Quiet Sandy beach <2hrs from SW London - and what are your essentials to take?

[Fargoer]

Not much of a beach fan but my kids are. Usually they get their beach fix in a resort on holiday but that's not happening this year.
For a total UK beach newbie:

1. Where should we go that's fairly quiet (summer holidays midweek) but still has somewhere to wee/get an ice cream?
2. What should we take? Opinions seem divided about pop up tents/windbreaks/umbrellas

I've searched but most threads seemed pretty old and I'm sure the last 16 months has changed everything. Driving or train from Richmond.

Thanks very much!

You book West Wittering thru the Just Park app, it shows availability.
It's worked very well throughout lockdown, so the estate are going to keep it going afterwards too.

I think the op was only planning a day there not to camp

I may go next week as wether is looking fairly good 😌

Quick by train- Brighton or Southend (Southend only works if the tide is in), Margate/Broadstairs are a bit longer. Brighton has a lovely paddling pool bit by the sea but obvs no sand. Straight off the train and onto beach at Margate, bit of a trek for Broadstairs. But Broadstairs has Morellis 😛 Botany bay if you have a car, that is my favourite beach.

Mine liked going to places they could paddle in the river as much as the sea so we went to eynsford and suchlike too for a picnic and took fishing nets and buckets to catch things. There's a lovely old fashioned village shop by the river that sells ice cream.

As I was always on a train we travelled light, so a travel towel, collapsible fishing net, set of stacking cups for sand and a spade. When they were older, an inflatable body board was very useful.

We went to Littlehampton on Friday. Very quiet, only three coaches in the car park. Only shop open was the ice cream shop and the fun fair was closed too. It might be different at the weekend.