North Yorkshire Council has moved to reassure residents and visitors that Whitby’s prestigious Blue Flag beach status is not at risk, even if the town’s historic Cliff Lift is permanently decommissioned.
The clarification comes as the community remains locked in a passionate debate over the future of the 93-year-old structure, which has been out of service since 2022 due to corrosion and water ingress.
North Yorkshire Council's executive committee is scheduled to make a final decision on the future of the Cliff Lift on 17 March. Local councillors continue to advocate for the preservation of the asset, highlighting its importance to the economy and employment in Whitby.
Concerns had been raised by local residents and coastal councillors that losing the lift would not only impact accessibility but could also jeopardise the town's international environmental accolades. However, officials have clarified that the criteria for the award are entirely separate from the operation of the lift.
Chris Bourne, North Yorkshire Council’s head of harbours and coastal infrastructure, provided a definitive statement on the matter to clarify the scope of the award. He stated:
"Whitby Beach has been the recipient of a Blue Flag Award highlighting its superior water quality, environmental management, and safety standards for over 10 years.
The Blue Flag Award does not and has not ever relied on the provision of either the former cliff lift or the replacement bus service.
It simply doesn't form any part of the application for the blue flag.".
This position was supported by Councillor Liz Colling, who explained that the council has specific control over which categories are included in their annual submission for the award.
She noted that the lift has not been a factor in Whitby's successful applications for a decade. Councillor Colling said:
"The council submits its own application for a blue flag beach and can put in any number of categories and for the last 10 years has chosen not to include the cliff lift.
So the blue flag beach for Whitby is granted on the grounds of beautiful quality of water but not access.
It can be something that you choose to put in but it has not been in the blue flag beach for Whitby".
While the environmental status of the beach appears secure, the human impact of the lift's closure remains a central point of contention in the region. At a packed meeting at Whitby Pavilion, residents like Bonita Nicholson questioned the fairness of the situation, asking how it was right to deny people with disabilities access to the "beautiful Blue Flag beach".
The debate has resonated across the Yorkshire Coast, with comparisons drawn to Scarborough, where the loss of a similar cliff lift in the North Bay is said to be "sorely missed decades later" by Councillor David Jeffels. Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume has also joined the calls to save the asset, expressing concern that decision-makers in Northallerton may be "not in tune" with the needs of coastal communities.
The council has previously cited "worst-case" repair costs of £5.5 million for the lift, while decommissioning options are estimated between £199,000 and £538,000. In response to accessibility fears, Mr Bourne has asserted that the council is not denying access, noting that the beach remains accessible via slipways and ramps, with a beach wheelchair also available.
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