaries and bonuses that matter to them.”
Recent statistics revealed that water companies pumped sewage into waterways for 1.75 million hours across the country last year – an average of 825 every day and much of the discharges end up in the sea.
‘DISASTROUS’
Will Watson, who has run a busy fish and chip shop in East Runton for 17 years, described the Blue Flag loss as “disastrous.”
He said: “We have been robbed. The water discharges have been a problem for many years. But nothing has changed.
And at the village’s Fishing Boat pub, barmaid Jane Day-Walker who has worked there for 13 years, said: “We are all very worried that this will put people off coming here.
We are normally crowded in summer, but many people might stay away if the Blue Flag was removed.
“This is lovely little village but we rely on tourists coming here – the beach is a great attraction and we have surfers coming from miles away. Pushing us down the ratings won’t help anyone.”
North Norfolk Council leader has promised to work with the council in order to restore Blue Flag status for all three of its beaches, which were degraded due water quality.
Cllr Tim Adams said: “We are working with Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to win back the coveted awards for the three resorts which have dropped from “Excellent” to “Seaside Award” status – and they won’t get a chance to win back their Blue Flag until 2025.
”We hope to win back the Blue Flags – but we still provide the other elements of Blue Flag status despite the water quality falling.
“All the locations have public toilets, RNLI lifeboat cover and an enhanced cleaning regime – and still have excellent beaches.”
Anglian Water has been contacted to provide a comment.