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]
The beach has views of Poole from across Studland Bay and Poole Harbour. [2]
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 closed for the final time on 2 January 2023. [7] [8] After its demolition the National Trust was accused of turning the beach in the heart of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty into a "bomb site" and an "eyesore". [9] In 2024, the planned removal of the pumping station, retaining wall and sea defences will take place. [10]
On 31 December 2021, police closed the car park after a World War I grenade was uncovered. [11] 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. [12]