Overview
- Holiday Park Guru released its 2026 Brown Flag list using Environment Agency data, naming 15 English beaches with the lowest bathing‑water grades.
- Haverigg in Cumbria is the only new entry after its rating fell from sufficient to poor.
- Some sites improved and dropped off the list, with Heacham in Norfolk upgraded to sufficient, while the share of beaches rated excellent has edged up to about 68%.
- Several hotspots remain on the warning list, including Scarborough South Bay and Tyne and Wear’s Littlehaven and Tynemouth Cullercoats, where officials advise against swimming.
- Somerset is the worst‑performing county this year and Northumberland the cleanest, and swimmers can check the GOV.UK Bathing Water Tool for current ratings and pollution alerts.