Sunderland's beaches are flying the flags for 2026
Sunderland's beaches have been named among the best in the country once again in the 2026 Seaside Awards.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has selected Roker and Seaburn beaches for their quality, cleanliness, and management.
Roker beach has also been awarded a prestigious Blue Flag award for summer 2026 - a symbol of the highest standards in water quality, cleanliness, and visitor facilities.
Sunderland City Council's Director of City Services, Marc Morley, said: "I'm delighted that both Roker and Seaburn beaches will be proudly flying the national Seaside Awards flags again this year, this shows visitors that our seafront is safe, clean and well-managed.
"It is also great to see that Roker Beach has once again been awarded a prestigious blue flag - a symbol of the highest standards in water quality, cleanliness, and visitor facilities.
"In Sunderland we are proud of our beautiful coastline, and these awards are testament to the hard work of everyone who helps maintain our beaches — including our teams who work tirelessly to keep the beaches clean, and the residents and visitors who play a part in keeping the coastline tidy and protecting the environment."
From Saturday 23 May, RNLI lifeguards will be back at Seaburn, Roker and Cat and Dog Beaches this summer, to help beachgoers enjoy the beach safely.
The service will be in force every day from 10am to 6pm until early September. Residents are reminded that a lifeguarded beach is the safest place to swim outdoors, and to always to swim between the red and yellow flags.
Visitors to Sunderland's seafront will have more to enjoy for summer 2026, with One Big Summer by the Sea bringing Indie rock band Embrace, Britpop icons Ocean Colour Scene and popular 1980s band The Waterboys to Seaburn's Cliffe Park over the weekend of Friday 14 and Saturday 15 August.
This year Roker Pier reopened following a programme of works to repair storm damage, attracting more people to Roker beach, and new hospitality venues including Namaste, Vallely's, Boca Chica and Elephant Rock are all now open in the surrounding area, with more opening this summer.
Visit www.mysunderland.co.uk for information on what's on around Sunderland.
