There’s nothing like a walk on the seafront with your pet. But don’t forget that there’s a ban on dogs on St Annes beach from Good Friday to 30 September each year (inclusive).
When and where you can take dogs on St Annes Beach
Dogs are not allowed on the main bathing beach at St Annes during the summer season each year. It’s the same rule you’ll find at most UK bathing beaches. Bathing beaches/bathing waters are where a large number of people are expected to swim and paddle. There are two designated bathing waters in the borough of Fylde, forming a continuous stretch. One is at St Annes pier and the second at St Annes North by the Lifeboat & Coastguard station.
The dog exclusion zone on the amenity beach at St Annes starts on Good Friday until 30 September each year.
The amenity beach is located between the slipway for St Annes Lifeboat Station and the northern end of North Promenade car park (by the Danfo toilets).
St Annes Beaches where Dogs CAN Go
You can take your dog off its lead on the beach outside this relatively small area.
Dog walkers can still enjoy a vast amount of beach stretching towards Squires Gate one way and Lytham Quays in the other direction. Dogs can be freely exercised here without any restrictions.
Legislation is in place across the whole of Fylde Borough for the removal and disposal of dog fouling. Whoever is in charge of a dog is required to pick up and dispose of their waste, in a bin marked suitable for dog waste.
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All litter bins in Fylde are multi-purpose. You can dispose of both litter and dog fouling in them. Offenders can get a fixed penalty notice of £100.
- More about dogs on beaches in Lytham and St Annes
Dogs at St Annes Kite Festival
Good news for Kite Festival attendees! Although most of the event is inside the dog exclusion zone, part of it is outside. You’ll also be able to enjoy the displays from the promenade and the many other acres of beach!
Dogs on Leads in Lytham St Annes Gardens
There is also a seasonal dogs-on-leads restriction for the Promenade and Promenade Gardens between Fairhaven Car Park and North Promenade Car Park for the same period. Dogs must also be on leads at all times in Ashton Gardens, Lowther Gardens and at Fairhaven Lake gardens. Please look out for and follow the signage.
All litter bins in Fylde are multi-purpose and can be used for litter and dog fouling. A fixed penalty notice of £100 can be imposed for anyone who fails to follow the requirement.
For more information regarding the requirements across the borough visit www.fylde.gov.uk/pspo
Dogs on Other Fylde Coast Beaches
The dog ban comes into force slightly earlier in St Annes. Dogs are banned from other Fylde Coast amenity beaches between 1 May and 30 September.
Why are Dogs Banned from Beaches?
Banning dogs from amenity beaches is normal at seaside resorts all over the UK. Rules do vary from place to place and it’s usually to do with whether the area is classed as a bathing beach or not. If you are in any doubt please check first.
The European Bathing Water Directive regulates acceptable levels of bacteria in sea water. The Environment Agency takes 20 weekly samples of sea water over the bathing water season each year. They test the levels and report the results so the public can decide whether to bathe in the water. Daily fluctuations in water quality can and do occur. Along with other information, water samples inform a quality rating for the beach. Dog waste can cause the sea water to become polluted and fail bathing water tests. EA also provides an annual classification of water quality, ratings are Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor.
Keep Britain Tidy rate facilities and the overall environment at beaches around the UK for their Seaside Award, which identifies beaches that are clean, safe, attractive and well managed. Both awards help you to know whether facilities are good and the environment is clean and safe.
A bathing beach is the main one that’s in a popular area and well used. There are of course many other miles of beaches which aren’t classified within this system where you might enjoy walking, sports or other beach activities.
Clean up your dogs poo
Dog fouling is a problem – full stop. It’s a problem on bathing beaches not only because it’s revolting but because it pollutes the sea water.
At great effort and expense, a lot of work goes on all around the UK coastline. This effort has cleaned up our shores and prevented sewage and other types of contamination (for example run-off from farmland) from entering the sea water.
It is important that you pick up after your dog wherever you walk it. Please bag it, pick it up and bin it.
