With the summer holidays fast approaching, families up and down the country will be flocking to seaside resorts for staycations or beach days. But there are some beaches offering a less pleasant experience, with those who have visited some resorts complaining that these stretches of coast have fallen victim to littering.
New data from plastic waste experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk has named the most littered beaches in the UK. Skegness Beach in Lincolnshire topped the list, followed closely by Margate Main Sands in second place and Merseyside’s Formby Beach in third. The experts looked through TripAdvisor reviews to see just how many mentioned litter on the beach.
A review of Skegness Beach from June 2025 complained: Avoid the grass dunes between the car park and the beach. Not only do you have to dodge the dog waste you also have to with human waste and serviettes covered in faeces and left for you to tread in.
Another visitor wrote: “Unfortunately, on the walk down the beach, we passed a lot of trash, dirty Nappies and baby wipes strewn about the place in one area, and broken glass.”
However, this isn’t the experience of every visitor to the beach, with plenty of tourists sharing positive reviews on TripAdvisor. And despite some ranking Skegness alongside North Korea and Syria as the worst place to visit, it remains an incredibly popular destination for many British families.
A review posted in May 2025 reads: “Skegness is a proper seaside resort. It has everything that you expect from a trip to the coast and a lot more besides. From the iconic Clock Tower to its many attractions.
“But for us the best part was the beach, immaculate golden sands with plenty of places to buy ice cream, fresh food and drinks (including beer and wine). Well done Skeggy!!! PS The Blue Fin Fish Bar serves battered fish that is phenomenal.”
Visitors to Margate Main Sands have shared similar complaints, with reviews mentioning broken glass, dog poo, and human urine.
While Formby Beach has been well-reviewed overall, numerous reviews mentioning litter on the sands. One complained that they found the car park full by 10:30am and the beach already crowded and covered in litter.
Many others commented on picnics being left behind, disposable BBQs strewn across the beach, and even drug paraphernalia being found.
Graham Matthews, plastic waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, says: “Litter on the UK’s beaches turns our natural beauty spots into an eyesore and poses a huge environmental threat to marine life.
“Each year, as the weather heats up, we see a sharp rise in people flocking to the seaside, but sadly, many don’t clean up after themselves. It’s common to find food packaging, disposable BBQs, and even human and animal waste scattered across our shores.
“All this unsightly litter ruins the enjoyment of our beaches, but it also threatens local wildlife. Plastic is a particularly major hazard as it takes so long to break down naturally. Initially, this litter can endanger wildlife, entangle animals or be ingested.
“However, over time, plastic breaks down into smaller particles known as microplastics that find their way into water, sea life, and even our food chain.”
The UK’s most littered beaches
- Skegness Beach, Lincolnshire
- Margate Main Sands, Kent
- Formby Beach, Merseyside
- Blackpool Beach, Blackpool
- Whitmore Bay Beach, Barry Island
- Bournemouth Beach, Bournemouth
- Scarborough Beach, Scarborough
- Weston-super-Mare Beach, Somerset
- Botany Bay, Kent
- Clacton-on-Sea Beach, Essex