Beach bars
More random thoughts after spending a couple of days last week showing my cousin around the Island.
Why doesn't Bermuda have more beachfront bars? Specifically, why don't we have more beachfront bars where you can hang out in in the evening?
Sure, there are several restaurants with a beachside setting, but where are all the casual bars where you can kick back with a beer and watch the sun set on the sand and the surf? Right now I can only think of Mickey's at Elbow Beach and the recently-opened Hammerheads at Snorkel Park.
Our beaches are arguably Bermuda's biggest attraction. Could we be better utilising them to provide casual evening entertainment for our visitors?
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We have not had the imagination yet to build beach bar and resturant and changing facilities at some of our more heavily trafficed public beaches.These new beach facilities could be designed and built in away to blend in with the natural settings of their locations.All the facilities should be built above known hurricane surge lines. Here is a list of venues that need new or replacement facilities. Horseshoe bay,Warwick Long Bay, Clearwater Beach,Shelly Bay,John Smiths Bay,Adirmalty Park,and fort St.Catherines Beach.
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 19.09.05 at 07:33
Dark n' Stormy's at 9 Beaches.
Posted by Copper on 19.09.05 at 08:18
My guess is it has something to do with serving alcohol on public property - currently illegal. Change the law and maybe we'll start to develop the kind of beach bars that right now only the hotel guests have access to.
Posted by TJL on 19.09.05 at 08:33
How about building a road, so one can get to the beach....such as church bay?
Posted by smith on 19.09.05 at 09:08
Ariel Sands tried to get a happy hour going a couple of years ago but people either didn't know about it or didn't want to drive that far out of Hamilton (all 5 minutes of driving that it requires). Though they gave up the happy hour it remains a great place to go down to and have a drink by the ocean and not be crowded.
Posted by tilti on 19.09.05 at 09:16
Location, location location. A beach bar or restaurant can be forgiven for many sins, look at Mickeys, bad food, bad service, overpriced, but fabulous location. However, like Limey's other post, I'd like to see more informal bars like the one a Dockyard for example. A real island flavour.
The hotel beachfront places tend to be a little too much.
Posted by sandrownan on 19.09.05 at 09:21
Agree it would be nice to have more beach bars. What is the deal with the place at Clearwater that used to be the skating rink?
Posted by H Reardon on 19.09.05 at 10:11
Phil, tell me you're joking! You live in St. Georges & haven't enjoyed Blackbeards yet? To say nothing of the party nights at Tobacco Bay & Beach It! 3 - count em - 3 within walking distance of your house!
Posted by monty on 19.09.05 at 11:47
I have been recently looking for restaurants with a view for lunch and came across Surf Side - food was good, service excellent, and they have a small bar there, too. Also, Ariel Sands has a beach bar but not sure how late it is open as I was there for lunch. And yes, I agree with Monty - Blackbeard's is loads of fun!
Posted by Tiggy on 19.09.05 at 12:35
Everywhere you go in Puerto Rico, Barbados etc...there are beach bars......St.Kitts, Nevis, St. Barts.....yada yada yada....
I went to court to support the Horseshoe Bay Liquor License application only to hear a lot of crap from people who objected because they thought more people would drown at the beach if they served alcohol......
The woman who has spearheaded this objection of Horseshoe Bay being able to serve liquor has a husband who works at Coral Beach....who allow their patrons to buy drinks and go to the beach....It is all such hypocrosy.
YES LAWS have to be changed......
Horseshoe Bay and many other beaches come under the PARKS DEPT.....and they are forbidden to sell alcohol......
BUT guys... the chances of sorting this out with the PATHETIC PLP Government is not even on the charts .....
So Go to the islands down south if ya want cool vibes, groovy beach bars.....happening music....etc
Bermuda is still DEAD......and most of us are spectators on the Titanic....sipping tea and not even fussed about dashing to a life raft.....
WEIRD PLACE BERMUDA
Posted by Tony B on 19.09.05 at 13:26
monty
I had bad service at Blackbeards once and haven't been back since, but that was a while ago and I have been meaning to give it another try. But you still don't have much a view from most of the tables in there. Bermuda needs bars that are right on the beach, with a direct view of the sand and the surf.
I was at Achilles Bay by Blackbeards on Friday night around 6.30pm. Beach It was closed. On Saturday at Horseshoe Bay, the food and drink stand had closed by 5pm (while the Sandcastle Competition was still winding down). And how often is Tobacco Bay open in an evening?
We should be looking for ways to keep these places open until late and allow them to sell alcohol too. It's ridiculous to restrict the sale of alcohol at these places for fear of it increasing the risk of someone drowning. What if people go swimming at Snorkel Park after having one too many drinks in Hammerheads?
Posted by The Limey on 19.09.05 at 13:41
I love Mickeys.
I think it is a great place with great service and great food.
Posted by jake on 19.09.05 at 13:42
Jake - as with lawyers it is with bars. It seems we have different standards and expectations...
Posted by ruby tuesday on 19.09.05 at 13:48
I'm with Jake on this one Mickey's a GREAT PLACE TO DINE
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 19.09.05 at 14:19
Ahr! Mickey's is a great place fer a glass o' grog. If ye don't mind paying $10.00 plus per shot! Hammerheads be a great port o' call, but the service be crap and the swim home be long...
Posted by Adjustah on 19.09.05 at 14:28
Adjusta how do you manage on land.....like most land sharks you must rent a moped.
