No sea needed as land-locked York opens urban beach in city centre
![300716 Isla Forbes aged 20 months from York enjoying the urban beach in Coppergate York over the weekend.](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimg/legacy_ash_82881407.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![300716 Isla Forbes aged 20 months from York enjoying the urban beach in Coppergate York over the weekend.](/img/placeholder.png)
The urban beach at the city’s Coppergate Centre, known as Coppergate Strand, opened this weekend after 15 tonnes of premium quality sand was delivered to the site.
Recreating a classic British beach scene, the sand will be surrounded by wind breaks, with a host of buckets, spades, windmills and sand moulds, as well as a few deckchairs.
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Hide AdThe name – Coppergate Strand – is of Viking origin, as ‘strond’ is the Norse word for ‘beach’. The Strand in London was a sandy area by the riverside during the time of the Vikings, and its name stuck for more than 1,000 years.
Centre manager Pippa Unwin said: “The benches in Coppergate are always a popular place for people to sit during the summer, so we thought that creating our own urban beach was a great way to give families some chill-out time in the city centre this summer. The stores in the Coppergate Centre sell everything you might need for a beach holiday, from sunscreen and sunglasses to beachwear and flip-flops, so you don’t need to wait until you get home to try out your beach attire.
“You can even cool down with cold drinks and ice creams available – perfect for anyone who wants the beach experience without having to face the traffic jams on the A64!”
A special foot-washing area has been set up so that no-one has to wander around York with uncomfortably sandy feet. Coppergate Strand will remain open throughout the school holidays.