Point House Cafe to close
The Point House Cafe in Southbourne is to close this month.
The cafe, the last building at the eastern end of the Bournemouth cliff near Hengistbury Head, is very popular with walkers wishing to pause
at the end of the 9 mile cliff section of the coast path.
When the whitewashed cafe first opened in 1963 it served walkers and beach visitors for twelve hours a day in summer. At present it is only open at weekends and but now it has been announced that its last day of trade will be Sunday 26 November.
Owners Ray and Dorothy Fletcher are selling the building due to old age according their son Richard.
Harrison Developments are seeking planning permission to replace the cafe with a four storey block of flats with underground parking.
Residents have expressed dismay at the news. Peter Walker, who runs the Kalbarri bed and breakfast opposite, says that he will be sorry to see the cafe go.
Alex James, bass guitarist for Blur, has been a regular customer often praising the cheese on toast.
Just four years ago Point House Cafe was used as a location for The Project, a BBC television drama about New Labour starring Ian McFadden.
November 20th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
I think it is a real shame for Southbourne’s tourists and residents that the Point House Cafe is closing. I believe that it is Dorset’s heritage and community facilities that keep Bournemouth and the surrounding area a thriving tourist environment. It is upsetting that such an long established Cafe is being converted into flats. I am sure that if the Point House were to maintain its cafe status, there would be many interested buyers in this potential goldmine. I urge you to contact Mr M Smith, Head of Tourism at Bournemouth Borough Council to raise your opposition of this development