A warm welcome awaits you at The Waterfront in Totland Bay.
Come and see some of the finest Sunsets in the whole of Europe in our picturesque setting with stunning views over the Western Solent and the Dorset Jurassic coastline where the Solent meets the English Channel or to the east over-looking Hurst Castle.
Situated in the next Bay round from the infamous Needles Rock and Lighthouse you can taste our mouth-watering Mediterranean and traditional English cuisine freshly cooked by our chefs using fresh and locally sourced produce where possible.
Chill out and enjoy a drink in our beer garden overlooking the sea (weather permitting). We welcome dogs in our dog friendly bar area where your dog can enjoy a treat from our ‘doggy biscuit tin’.
We are in the CAMRA good beer guide once again recognising our commitment to award winning locally produced ales and those from a wide spectrum of other real ale suppliers as well as wines, ciders and lagers.
Although we do accept walk-ins (space permitting), we highly recommend that you book in advance to avoid disappointment especially at peak times.
We look forward to seeing you at The Waterfront
A Brief History
The building itself was built as the original church for Totland in 1869. It housed the church for the next six years. Then a new church was built on the opposite side of the road, which opened in 1875. The building was then removed from it’s position on Church Hill and re-erected on the beach in this location in approximately 1880 and opened as a reading room and library. This was was very popular with the local residents and early tourists, including day visitors who landed at Totland Pier by paddlesteamer from Bournemouth.The paddlesteamer service continued until the mid sixties.
In the early 1950‘s the building was converted into accommodation as part of the Totland Bay Hotel. It would have been very advanced for its day as all rooms had an en suite bathroom.
The Totland Bay Hotel was closed in 1972 and was demolished in 1979. The Waterfront had fallen into disrepair and was saved from being demolished. It opened as a cafe/restaurant in 1984 some 100 years after it was first rebuilt on the beach.
The building was closed again in late 1992 because of the sea defence works which were carried out in 1993. It re-opened and as a pub restaurant in 1994.
The Waterfront Gallery
