If you are looking for a great family friendly restaurant which has a view to die for then head to Key West Bar & Grill which is situated on the end of Bournemouth Pier.



We took the children late afternoon recently and enjoyed a relaxing meal in this spacious vibrant restaurant which serves wonderful affordable food.  I know I’m not the only parent to worry about their children being a little noisy and over excited and it definitely didn’t concern me here. 

The staff are incredibly friendly from the moment you walk in the door and nothing was too much trouble for them.  We found a lovely table right by the window with views of the beach (everywhere has a sea view though) and had a good look through the menu which offers breakfast, light bites, baguettes, jacket potatoes, burgers, salads and amazing sharing platters.  They also have traditional mains which include an all day brunch, steak and fish dishes.

The children’s menu offers a choice of locally made sausage, cheese burger, chicken nuggets or a giant fish finger which is served with chips and beans.  Individual ice cream pots can be purchased after at an additional cost.

My husband was desperate to try the moules mariniere which was served with garlic bread and chips and he said the garlic and cream sauce was excellent.  I am one of those boring people that always has the same few dishes but on this occasion I fancied trying something new and went for the grilled tuna steak with Mediterranean butter and oh my was I pleased with my choice!  The Mediterranean butter was out of this world, a little too much butter for my liking but not a problem as I just moved some off.  I did enjoy every single mouthful though and would definitely recommend the dish to any fish lover. 



Our son Sam of course enjoyed his children’s meal and our little miss had great fun nibbling a little of everything.  Daddy even made her up her own mojito with water leaving him to enjoy his boozy one by himself.



Now, even though I was pleasantly full, I am a sucker for a dessert and had just managed to leave enough space for myself and my husband to share one together.  We chose (well I chose) the chocolate shortbread sundae and asked for 2 spoons as Sam had already chosen his tub of ice cream.  My mouth literally fell open when our dessert came.  It totally exceeded my expectations and the little devil in me wanted to bat away the 3 other sets of grabbling hands and have the layers of millionaires shortbread, strawberries, meringue and divine vanilla ice cream all to myself.  Dessert has always been my thing (as my waistline shows) and it was quite honestly one of the best desserts I’ve ever had.  So much so that I’ve considered going back when the kids have gone to bed just to scoff one on my own!



While we were there we asked if they had any colouring in sheets and crayons and were given a couple of bits for our little one to scribble on but I’d recommend taking a little bag of toys or a book to keep them entertained while you enjoy your meal.  

If you are looking for somewhere to meet Mummy friends for coffee and cake then I have no doubt you’ll be welcomed.  They have a cabinet full of sugary goodness which on the day we visited included chocolate orange cake, lime and zucchini cake, Dorset apple cake, carrot cake, tiramisu and caramel slices.  All looked very scrumptious and can be enjoyed on the tea/coffee and cake offer they advertise.  They also offer a tremendous looking afternoon tea which would be a perfect treat if you have any child free time with friends or family.

Good to know………

You’ll need to pay the small Pier toll charge but keep your ticket as it’s valid for a whole year.  Please note - under 5’s are free.

There is an outdoor terrace area if you want to sit and enjoy the sun and atmosphere. 

A baby change table can be found by the ladies toilets.

There are plenty of highchairs available.

Hot water can be provided if you wish to warm up a bottle of milk for your baby.

Key West Bar & Grill offers the perfect venue for any celebration especially as the sun goes down and the lighting in the ceiling can be seen at its best.  Full details of venue hire can be found here.

If you would like to know more about Key West Bar & Grill including special offers and upcoming events then please do visit the Website.

I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Key West Bar & Grill, the food and service was outstanding and we can’t wait to go back.  

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This is the third year we’ve seen the Pirates of the Pavilion and yet again it hasn’t failed to capture our attention from start to finish and laugh our leads off in many of the scenes.



This swashbuckling family friendly show is directed by Lee Redwood who also stars as Demonia the Sea Witch and it was lovely to see Buckaneer Becky and Captain Filibuster back for another year on a brand new adventure.  Liam Mellor was the new Seadog Billy and he did a great job of providing the humour especially the scene where he managed to crunch and munch a whole apple in his mouth and hilariously spit it out everywhere during the song they were all singing.  Poor Becky, I felt for her picking apple out of her hair twice a day for the next 6 weeks haha. 

Along with the cast mentioned there was also the magical secretary who helps the crew plus lots of great dancers including children from the performing arts school Stagecoach Weymouth who did a grand job in their first show.



As with most Pantomimes the story is simple for the children, the scenes are short and there was plenty of audience participation and boos which all the kids (and adults) enjoyed.

This year the fun and lovable crew have to go on a mission to rid the seas of all the litter and beat the evil Sea Witch before she can succeed in her plan to rule the world.  I loved that there was a moral to the story and hopefully the youngsters will go away remembering that we should look after our planet more and dispose of rubbish after a trip to the beach.



Watch out for the amazing special effects as Becky goes on a flying jet pack and a huge sea monster created by the evil Sea Witch appears on stage!   

While we were there we got chatting to a lovely family in front of us and I asked what their thoughts were after the show.  Lisa from Bournemouth said ‘I came today with my 8 year old son Dylan, Harry who is 6 plus Nanny and we all thought it was a great first show with very funny improvisation when lines were forgotten.  Our favourite characters were the mice puppets and of course Billy who was brilliant with his bad jokes that were hilarious.  Would definite recommend it to others!’

Finally, to the family of the 4 year old girl on stage during today’s Matinee, your little one had us crying with laughter.  She was utterly adorable every time she tried to say the line ending in ‘felt smart’ and instead said ‘smelt fart’.  I really hope she enjoyed her little bit of stardom.

The cast and production company work very hard to put this show on and it’s quite clear to see.  Personally we loved it when the odd line was forgotten and the cast went off script.  I couldn’t stop giggling every time Billy called Demonia ‘Dame Trott’ (from the Christmas Panto).  There’s too many funny scenes for me to talk about and one in particular that I want to mention but I’m not going to tell you as I think it’s nice for the audience to have surprises.   So if you’re after a couple of hours of fun with catchy songs, dancing and jokes galore then head to Weymouth Pavilion for full details of the show.   

Good to know………

There’s a huge pay and display car park behind the theatre.

Toilets and baby change facilities are available.

If you are hungry or thirsty before the show then head upstairs to the Piano Bar.  If you are after a drink or snack before or after the show then you’ll find the Ritz Café in the foyer.

Pirate swords, flashing hooks and programmes can be purchased before or during the show from the foyer.

If you have a small child with you then you’ll find booster seats and cushions as you go in the theatre.

Ice creams, snacks and drinks are sold in the interval.

The staff and ushers are all incredibly friendly and helpful so just ask if you need anything or have any questions while you are there.

The show is running for the next 6 weeks from today up until Tuesday the 29th of August 2017.  

On Tuesday the 1st of August 2017 there is a relaxed performance which is specially adapted to accommodate people on the autism spectrum, as well as those with communication difficulties and learning disabilities.  Slight changes will be made to the show itself; any loud noises or strobe lighting will be omitted, the auditorium lights will be left on and audience members will be free to leave the theatre and spend some time in a quiet area set up in the foyer at any point during the performance.

At the end of our show Billy made a couple of audience announcements so if you have a birthday in the family please tell them at the ticket desk.

Well done again to everyone involved, the show was fantastic and I hope you have a great summer performing to many local families and tourists.  We all really enjoyed it, especially our 4 year old son who laughed and heckled pretty much non stop and loved Billy and his silly jokes.

Thank you

Love Dorsetmum, Son & Nanny
xxx 

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