"I disagree and think there are plenty of places where a dog can be off lead. I think a thing to do is to keep a watch out for people and to be prepared to put the dog on a lead (proper one, not one of these long things) when you are approaching others (or others approaching you)."

That's all very well, but the majority of dog owners can't rein in their loose dog quickly enough if the dog is minded to hassle people or other dogs.

I also think that beaches should be out of bounds for all dogs for health and hygiene reasons. I'm disgusted by the sight of a dog frolicking in the waves alongside children. That is downright unhygienic and is a health hazard, yet is still a common sight. Some holiday resorts are becoming more lenient towards dog owners in matters such as the length of season and the hours in which dogs are banned from beaches. They want to keep them coming and spending their money, it seems. Here in Bude you will ALWAYS see dogs on beaches in breach of bans or off leads running free on beaches where leads are a requirement. Always. Guaranteed on any nice, sunny summer's day. The sense of entitlement possessed by some dog owners is staggering.