I should probably start by declaring my interests. I grew up in Bournemouth, lived there from the ages of 5 to 20. It was ok. So I’m not a visitor or a tourist in the proper sense, but having lived away for 5 years has, I hope, given me a bit of critical distance. And so I begin…
Bournemouth Town
Bournemouth’s great. It’s compact enough to generally be able to get most central points on foot. It’s very busy in the summer with the massive influx of foreign students; Bournemouth has a ridiculous number of language schools and nearly everyone in the town is involved in some way or another, teachers, host families, pub landlords etc. It’s definitely quieter in the winter, but with the expanding university the population does seem to be getting more balanced season-wise.
It’s a real mix of residential and commercial property, with some areas being more one way or the other, but overall it’s pretty integrated. There are no industrial estates (they’re all next door in Poole) and accordingly, the town’s generally very clean and pretty. Employment opportunities are fairly limited in my opinion – if you’re after a professional career then Bournemouth’s probably not the best place to be, but there are loads of shops and offices to keep you employed (and not very well off!).
Bournemouth’s one of the few places in the country that still has a selective education system, ie Grammar schools and Secondary Moderns. Grammar school entry is dependant on the 11 Plus exam, and there are two single sex grammar schools. There’s only one comprehensive in Bournemouth and that’s Catholic, and I hear it’s very good. The remainder of secondary schools are made up of approximately eight secondary moderns, of which I believe three are mixed.
I mention the education system here because it’s actually quite indicative of the town as a whole, it’s a True Blue Tory area, and regardless of your politics, you can’t fail to notice it! Bournemouth’s strange in the fact that it’s very ‘traditional’ but in fact it’s new-ish town. Not new like Milton Keynes, but it only really developed around 1850 when the gorseland became a seaside resort renowned for its TB-curing air, allegedly. At this time, it became home to a wealth of famous names, such as Mary Shelley and Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Centre
Bournemouth town centre focuses on the Square, or the square-that’s-actually-round. It used to be a big roundabout but now has been pedestrianised and adorned with a coffee shop and flowers. It’s the juncture of several roads, including the impossibly steep Richmond
Hill (don’t even bother trying to cycle it). There’s also Gervis Place, where you can get a bus to almost anywhere in town – you can’t fail to notice them, they’re yellow; Commercial Road and Old Christchurch Road, both shopping havens; Bourne Avenue, which takes you in the general direction of Poole; and Exeter Road, which goes directly to the beach.
Travelling west on foot, up Commercial Road (also pedestrianised) you’ll find the Triangle, which is actually vaguely triangular. At the time of writing, a new library was being built here. Commercial Road, unsurprisingly, has loads of shops and a dinky little arcade with an HMV. Debenhams can probably also be grouped here, although it is in fact directly on the Square.
Old Christchurch Road will take you all the way up to the Lansdowne, but there’s not a lot after Horseshoe Common (about half way up), which is a nice green area with well tended roses. Old Christchurch Road is also nice because it’s got several arcades, notably one simply known as The Arcade, which houses shops like Waterstones and The Pier. The two ‘nice’ departments stores are along here, there’s a House of Fraser and Beales, which is the local emporium for everything lovely.
Bourne Avenue has a few shops and a fantastic milkshake/bar/café called Legends to its credit and leads to the town hall. Ever since some of the parking was got rid of, there’s also a good sized Borders. What you’ll really notice if you’re on Bourne Avenue though are the Upper Gardens. The Gardens run from Koi Pond, yes it’s a pond with Koi in, to the pier approach right on the seafront. And they are lovely, green lawns and well-looked flower beds. You can quite literally follow the road up to the Pond, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it because there ain’t really much to see.
Exeter Road leads to the beach, via the Bournemouth International Centre (the BIC). The BIC houses a leisure pool complete with wave machine, fitness centre, several halls for concerts or conventions, the occasional exhibition, a few lounges where you can get a drink, and, um, not much else. It’s highly unattractive but it has been home to the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences in its time. Exeter Road ambles around the Lower Gardens, which, like the Upper Gardens, are very green, very well cared for, and really quite pretty. They also house an aviary, if you want to see too many colourful birds in a tiny space. Not really to my taste, but each to their own.
Sun, Sea and Sand
At the end of the Lower Gardens, you get to the beach. And my word is it a beach. Seven beautiful miles of gorgeous sandy loveliness, clean water, and loads of beach huts. Not that beach huts are a bad thing. It’s a really superb stretch, as they go, and rumour has it that the sand is actually shipped in from the Sahara and it can’t come with much higher credentials than that.
The weather also tends to be good for enjoying the seaside as Bournemouth falls into Poole Bay, and so is quite sheltered. Of course this doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed good weather, but you are should be able to notice less extreme elements.
The main section is identifiable by the pier, which houses an amusement arcade and the Pier Theatre, which usually shows typically ‘kiss-me-quick’ style farcical romps, quite often starring an ex-Page 3 stunna or cast-member from Allo Allo. I’m sure you get the idea. There’s also the Pier Showbar, which has been home to some of the town’s best nights out, if you like dance music. The different ‘nights’ tend to rotate on a weekly basis with monthly or fortnightly events, but things change oh so quickly in clubland so check local press for listings.
The beach runs west towards Poole, and along the way there are some really lovely spots, Alum Chine for example, which serve as their own little beaches. At each of these Chines there are parking areas and various activities: ice cream vendors, tenniscourts, a pub, etc. It may be worth, if visiting in the height of summer, to seek out the Chines rather than relying on the main Bournemouth beach as they do tend to be quieter, and consequently cleaner.
