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The Beach Café was situated at the edge of Lulworth Cove. Unfortunately a cliff fall in 2014 caused extensive damage and it had to be demolished for safety reasons.
The building started out life as Henry Chaffey’s coal store in the days when coal was delivered to the cove by barge. It was then used as a boat house by fishermen before being converted to a café by Harry Stanley Dyke (1905-1982). Harry had been a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor in the Army Catering Corps.
For a while the building also housed a little gift shop.
Harry’s daughter Jane Mary took over running the Beach Cafe after he died.
Photo courtesy of Lulworth Rangers
Photo courtesy of Lulworth Rangers
I worked there from 1979 to 1983 firstly for Harry Dyke who had the café for 40 odd years and then for his daughter Jane Mary. Very sad to see what’s happened. Harry used to tell stories of when the gentry used to come in off their yachts in the evening to have their hot chocolate!
Stephen Dunk, 2014
Jane Mary had a beautiful souvenir shop with loads of lovely treasures.
Kim Osmond 2023
Jane Mary’s tuna rolls were a favorite of mine, a wonderful lady, and when her microwave got stolen and I lent her one from the Cove hotel, she refused to let me pay for a tuna roll for months. Happy days apart from the theft.
Simon Dobbs 2024
Page last updated: 5 September 2024