Who owns the beach in front of my house

[Beachlife55]

Anyone know anything about the use of the foreshore? I live next door but one to a restaurant and face the beach. The restaurant have just put 2 huge tables wit attached seating so not moveable, along with windbreak and parasols, on the beach directly in front of my house. I asked the Planning department and they said the restaurant was fine to do this as it's an area that people socialise in already. They already have tables on the pathway in front of their restaurant. To me this sounds dodgy and I am trying to pursue it by finding out about beach ownership. I think I read somewhere that the property owner owns the beach above the high water mark in front of their house, and the Crown owns it between high and low water mark. And it can't be used for commercial purposes. Looking for advice before I take this further but don't know what to do next.

https://mosquitoloiteringsolutions.com/

I saw a post on instagram recently where a woman made jewellery out of pubes (true story 😆). It involved cutting them up into tiny bits and suspending them in resin before setting in rings or necklaces. I bet you could attract a lot of attention with a large “Pube rings for sale” sign. Although I imagine the wind whips right up off the sea. Just saying 🤷🏻

So I work for a Council and the planning department tell people all sorts of things, it’s all caveated that ‘if you own the land’. So whilst they would fine to put a table there if they owned the beach, the probably don’t.

You need to establish who owns it, has your council got an ‘Estate’ department, they are a good place to start. Otherwise purchase the deeds and it should tell you.

If it is Crown Estate, there is a database of managing agents here - https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/contact-us/managing-agents. For example Jones Peckover are the Land Agents for Anglesey.

The restaurant sound very dubious, behaving intimidatingly towards you.
I'd talk to local councillors/your MP. And try planning again and talk to someone different; I'm no expert but 'it's an area that people socialise in already' doesn't sound particularly convincing to me.

Jones Peckover, well I didn't know that. It's my neck of the woods too.

@Beachlife55 I'd approach crown estates in the first instance, they'll know exactly who's responsible for this particular stretch.

If they serve alcohol report them to the licensing committee. They will be breaking the terms of their license.

Why are people even guessing? Stick a pin in the map, pay your £3 and two minutes later have your answer as to who owns it

The restaurant sound very dubious, behaving intimidatingly towards you

Yes, and IME behaving like this is often an indication the someone's in the wrong and knows it

Unfortunately it's also an indication of things perhaps turning nasty if they don't get their way - worth remembering when retaliation (tempting as it is) is suggested, and another reason to do this through the proper channels

Get your neighbours together, pool your most loud and raucous friends and relatives, have barbies, drinking parties with music, preferably discordant gangsta rap. Meanwhile play some other kind of music loudly in your garden. Crying children, swingball, couple of barking dogs, beach rounders - all “invading the personal space” of the patrons. The sprinklers, burying fish heads and other annoyances are excellent. Start feeding seagulls from the end of your garden - annoying for you but if you can’t use your garden because of them why should do they get off scot free? Do something every day snd make it a group effort with other neighbours. If it is not always you guys yourselves doing it they can’t blame you. Go to the local councillor and then local press if necessary. Keep it up so it is not worth the hassle for them or you will lose. Good luck.

Especially your friend who has recently been on the fish filleting course and wants to come and demonstrate their skills .

Until it gets resolved I would be definitely having your dinner there every evening.

Please update us when you find out who owns it.

Does your village have the usual contingent of local busybodies with a well developed sense of community justice? Can you get them involved? The can normally be found in the local areas gardening committee or community spirit group

Definitely take this as far as you can. Talk about anti-social for the neighbours!

I found this story (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cafe-one-wales-best-beaches-29214726) - it's in Wales so the rules might be different, but I'd definitely take it further with the council.

Put in an official enforcement complaint. Speak to a solicitor (through your home insurance perhaps?) and your local Councillor.

Prepare a perfect sad face and invite the local newspaper round on the busiest night of the week.

They are cheeky. You could try ringing the planning dept of your local council. They have no more right to it than you have less actually. I'd say.

@Beachlife55 I can feel a Mumsnet party coming on. I'd love to see them come and intimidate a whole bunch of mumsnetters 😂

If they're going down the "nobody owns it, we can set up here if we want" route, then two can play at that game They can set up tables, you can start playing the trumpet. Or the bagpipes

Can you put wind breaks either side of the bit of beach in front of your house and oh whoops around the restaurant table and chairs?

Nice new table you've got there OP.

I haven't read the whole thread but google riparian rights. This suggests you own to the high tide mark.

this https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/litter-and-recycling/cleaner-countryside/litter-and-the-law/litter-on-land/beaches/#:~:text=Beaches%20generally%20belong%20to%20the,high%20tide%20on%20that%20beach. also says much the same thing.

That’s cheeky. I would have thought the land was owned by the Crown as others have said but this would infuriate me. I would use it as your own personal picnic table/WFH space whenever the mood strikes as they shouldn’t have put it in front of your house.

😂😂😂😂

Why can't you move these tables in front of their bit of beach? Get friends to help you do it.

I'd be hanging my washing out on it, sunbathing on the tables, dotting potted plants about and really making it my own 🤣😆

Check if the beach is a designated area of biodiversity importance, e.g. a Special Site of Scientific Interest, Ramsar site, Special Area of Conservation or Special Protection Area. If so, they can't just put tables/chairs on the beach and they will need a permit from Natural England.
https://magic.defra.gov.uk/home.htm

Try your councillor if they are active, and if you want the council to take some responsibility put everything in writing. Send it in as suspected breach of planning, plus nuisance, and you could also throw in an FOI as well if you can think of anything relevant. Basically be noisy and make it so that someone in the council needs to take some notice. Everyone is so stretched and under resourced there is no chance people will do anything otherwise.