A Lancashire beach has been named one of the 20 beaches in the UK where swimming is not allowed due to poor water quality.
While it might still be a bit cool to be swimming outside, it's worth knowing which bathing spots to avoid when the warmer weather arrives.
Blackpool North has been included in the list by Locals Insider, which suggests the places where people “officially shouldn’t go in the water.”
It said: “The analysis highlights the small number of beaches across England currently classified as ‘poor’ for water quality – the lowest rating issued by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and meaning swimming is not recommended.”
Locals Insider added: “As temperatures rise across the UK and more people head to the coast for spring, it’s important to be aware that a small number of beaches nationwide should be avoided for swimming.”
The publication warned swimmers to “check whether entering the water is advised” before doing so.
Other swimming spots with poor water quality include Haverigg in Cumbria, Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary in Devon and Scarborough South Bay in North Yorkshire.
DEFRA’s Swimfo map shares the places that are safe to swim and those where you shouldn’t enter the water, and it shares information on Blackpool North.
It says “the most recent classification is Poor, based on samples taken from 2022 through to 2025”, and you can see the water sample data from the last few years.
Water safety tips
The water quality at Blackpool North was also considered poor in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and DEFRA says “bathing is not advised”.
Blackpool South and Blackpool Central received a 'sufficient' quality rank in 2025, a level up from poor.
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The only other spot in Lancashire with poor water quality recorded on the same map is the River Ribble at Edisford Bridge.
While there was no classification for this area in 2022 and 2023, it received a poor rating in 2024 and 2025.
Data for 2026 has not yet been released.
Will you be visiting Blackpool this summer? Let us know in the comments below.
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