South Bay has a large sandy bay with excellent facilities, child friendly amenities and is very popular with families. During the main season the RNLI patrol the beach with trained life guards.
Scarborough South Bay currently has an ‘advice against bathing’ notice in place due to poor water quality results obtained in the 2016 and 2017 bathing season. Of the results taken in 2016 and 2017, many were of the highest ‘Excellent’ standard. The bathing water is therefore generally very good. However, a number of failures at other times statistically pushed the overall classification into the ‘Poor’ category. Bathing water quality sample results are sensitive to even relatively small sources of pollution, often washed into the bathing water by wet weather.
The Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership, which is made up of local authorities, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and Welcome to Yorkshire is constantly looking at what could be affecting the bathing water quality at Scarborough South Bay and is committed to ensuring that the bathing water quality improves significantly in the future.
The Environment Agency has recently carried out cutting-edge DNA profiling on water samples to help identify different sources of pollution. Laboratory analysis of the samples shows that a number of different factors must be tackled to improve the water quality. The data suggests that no single factor is responsible for lowering Scarborough South’s water quality. A copy of the full report on the findings is now available.
The organisations within the partnership will now use the data in the report to drive improvements forward.
You can do your bit to help by following some simple steps such as picking up after your dog, not feeding seagulls and disposing of your litter in bins nearby.
Access the official beach profile for Scarborough South Bay, visit environment.gov.uk
Type of beach
Sandy
Lifeguard service
Yes
Dogs friendly beach?
Dog ban in force
Activities
- Amusement arcade
- Swimming/bathing
- Surfing
Facilities
- Cafe/restaurant
- Toilets
- Disabled facilities
- First aid point
- Lost child centre
- Shop
- Pub nearby
- Deck chair hire
- Slipway