Can dogs go on St Mary’s Bay beach?

From 1 May to 30 September every year, all day, dogs are banned from part of St Mary’s Bay beach under Folkestone & Hythe District Council's Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2025, which runs until 31 July 2028. The rest of the year the ban is not in force. From 1 May to 30 September every year, all day, dogs must be on a lead on the promenade.

Dogs on the beach

Can I take my dog on St Mary’s Bay beach today?

The ban on part of St Mary’s Bay beach runs 1 May to 30 September, so today, Tuesday 13 October, it is not in force. It starts again on 1 May 2027.

From Folkestone & Hythe District Council's Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2025, which we read on 1 October 2026. Signs on the beach say where each stretch starts and ends.

Where the rules apply

St Mary’s Bay beachNo dogs, 1 May to 30 September, all day. From The Fairway to the new sewer outfall.The council's map of the order: “The Fairway to New Sewer Outfall”
No dogs in the seasonDogs on a leadContains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.
The promenadeDogs on a lead, 1 May to 30 September, all day. The promenade from The Fairway to the new sewer outfall.

The shaded areas on the maps are the council’s own lines.

The year at St Mary’s Bay

From 1 May to 30 September (153 days) dogs are banned from St Mary’s Bay beach, all day.

For the other 212 days of the year no ban holds on that stretch.

Dogs must be on a lead 1 May to 30 September on the promenade.

Along the coast, Dymchurch: No ban today; the summer ban starts again on 1 May 2027.
Along the coast, Littlestone: No ban today; the summer ban starts again on 1 May 2027.

The order

Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2025, made by Folkestone & Hythe District Council. In force from 1 August 2025 until 31 July 2028. We read it on 1 October 2026.

The order in force, on Folkestone & Hythe District Council's page
We quote it from the sealed order, a scan linked from the council's page, with each stretch as the council's own map of it names it.

Other beaches along this coast are on the Kent beaches page.

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