According to reports, some dog bans on certain beaches commence slightly later, from May 15, though the exact number of beaches with bans starting on this date is not specified. The UK has approximately 1,500 beaches, with research in 2018 revealing that nearly a third (32%) have a dog ban, either seasonally or year-round. This suggests roughly 600 beaches have some form of restriction, but the precise figure remains unclear. In contrast, there are 883 dog-friendly beaches in the UK: 447 in England, 20 in Northern Ireland, 173 in Scotland, and 243 in Wales.
In Northumberland, Beadnell Parish Council is considering introducing new rules that would stop dogs from being let off their leads between May and September on Beadnell Beach. According to Newcastle Chronicle, a spokeswoman for the parish council described this as preliminary stages, noting that dogs are already on leads at one end during shore bird nesting and the other end is busy with water sports. She added that the beach is very child-friendly, and dogs running around can be frightening and disruptive, with some dog fouling issues. However, no decision on the Beadnell Beach restrictions is likely to be made until later in the year, leaving it uncertain whether the council will ultimately implement them. The National Trust asks dog owners to keep their dogs on a short lead at all times during the shore bird breeding season, particularly around the Long Nanny shorebird site north of Beadnell Bay.
This is just preliminary stages. We already have dogs on the lead on one end of the beach when the shore birds are nesting, and the other end has become the water sports area and is very busy with the tractor and trailers.
Most beaches in Northumberland are dog-friendly all year round, but specific restrictions apply in some areas. Newbiggin-by-the-Sea has a seasonal ban on the central beach area from May to the end of September. In Blyth, dogs are not allowed on a section of beach from May 1 to September 30. Similar restrictions are also in place on beaches in North Tyneside, though how many beaches have such bans is not detailed. The specific bylaws and ban dates for each local council area vary and are not fully enumerated.
These rules almost never apply to guide dogs or other assistance dogs, providing an exception for essential support animals. Dog bans are imposed primarily to uphold hygiene standards, safeguard water quality, and guarantee the safety of children, as required by Public Spaces Protection Orders. According to Newcastle Chronicle, a spokeswoman for the parish council described that on hot summer days, the number of dogs is crazy, and the idea is just exploring whether restrictions could be implemented.
We are a very child friendly beach. It’s a beach that lends itself to very young children. Dogs running around can be quite frightening to children, and disruptive. We do have some dog fouling issues too.
Assuming we get some hot summer days, the number of dogs is crazy. This is just exploring the idea of whether we could have a restriction – it was just an idea to look at it.