Beach app rolls out nationally following Bournemouth success

An app developed to help beach-goers check busy beaches in Bournemouth following a surge in visitors last summer is set to go national after being backed by the government.

The app was launched in July last year by BCP Council to help beach-goers comply with social distancing after visitors flocked to the coast in their thousands.

The BCP Beach Check app has now become Beach Check UK.

It is available at a number of popular tourist destinations across the UK.

Providing a live traffic light system indicating busy areas (red), less busy areas (amber) and those areas with plenty of space available (green), the app is free to download.

Cllr Philip Broadhead, deputy leader for BCP Council, said: “It is with tremendous pride that we can now formally announce that BCP Council is leading the way to promote much-needed technology, in an effort to encourage the public to keep themselves safe.”

Local Government Minister Luke Hall MP said: “We want everyone to safely enjoy a well-deserved summer this year, while continuing to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.

“That’s why the government is funding Europe’s first innovative beach check app to allow people to check whether beaches are busy before travelling to avoid a surge of visitors.

"This will allow coastal communities to carefully welcome back visitors and will help local areas bounce back from the hardship faced by the pandemic.”