Issued:2 July 2003
Beach Award Hopes For Montrose
VISITORS and local people will love to be beside the seaside if plans to gain a prestigious award for Montrose beach come to fruition.
Angus Council has been carrying out various projects in preparation for applying for a Seaside Award for the seafront area.
The Seaside Award recognises well-managed resort beaches, which are clean and relatively safe and is the first step to achieving Blue Flag status.
A beach may fly a Seaside Award flag when it meets all the specific criteria for management and cleanliness and the bathing water reaches the overall minimum microbiological standards.
Visiting the beach with local elected member Terry Wood, the Council’s Environmental and Leisure Services Convener Joy Mowatt commented: "The council is very aware of the importance of the seafront splash to the overall tourist product for Montrose and Angus.
"The additional developments which have taken place this year illustrate the Council’s ongoing commitment to Montrose and gaining the Seaside Award for the beach. It is also a tribute to former councillor Bill Crowe's enthusiasm for the continuous improvements to the Seafront Splash area."
Environmental organisation EnCams, which runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, makes the award and judges will visit the beach on 24 July to make an assessment prior to a formal application being made in October for award status in 2004.
The works carried out by the council at Montrose beach in preparation for the judging include beach supervision and recording bathing numbers, upgrading of the disabled toilet facilities, disabled access to the beach, dog control signage, a supply of drinking water, a management plan and new notice boards.
Lifesaving equipment has also been installed in consultation with the local coastguard.