6 July 21, 2019The Sunday TimesTravel 40 Best British Beaches
pier, it’s as genteel as a cream tea, with
a sand and shingle beach divided by
groynes and backed first by beach huts —
one of which serves as Eli Froggatt’s
Old Fishing Hut, offering lobster and
salmon seafood picnics — and then by
the spectacular seafront gardens beside
the Spa Pavilion. South of the pier is a
different matter. Dominated by
Mannings Amusements, it’s a neon
throwback of fairground rides, slots and
dropped ice creams — but not for long.
Mannings has plans to use repurposed
shipping containers to turn the area
into a trendy complex of art galleries,
restaurants and boutiques.10 ALUM CHINE, DORSET
Alum Chine is a wide, clean and gently
sloping beach of silvery sand and
shingle in Bournemouth’s suburbs.
The beach feels more intimate and
village-like than its neighbours, and
families flock here not just for the
sandcastling and the paddling, but for
the Treasure Island-themed adventure
playground, the LV=Kidzone child safety
scheme — which reunited 192 lost kids
with frantic parents last summer — and a
beachside pizza joint. Parking is limited,
but if you’re here before 10.30am, you
should be fine. Otherwise, try to find a
space on the West Overcliff Drive, then
walk down to Alum Chine through the
gorgeous subtropical gardens. If you
fancy renting a beach hut, they start at
£39 a day (bournemouth.co.uk).→ Continued from page 511-
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