Middle Beach, Dorset

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Entrance to Middle Beach. Studland , Middle Beach Car Park - geograph.org.uk - 1712570.jpg
Entrance to Middle Beach.

Middle Beach is a small beach on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England. The beach is located north of Studland and is owned by the National Trust. [1]

Contents

Beach

The steps to Middle Beach. Studland Beach , Steps - geograph.org.uk - 1712576.jpg
The steps to Middle Beach.

The beach has views of Poole from across Studland Bay and Poole Harbour. [2]

Café

A café has stood in the same spot since 1904 and the current building opened in 1953. [3] In 2016, when the National Trust announced that they would be moving the café and public toilets to higher ground due to "coastal erosion and subsidence", 3,000 people signed a petition opposing the move. [4] Plans to demolish the café were later rejected by a vote of National Trust members at their annual general meeting. [5] In November 2022 the café was condemned to be demolished after the lease on the property ran out. [6] The café is scheduled to close 2 January 2023. [7]

Unexploded devices

On 31 December 2021, police closed the car park after a World War I grenade was uncovered. [8] On 4 August 2022, an unexploded World War II shell was found on Middle Beach and was detonated by Royal Navy's bomb disposal team. [9]

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References

  1. "Cafe set to close after nearly 70 years of trading after National Trust decision". Dorset Echo. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  2. "Middle Beach Studland". Dorset Guide. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  3. "Cafe set to close after nearly 70 years of trading after National Trust decision". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  4. "Middle Beach café to stay while National Trust explores 'all options'". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  5. "Middle Beach Cafe protesters lose National Trust vote". BBC News. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  6. "Cafe set to close after nearly 70 years of trading after National Trust decision". uk.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  7. "Cafe set to close after nearly 70 years of trading after National Trust decision". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  8. "Beach car park closed off and bomb disposal called after hand grenade found". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  9. "Unexploded WW2 shell found on Middle Beach in Studland detonated". BBC News. 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-11-18.