Beach teams get South Shields seafront ready for busy summer season

Visitors to the coast will have seen teams out working with machinery carrying out the annual sand-levelling and clean-up works in preparation for peak season at the beach.

The work is carried out by South Tyneside Council and its partners, and involves both mechanical and manual methods of moving windswept sand from footpaths and spreading it back onto the beach.

It comes after Sandhaven Beach won back its Blue Flag award for 2022, meaning it ranks among the country’s best.

It is the first time the beach will be able to fly the award since it lost Blue Flag status in 2019.

Clean-up a work has also taken place at the Amphitheatre, including a deep clean of the paving, walkways and entertainment area repairing tiles, draining and refreshing the water fountain, painting seats and installing new litter bins.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Transport and Neighbourhoods, said: “Working with South Tyneside Homes, we are carrying out our annual sand clearance and beach reinstatement works along the foreshore in anticipation of the summer months ahead.

“This involves the mechanical clearance of sand which has built up over the winter months along our promenades and pathways as well as beach levelling to redistribute sand along the full length of our beaches.

“This is necessary as winter storms move sand up the beach. In addition to this, our beaches are cleaned daily.

“These works help us to make sure our seafront is looking at its very best, not only for our residents, but for the thousands of people expected to descend on South Shields this summer.”

Cllr Gibson said anyone visiting the beach is asked to be vigilant regarding moving machinery while the works are underway.

He added: “We would also encourage people to support us by disposing of their litter in the bins provided or taking it home with them.

“Litter, particularly plastics, has a detrimental impact on our natural environment and discarded cans and bottles can cause injury.

"Seabirds and marine wildlife can also eat litter thinking it is food, with devastating consequences.”