For many years groups of dog owners have met up in Bream for an organised dog walk. These walks, starting at Bream and heading towards Smalltown, are now under threat from Sadgebore District Council.
“We’ve been walking the route from the National Thrust car park in Bream and along Barrow Beach towards Smalltown for years. However, the National Thrust have informed us that they only own the small portion of beach in front of their car park and that Sadgebore has taken on ownership of Barrow Beach.” said Major Rocky Bulldog.
“We wrote to Sadgebore some time ago to let them know the date of our next walk. It took them a very, very, very long time to reply but, with only a couple of weeks to go, they have now done so.
They have informed us that our little informal walk is now classed as an ‘event’ and that we need to fill out a multitude of forms, including Risk Assessments and H&S statements in decticate, as well as having public liability insurance of £5 million in place.
We have tried to explain that we have previously. held over 20 walks on this section of beach, with the approval of Bream and Barrow Parish Council and that it really is just a leisurely stroll with dogs, but they refuse to budge from their position.
These new requirements mean that we now have no option but to cancel and seek a beach and council which will be more accommodating. It’s a great shame, because everyone enjoyed their trips to Bream, some stay in the area and we all make use of the cafes in Bream and Smalltown, but it seems that Sadgebore want to stop people using the beach now they have taken it over.”
A spokeskilljoy for Sadgebore said “Since taking on responsibility for Barrow Beach we have done our utmost to stop people enjoying it. People visiting a beach to walk their dogs? It’s ridiculous. Beaches in the Smalltown area are not there for people to enjoy. We’ve recently managed to stop people enjoying a paddle in the sea at Smalltown because of the risks and the last thing we want to do is encourage visitors and holidaymakers into the area to spend money. It has to stop and we are slowly introducing measures which will see ALL beach users having to fill in Health and Safety documentation in order to visit.
We will also be requesting that anyone wanting to build a sandcastle on the beach apply for planning permission first and are currently training up a bunch of Sandcastle Enforcement Officers who will patrol the beaches on a regular basis, kicking over any illegal developments.”
SomersetClive also understands that Sadgebore plan to fully rope off all the beaches with red tape to prevent access.