Council votes to renew beach ban for dogs at Skegness, Mablethorpe, and Sutton on Sea… and anyone breaching rule could be fined £1,000
A seasonal dog ban for beaches on the Lincolnshire coast has been renewed for the next three years.
East Lindsey District Council's Executive Board has agreed to renew the Public Space Protection Order for its blue flag beaches at Skegness, Mablethorpe, and Sutton on Sea until 2027 in a meeting held on Tuesday (November 6) evening.
The rule restricts dogs from accessing the beaches during the summer months, from May 1 to September 30 each year.
The ban has also been amended to cover the whole Blue Flag areas.
Anyone found with their dog(s) on the beaches during this time could be fined up to £1,000.
During the meeting, Coun Martin Foster (Con), portfolio holder for operational service, explained that the PSPO will replace the previous order, which expired on Tuesday.
It will also require dogs to be on a lead and kept on the promenades in Skegness, Sutton on Sea, and Mablethorpe during the summer months.
Dogs are also permanently banned from any fully enclosed children's play areas with play equipment, as well as the paddling pools in the three towns.
A consultation was conducted throughout September, asking locals for their views on the matter.
The council received 545 responses, which it interpreted as showing slightly less support for the seasonal ban on beaches and for expanding the ban to include the full Blue Flag areas, with the latter receiving the least support.
Coun Foster explained: "The new order, whilst maintaining the current dog controls—requiring owners to remove dog fouling left by their pet, ensuring dog owners have the means to remove fouling, restricting dogs from fenced play areas and paddling pools, and imposing seasonal dog bans on our Blue Flag beaches—will also amend the size of the dog ban areas to match the Blue Flag Award areas.
"It will remove previous dog control designations from town and parish councils that have neither provided their own enforcement nor responded to this consultation."
New restrictions on street trading around Grand Parade, Tower Gardens, the Tower Esplanade area, Lumley Road, and High Street in Skegness have been added to the PSPO.
ELDC also considered new rules on street drinking after nearly 5,500 alcohol-related crimes were recorded district-wide from 2021 to 2023.
Around 72% of these incidents occurred in coastal areas like Skegness, Ingoldmells, and Mablethorpe, mainly near licensed alcohol venues.
However, Coun Foster argued there was "insufficient evidence" for a ban on street drnking, suggesting efforts should instead focus on licensed premises, such as pubs and bars.