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 19.09.05 at 14:31
ah, misinterperated again. What I meant was "Mickeys" is fantastic, but only because of it's location. Everything else is substandard..but at Little Venice prices. If it were at "Hammerheads" prices it would be perfect.
You never had them double up on appetisers and entrees when in a large group, or felt indignant when the gratuity is charged 20% for tables of 8 or more? Kind of ruins the place.
But I digress, that aside, it's great. Hammerheads, Blackbeards all good. We just need more waterfront or beachfront casual dining.
Posted by sandrownan on 19.09.05 at 14:40
^..^
Long gone are my two wheeled stuntman days, although I remember them well - close one eye and follow the 'middle' yellow line home, breathe deeply. Repeat.
Posted by Adjustah on 19.09.05 at 14:42
Yep keep your head tucked and look where that line is.....I came second and third too many times....three gear mobeys and those cyruses were to fast!!! had a Zundap cab though....went onto better street racing in the states with a 500 triple Kawasaki she was a bit hingy in the corners going at 110 mph....Still a thrill that stays with me....dam bike because of being a two stroke was like a rifle bullet taking off.
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 19.09.05 at 14:55
^..^ Sweet! Used to play on an 1100 WaveRunner three-seater - think tugboat with a rocket in it. Not nimble, but after some mods and with the right water she'd run like boiled gorilla snot!
Posted by Adjustah on 19.09.05 at 15:27
Limey,
Beach It - I agree, should be open on a Friday night. The reason I've heard from them, is that their main clientel is from the cruise ships - so they "recover" when they leave. I highly recommend you re-try Blackbeards - there are views from almost every seat - over looking St. Catherines beach or sunset view over Achilles Bay - both directions. The staff working there are very good & attentive, plus the food is better than you'd expect from the casual atmosphere. Occassionally they even have a musician in the evening.
Tobacco Bay usually stays open as long as there are people around buying drinks.
Unfortunately we do not have a huge pool for these places to get a constant stream of business. If the tourism industry were to ever get back on it's feet - then we wouldn't even be having this discussion, as they would be driving the demand & spending the money needed for the business owners to remain open.
Posted by monty on 19.09.05 at 16:03
monty
That's a shame about Beach It. Sometimes it seems like we pay far too much attention to our cruise ship passengers, at the expense of our air arrivals. Dr. Brown's 400,000 target is looking ever more elusive.
Posted by The Limey on 19.09.05 at 17:39
Tony B,
I agree with a lot of what you have to say. But I just wonder why did we never heard much from you before 1998. Why all this anger JUST at the PLP? Surely you saw the decline in tourism from the early 90s and the inertia of the UBP to the modernisation of the the industry.
But hey, I too dig the vibe in a lot of the Caribbean venues. There is more soul, more vibrant culture. I agree Bermuda has become stuffy, over-priced and boring. We are a corporate jungle and those that are in a position to change things have little imagination and incentive to make the changes.
Posted by Onion on 20.09.05 at 16:46
Two things, Onion:
1. Tourism wasn't doing this badly under the UBP - not sure whether it's the PLP Government's fault, or whether other jurisdictions have upped their game (I suspect the latter), so it's natural that the present Government would be criticised more;
2. Correct me if I'm wrong, Tony, but I seem to recall that you were very vocal pre-1998, yes?
Posted by loki on 20.09.05 at 18:33
gombeys at clearwater beach is very entertaining and great food as well. sundays really enjoyable.
Posted by bermyguy on 20.09.05 at 18:35
Tony is very involved with Bermuda Island Cruises and the Hawkins island pirate party(he created it). The fact that he is kicking up so much is because he has his finger on the pulse. Also with his protest volume reaching 11 lately is a sure sign things are not good.
Go for it Tony! your latest remarks are needed and I support you. it takes a brave man to say what you are but it needs to be said.
My on topic opinion is you wont get more beach bars till there are more tourists and many of the main hotels already have them so why leave the hotel. Especially when you might get your handbag snatched, or given a date rape pill, or get tortured and raped.....need I go on!
Posted by Red Riding Hood (.)(.) on 20.09.05 at 19:40
I don't at all recall Tony making a lot of noise pre-1998. He certainly never chastised the UBP in this way. But it is probably pointless to dwell on this point.
The PLP's greatest fault is that it has not come up with a plan to dismantle and/or revamp the UBP tourism infrastructure. And as you say Loki, the rest of the world has raised the standard. But with Bermuda's cost of doing business how can a local hotel compete with a Sandals or Beaches all-inclusive hotel in Caribbean where 1. they can hire a 5 member live local band every night of the week to entertain guests?
I do not know the answer.
Posted by Onion on 20.09.05 at 23:15
I know the answer relax our laws and all the middle class weed smoking beer drinking fornicators will come back.
I'm for beach bars if only locals get the permits to run them. People caught littering though would either pay a fine up to a $1000.00 or have the hand they littered with cut off.
Posted by Ethiops on 23.09.05 at 15:42
The land or should I say sand behind the beaches is useless and not very attractive. Only good at the moment for a few tents.
On South shore there should be a host of restaurant/bars like Mickey's either on or with access and view of the beach.
"under the moonlight down by the sea" is what you want to hear on an island vacation not stuck in a small town like Hamilton with the poorest nightlife in the world! Apart from a few great restaurants there is nowhere with charachter except say Lobster Pot.
But where except at Dockyard is there a beach bar?
Posted by googlybda on 29.08.06 at 07:48