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‘I visited the Thanet beach that lost its blue flag and I was surprised’
With its colourful beach huts and chalk cliffs, West Bay is known as one of Kent’s best hidden gems. But with the recent loss of its Blue Flag status, I wondered whether the beach had lost its former glory and whether it still lived up to its old reputation.
Despite the weather being sunny and warm in London, it was the complete opposite in Margate. The wind was blowing fiercely and it started raining at one point – definitely not the perfect beach day.
After a 40-minute walk along the promenade, I arrived at West Bay. I am not really familiar with the area and did not have any expectations. But I knew that sewage had been reported in the water at West Bay on a few occasions, and I wanted to have a closer look.
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The fact that not a single person was at the beach did not affect my judgement. If it wasn’t for work, I would have also avoided the beach on that cold afternoon.
I walked past the cafe, which looked fairly empty from the outside, but I could hear voices inside. To avoid disappointment, if you’re looking for arcades, restaurants, activities, you’d be best to pick a different beach as it is not that kind of place.
To be perfectly honest, the beach did not look appealing from afar. What stood out to me was how peaceful and quiet the area was.
I went down the stairs, and I was impressed by the cleanliness of the beach. Not a single bit of rubbish in sight, and it looked a lot better than I thought it would when I first arrived.
As I was fighting the wind, which was getting stronger by the minute, I decided to take a closer look at the water to check if I could see signs of sewage. And I couldn’t.
The whole area looked great, and I will definitely plan another trip there this summer. I also found some of the most beautiful sea shells I’ve seen as I was walking towards the cafe.
The colours were absolutely stunning, so I picked a couple as a “souvenir”. Overall, the beach was a good surprise, and it’s sad to see it lose its Blue Flag status, although it still received the Seaside Award 2023.
The most recent review on TripAdvisor which was posted last month praised the beach. It reads: “Wow! What a wonderful day! The comfy journey from Maypole school to Westbay beach was really exciting because I saw the peaceful countryside with herds of white sheep and massive, long and green fields.
“Westgate is a small town which is similar to Dartford. When I got there, the bus parked along the busy road and I saw that the beautiful, clean and smooth sand on the beach. First, I went to the toilets and they were really clean and spacious! As I walked along the promenade, I saw high and fast turning windmills in the noisy and deep sea which is different to Dartford. I walked towards the relaxing Café so I ate my lunch under the tall, heavy and white shelter.
“You must see the angelic, white, chalky cliffs in Westbay! As the tide lowered, I walked onto the soft and calm beach and I found slimy seaweed, rough and thick Cuttlefish shells and little rock pools on the wet sand. You must come here with your lovely family!”
Before leaving the area, I wanted to get a warm cup of coffee. As I walked in, I noticed that the café was busier than I expected when I walked past an hour ago.
I ordered an Americano and found a table with a direct view of the sea. The perfect spot for a warm cuppa on a blustery day – what’s not to like?
The café alone is definitely worth a visit. The customer service was good, and you can also get some delicious ice creams.
Westbay might have lost its prestigious Blue Flag but to the naked eye, it’s still a lovely place to visit. I was surprised to find a seemingly-clean, peaceful and tranquil place – not what you’d expect after its demotion.
I would recommend seeing it for yourself. But you might want to check the Surfers Against Sewage pollution map before you hop into the sea.
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