While you’re here…
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Would I be correct in assuming that a qualified Assistance Dog, such as a Guide Dog, would be allowed on all areas of the beach so long as they were clearly identified as such and were kept on a lead? Otherwise, people with an Assistance Dog to help mitigate their disability would be being excluded from a public area, which would not comply with the Equality Act. Thank you
So – looking at the map, how far to the right does the exclusion zone stretch ? The left hand side is clear but not the right – is it all the way to Starr gate? Thanks
Hi Kelly, I believe it’s just to the north side of the Pier, but I have posted the question in our Visit Fylde Coast Facebook group if you would like to join and wait for the answer!
As day trippers , we also came onto the beach by the sandunes ,where there were no signs and followed the waterline keeping away from the main beach safely with our 2 small dogs. We were stopped at the end of the pier and informed we were being recorded and there was zero tolerance and would be fined £100. This was really upsetting. A warning yes, but a fine with a threat of £1000 if not paid -really Fylde – surely not what the image should be of a dog friendly resort. We won’t be coming back and will keep our patronage to Lytham in future. As 2 senior persons this has really made a difference to our spending this month. Our dogs were well behaved, we had poo bags and were shocked as we had not intentionally flouted the restriction.
When are visiting with the intention of walking your dogs on any beach it is your responsiblity to check the regulations before you step onto the beach .There are restrictions in most seaside beaches its up to you to check before you break the law. I think a fine of £100 is not enough when we all know dog poo carries germs that can cause blindness and other problems. So stop moaning and obey the regulations.
How far out to sea does the exclusion go ? According to your map its just past the end of the pier . I was out well past the old jetty and was stopped by enforcement officers at 7.30am on an empty beach ! I fully agree dogs should not be allowed anywhere near the sandy areas around the pier. People dont want dog poo in the sand . Dogs running around while people picnic etc but to stop me nearly a mile out to sea at 7.30 am on an empty beach ????????
We went on as a family today, via the sand dunes, No clear signs, we are new to the area, we finally saw a sign once we gt to the pier, before we could turn back, the patrols were issuing us with 100 pound fine, I explained that we did not see any signs, only pick you dog poo up, we did notice quite a number of people with dogs, going the same direction, WE DO NOT BREAK RULES… GET YOUR SIGNS TO BE BIGGER AND MORE CLEAR FYLDE COUNCIL, THINK ABOUT US OLDER PEOPLE WITH BAD EYESIGHT PLEASE, ALSO, THE PATROLS HAD NO PEOPLE MANNERS TO BE PLACED IN THE PUBLIC
FACE TO FACE
We went onto the beach from the car park near the Beach Front Cafe.
There are no signs there about where the dog limit is. Walking along the beach towards the pier, either near to the promenade or much further out, again there are no signs to warn that you are now entering a “No Dog “ zone.
Other local authorities (such as Prestatyn, have a map at every beach entry identifying where dogs are not permitted.
Please follow their example.
Might as well not bother, it’s totally ignored and not enforced
The map shows where dogs cannot go it would be better to show a map saying dogs can go here unrestricted to save any confusion especially if you new to the area
6 MAY 2019 down at the beach where your dog restriction notices are placed, there is at least 4 dogs roaming the beach totally ignoring the notices. Why is this not being enforced.
Absolutely loads of dog’s on the beach in front of the Beach hut’s 17th June infact it looked like a doggy daycare.
Enforcing the rule is the task of Fylde Council. I’m sure they do carry out patrols and those who use the beach with dogs run the risk of an on-the-spot fine.
According to the map on this site dogs are allowed on the beach in front of the beach huts at all times. The beach huts are south east, (or left on the map) of the RNLI boathouse.
If you have a dog exclusion policy on the beach for this time of year, why is it not being enforced? Bank holiday Monday 28th May and there’s at least 5 dogs on here.
Hi Chris, you’ll need to contact Fylde Council with that question.