Owners of iconic beach to re-open eatery with new partnership
The owners of one of the UK’s most iconic beaches, Blackpool Sands near Dartmouth in South Devon, have partnered with new operators to re-open their renowned eatery.
Geoffrey and Robert Newman have joined forces with Charlie and Zuzana Deuchar, owners of Dartmouth’s multi-award winning boutique hotel Bayards Cove Inn, to provide a new takeaway venture and to help establish a beach shop and water sports outlet, then later in the year a café, bar and lounge.
A new Blackpool Sands Beach Shack opened in January, selling locally roasted coffee, cakes, pies and pasties.
This Beach Shack will be replaced by a fully refurbished takeaway, which will open in April with an indoor seating area available to the public.
Also scheduled for April is a new beach shop, with water sports available in May.
Throughout the summer a host of events will be staged including July’s Tunes on the Sands Music Festival (Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd July 2023). During the latter part of the year, a further overhaul will take place at the site to make way for the cafe, bar and lounge, planned for opening in March 2024.
Geoffrey Newman said: “This is a hugely exciting time for Blackpool Sands and we’re delighted to have partnered with Charlie and Zuzana to increase our offering here, and to serve food made with the very best local ingredients sourced from land and sea.”
Blackpool Sands has been the recipient of a Blue Flag award since 1988, with the exception of one year when huge storms swept much of the beach away. It has been in the Newman family since the 1700s when they were one of Dartmouth’s most highly esteemed merchant traders.
In 1797, Richard Newman, a Dartmouth merchant trader, bought land at Blackpool, including the beach and surrounding land where subsequent Newman families continued to live.
It wasn’t until the late 1950’s that Geoffrey’s mother first made food available to the public when she opened a wooden hut selling teas and ice creams.
Geoffrey, a former soldier, adventurer and corporate filmmaker, has built on those beginnings, first opening a more permanent café in 1995, and through his involvement with the Marine Conservation Society weaved into the beach’s growth plans a commitment to protect the marine environment while keeping that Mediterranean feel with stately pines and evergreen trees hugging the clifftops.
He said: “Our new venture will continue to support our mission to keep the beach as natural and perfect as possible, and we want everyone to continue enjoying the beach in the same way we did as children.
“We remain absolutely committed to continuing our strong stance on sustainability, and to provide opportunities for ongoing education such as our rock pool rambles, beach cleans and sea awareness courses with local schools and communities.
“Our new food offering will be wholly plastic and glass free and we have so many exciting new measures that will be put in place to really encourage the public to think about their own impact on the planet.”
Charlie and Zuzana added: “We’re over the moon to be part of this exciting new phase at Blackpool Sands. Sustainability, food sourcing, the environment and the local community are at the heart of our ethos. Blackpool Sands will be a place where the impact of everything we do to the environment will be carefully considered so that we have a place that’s kind to nature but where people can come and have a wonderful time, while eating incredible food.”
