NATIONAL TRUST: THE BEACH
Sunday 4 February 2007 9pm-10pm
A major ten-part series that lifts the lid off the National Trust, filmed over two of the most stressful years in its more than 100-year-old life, begins with a middle-class revolt on the south coast.
Studland Bay in Dorset is home to sandy beaches, a Georgian mansion, 8,000 hectares of prime land and a growing number of locals disgruntled with the landowning National Trust.
Dog owners, yachtsmen, horse riders, café owners and nudists all claim their stake in the local community while the Trust's affable property manager struggles to deal with their various gripes.
This is an entertaining insight into the intricate negotiating processes that often entangle the Trust and enrage the locals.
