Here is one to argue about. The Square and Compass sits in the village of Worth Matravers, up on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, with the Channel laid out in front of it. What it does not have is a beach. The nearest coast, down the valley at Winspit, is roughly nine tenths of a mile away in a straight line.
So is it a beach bar? The view is all sea, and the walk down to the water is a real part of the day out. But you cannot carry a pint to the sand, and being able to do that has been our working definition since the start.
What is not up for debate is the pub itself. Pasties and pies from Dorset bakers, local ales including Moonlite from Hattie Brown’s Brewery, dogs welcome, and a hilltop that walkers on the coast path have been aiming at for a long time.
So we are listing it and telling you exactly what it is, rather than leaving it out and letting you wonder. Beach bar, or sea view pub? Your call.
