One in seven English bathing spots rated as polluted in latest testing

One in seven (13%) of England’s bathing waters are rated as polluted, and one in 14 so polluted they are not recommended for swimming.

Famous beaches including Bognor Regis, Scarborough’s South Bay and Littlehaven Beach in South Shields were all rated “poor” in the latest classifications from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which means they are not recommended for swimming.

Of 449 designated bathing sites in England, 87% meet standards for “excellent” or “good” classification, an improvement on 2024, and 417 bathing waters (93%), were rated “excellent”, “good” or “sufficient”, representing a very slight rise on 2024’s standards.

Last year, bathing waters were the most polluted they have been since records began in 1991. Across the country, 450 locations