Somerset beaches under a cloud before summer

By Laura Linham 19th Apr 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 19th Apr 2026

Families eyeing a seaside trip to Somerset this year may want to think twice before packing the bucket and spade.

Fresh official figures show Dunster Beach, Blue Anchor West, Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway and Weston Main were all rated poor for the 2025 bathing season.

Then there is Burnham Jetty — where the warning is even starker. Permanent advice against bathing remains in place.

Taken together, that leaves five Somerset coastal spots under a cloud going into the 2026 season.

The county's showing looks even worse against the national backdrop. Across England, 92.9 per cent of bathing waters met at least the minimum standard in 2025, leaving Somerset with a striking cluster of beaches that fell short.

Burnham stands out for all the wrong reasons. Somerset Council says the jetty is no longer designated as a bathing water and still carries standing advice against swimming. The authority has also warned that water quality there cannot be guaranteed to meet the minimum standard, with swimmers instead directed towards Berrow and Brean.

The poor ratings stretch right along the coast.

In West Somerset, Dunster and Blue Anchor West both made the list. Further east, Uphill Slipway and Weston Main were also marked down.

The bathing season runs from 15 May to 30 September, with weekly Environment Agency testing during that period.

Officials say water quality can be hit by a mix of problems, including heavy rain, runoff from farms and towns, storm overflows, plumbing misconnections, litter and dog fouling.

There is at least some effort to turn the tide. North Somerset Council says it is working with the Environment Agency, Wessex Water and other partners through a bathing water steering group in a bid to improve results.

The ratings are based on samples taken over the course of the season rather than one-off readings, so conditions can change. Even so, the latest figures land as a blow for parts of the Somerset coast just as families start planning bank holiday breaks and summer days out.