Eastwards is Boscombe, which has its own pier. You can walk all the way down between the two piers, either on the sand itself, or for the less energetic, you can amble along the promenade. Cars are not permitted to drive down here so it’s perfectly safe. Boscombe is ok, but bear in mind that this area has a high concentration of guest houses and hotels, and isn’t generally seen as being as ‘nice’ as the rest of the stretch. Past Boscombe is Southbourne, which is another lovely, and quieter part of the beach. Highly recommended, but be aware that there are fewer facilities the further east you go.
Arguably the finest beaches are actually in Poole at Sandbanks. This stretch is aesthetically perfect (almost), and house prices nearby reflect this. Getting to Sandbanks is less straightforward as reaching any part of Bournemouth's beach - you will either need to drive a fair distance around the coast, or hop on the regular ferries that make the brief crossing. But if all that sounds like too much hassle, don't worry, because Bournemouth's beaches are more than adequate.
Bournemouth beach and the sea that laps up to it have a good history of cleanliness. The waters have received the Blue Flag award for lack of pollution on numerous occasions and are safe to swim in. The beaches are well looked after and tend also to be clean and litter-free, although in high season this may not always be the case in the busiest areas. Life guards are plentiful and well-trained. And usually gorgeous… but that’s another story.
Things To Do, Places To See…
As Bournemouth isn’t a very old town there’s little in the way of historical interest. Probably the nearest it gets is the Russell Coates Museum and Art Gallery, which is full of various ‘treasures’, although most of which, I’m reliably informed, are fakes.
The town has cinemas, lots of bars and night clubs (of varying quality), swimming pools, the Pavillion (which shows lots of ballet and the occasional opera), 10 pin bowling, golf, basically the usual activities you find in a large town. In addition, you’ll find the all-new IMAX cinema and the attached bars/restaurants complex, which is right next to the beach.
To the west, Poole has a lovely quay, which is worth a visit. Poole is much older than Bournemouth and actually has more to offer in terms of sights. Directly east is Christchurch, which again is older than Bournemouth and is a very pleasant day out.
Going inland and further east, the New Forest offers a wealth of activities, eg camping, cycling, horse-riding, and there are also various day out destinations, eg the owl sanctuary near Ringwood, and the motor museum at Beaulieu. The New Forest really is a lovely place to spend a few days, and if you were to spend any time in Bournemouth and not visit it, you would be missing out.
Rural Dorset is inland bearing west, and there are numerous picturesque villages and ancient sites. Bear in mind that the neighbouring Wiltshire has Stonehenge, and you can imagine that Dorset is similarly blessed. Ancient religious sites and forts are dotted all around this area, and even if you’re not interested in the historical side, they make excellent places to visit for a walk or a picnic (but remember to clear up after you!). An excellent example is Badbury Rings, an Iron age hill fort between Wimborne and Blandford, which is quite stunning all year round, but especially in summer.
The range of cuisine that Bournemouth has to offer is ever increasing, from English to pan-Asian to American, with everything in between. One place that’s definitely worthy of a mention is a Swissrestaurant called Helvetia, which has a lively keller bar in the basement. This place does the best cheese fondue I have ever tasted. There are plenty of restaurants in town though, but bear in mind that as a rule of thumb, the closer the establishment is to the centre of town, the more expensive it will be. And that this doesn’t necessarily mean it will be any better.
Being a seaside town, Bournemouth boasts a very high number of B&Bs, guest houses and hotels, providing a variety of boards and rates. Given the number and range, I couldn’t possibly generalise as to the standard they maintain as a whole. As far as prices go, a room will unsurprisingly cost more in the summer months than, say in November or February. Easter also brings an influx of visitors, so again, prices are likely to peak here for spring bookings. It’s also worth checking if any big conferences are being held around the time that you wish to visit, as this will also lead to hiked up prices that you may well wish to avoid.
To, From and Around
Bournemouth has good links to London by train and by road, taking approximately 2.5 hours by train and 2 by car. Amazingly, it also has an airport, although flights from here are restricted to package holiday destinations, mostly in the Caribbean.
Travelling within Bournemouth itself, there is a good and reliable network of Yellow Buses that will take you to most places within the town and its immediate surroundings. Travelling to Poole and beyond, there are also the red Wilts & Dorset buses. The main terminal in Bournemouth town centre for both is Gervis Place.
The train is pretty much useless for getting around within Bournemouth, but is arguably the best way to get into the New Forest if you’re car-less. Trains to a number of destinations are frequent and remarkably scenic.
Bournemouth’s roads are not, at present, riddled with one-way systems or overcrowded and it’s generally very easy to get from A to B quickly. Parking is plentiful. Cycling around town is hit and miss, some routes, notably to the university, have marked cycle lanes, but this is not consistent. The landscape does undulate though so if you’re travelling any distance expect some easier then harder (or harder then easier) stretches en route.
Overall then…
Bournemouth is a great place to visit and enjoy. It’s safe, clean, and pleasant, and benefits from a wonderful surrounding area. If you go, make sure to buy an ice-cream and wander for a little while along the promenade. Take in the lovely Gardens and join everyone else in criticising the vulgar BIC. Spend an afternoon exploring the Chines. Leave town for the day and enjoy the Dorset countryside, and enjoy a cream tea at a thatched cottage tea shop. Or venture into the New Forest and go deer spotting. And send me a postcard, because when I think about it, I quite miss it actually.
I will no doubt be updating this as I think of things..!
Useful websites: General - www.bournemouth.uk.com www.bournemouth-info.com www.bournemouth.com www.guidemeto.co.uk/bournemouth.html
Places to stay - www.bournemouthandpoole.co.uk/hotel.html room4u.org.uk/hotels/bournemouth/index.asp
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Sep 3rd, 2002
very helpful by (100%):
