Richmond beauty spot could become designated bathing site

A North Yorkshire beauty spot could become a designated bathing site.

A 50m stretch of the River Swale above the falls in Richmond is one of 13 sites across the country which could be given the protected status by the government.

Campaign group Save Our Swale (SOS) nominated the stretch to receive the designation from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Deborah Meara, chair of SOS, said she was pleased the application was being considered.

“Getting this far has involved a lot of hard work by our supporters and volunteer team, and we are grateful for all the hours, often spent in pouring rain, sampling at our test sites up and down the Swale.

“If SOS does finally achieve Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS), it will be an important benefit to the community, as the location is used by hundreds of people in the summer months and they deserve to bathe in their local river without risk from raw sewage pollution.”

She added: “SOS’s work to clean up our river does not, however, end here. We will continue to fight for a cleaner river downstream of the falls and campaign, alongside the Sewage Campaign Network, for the return of water to public ownership.”

Local communities are now being invited to have their say on the 13 new bathing water sites, as part of a six-week public consultation.

Following the consultation, the government will consider responses before confirming which sites will be designated ahead of the 2026 bathing water season.

Little Shore, in Amble, Northumberland, is also included on the list, along with the first ever designated bathing spot on the River Thames in London.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “Rivers and beaches are at the heart of so many communities – where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely.

“Our plans to designate new bathing water sites show how we are backing local ambition and recognising the pride in places that matter most to people.

“This comes alongside this government’s generational reform of the water system, that will cut water pollution and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.”

Designated bathing status means the sites undergo mandatory water quality monitoring by the Environment Agency between May 15 and September 30 to protect public health from pollution.

The new sites would see the nation’s total bathing spots increase to 464.