Two much-loved English beaches go ‘smoke-free’ – here’s what it means for you
BOTH Bexhill Beach and Camber Sands became some of the first beaches in England to go smoke free voluntarily.
The scheme launched on No Smoking Day (March 12) in a bid to protect children, young people and the environment from the harmful effects of smoking.
Bexhill Beach is now smoke-free from De La Warr Pavilion to the Coronation Bandstand on East Parade, while the voluntary measure will cover the entirety of Camber Sands.
Visitors to the beach are now asked to refrain from smoking and vaping under the voluntary measure.
Located in Bexhill-on-Sea, Bexhill Beach stretches for two miles and is made of shingle, with quaint cafes, beach gardens and beach huts dotted along its promenade.
The seaside Sussex town is often overlooked in favour of other nearby destinations like Brighton.
Meanwhile, Camber Sands has often been described as one of the best beaches in England by visitors.
The English beach is known for long ridges of dunes leading down to miles of soft golden sands.
East Sussex Council, in partnership with Rother District Council, introduced the initiative earlier this week.
Leader of Rother District Council, Doug Oliver, commented on the measure, saying: “[It is a] positive initiative to establish the first voluntary smoke free beaches in England“.
Meanwhile, Rob Tolfree, acting director of East Sussex Public Health, added: “Second-hand smoke is just as toxic outdoors as it is indoors.
“Creating two smoke free beaches in East Sussex will help protect our children and young people from the effects of smoking by encouraging people to think twice before smoking on the beach.”
Because the scheme is voluntary, it is not yet known whether anyone who flouts the smoke-free zones will be fined.
However, it is a criminal offence in the UK to drop litter in public places, which also applies to beaches.
Anyone who drops litter can face prosecution in court and can be fined up to £2,500 if convicted.
A person can be charged with a fixed penalty notice of up to £150, with beach-goers encouraged to either bin their litter or take it home.
According to social enterprise Waterhaul, cigarette butts and disposable vapes are among the worst offenders for litter at UK beaches.
Waterhaul founder Harry Dennis, previously said: “Smoking-related waste is becoming a significant issue on beaches, with a recent survey suggesting cigarette butts are the most numerous plastic waste found on UK waterways.”
There are plenty of other little-known beach rules that could land Brits in hot water this summer, such as taking pebbles away as a souvenir.
It is illegal to take any kind of natural materials from public beaches.
The measure is laid out Under the Coastal Protection Act 1949, with rule breakers fined up to £1,000 if caught.
Lots of councils also impose strict restrictions on dogs on their beaches over the summer months, with owners caught breaking the rules fined. .
Camping on beaches is illegal in most areas of the UK, in order to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Other beaches in the UK have already gone smoke-free, with Langland Bay in Swansea enforcing a ban in 2018.
Other strict beach laws around the world
HERE are some other strict beach laws from around the world.
Spain
- Leaving the beach without covering up swimwear – fines up to £500
- Smoking on the beach – fines up to £1,700
- Swimming in the sea after midnight- fines up to £1,020
- Being naked on non-nudist beaches – fines up to £560
France
- Smoking on beaches
Italy
- Taking pebbles – fines up to £2,500
UK
- Walking dogs on certain beaches between May 1 and September 30 – fines of £1,000
- Dropping rubbish – fines up to £2,500
- Taking pebbles – fines up to £1,000
- Camping on beaches – fines up to £1,000
The UK is not the only place where you can get in trouble for some of the things on the list, with some lesser-known laws in Spain also leading to fines.
Holidaymakers have also been warned to be alert in Italy, where big fines have been handed out in recent years, for relatively small crimes.