Bournemouth
Encyclopedia
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town
in the ceremonial county of Dorset
, England. According to the 2001 Census
the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton
and Plymouth
. With Poole
and Christchurch
, Bournemouth forms the South East Dorset conurbation
, which has a total population of approximately 400,000.
Founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell
, Bournemouth's growth accelerated with the arrival of the railway, becoming a recognised town in 1870. Historically part of Hampshire
, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974
. Since 1997 the town has been administered by a unitary authority
, meaning that it has autonomy from Dorset County Council
. The local authority is Bournemouth Borough Council.
Bournemouth's location on the south coast of England has made it a popular destination for tourists. The town is a regional centre of business, home of the Bournemouth International Centre
and financial companies that include Liverpool Victoria and PruHealth
.
In a 2007 survey by First Direct
, Bournemouth was found to be the happiest place in Britain, with 82% of people questioned saying they were happy with their lives.
. The combined population is 383,713, and it is a retail and commercial centre. To the north west of Bournemouth is the small town of Wimborne and to the north east is the settlement of Ferndown
. Bournemouth Airport
lies to the north east, towards Hurn
. The town is intersected by the A338
dual carriageway, known as the "Wessex Way".
Although Bournemouth is on the coast, the centre of the town lies inland - the commercial and civil heart of the town being the Square
. From the Square the Upper and Lower Pleasure Gardens
descend to the seafront and the pier. Areas within Bournemouth include Bear Cross
, Boscombe
, Kinson
, Pokesdown
, Westbourne
and Winton.
Traditionally a large retirement town, Bournemouth (mostly the Northbourne, Southbourne and Tuckton areas of Bournemouth together with the Wallisdown, and Talbot Village
areas of Poole) has seen massive growth in recent years, especially through the growth of students attending Bournemouth University
and the large number of language schools teaching English as a foreign language.
Bournemouth is located directly to the east of the Jurassic Coast
, a 95 miles (152.9 km) section of beautiful and largely unspoilt coastline recently designated a World Heritage Site
. Apart from the beauty of much of the coastline, the Jurassic Coast provides a complete geological record of the Jurassic period and a rich fossil record. Bournemouth sea front overlooks Poole Bay
and the Isle of Wight
. Bournemouth also has 7 miles (11.3 km) of sandy beach
es that run from Hengistbury Head
in the east to Sandbanks
, in Poole, in the west.
Because of the coastal processes that operate in Poole Bay, the area is often used for surfing
. An artificial reef (Europe's first) was expected to be installed at Boscombe
, in Bournemouth, by October 2008, using large sand-filled geotextile
bags. However, this deadline was not met, and the construction was actually finished at the end of October 2009. The Boscombe Reef
was constructed as part of the larger Boscombe Spa Village development. Bournemouth also has several chine
s (e.g. Alum Chine) that lead down to the beaches and form a very attractive feature of the area. The beaches are subdivided by groyne
s.
climate with moderate variation in annual and daily temperatures: from 1971 to 2000 the annual mean
temperature was 10.2 to 12 °C (50.4 to 53.6 F). The warmest months are July and August, which have an average temperature range of 12 to 22 °C (53.6 to 71.6 F), while the coolest months are January and February, which have an average temperature range of 1 to 8 °C (33.8 to 46.4 F). Average rainfall in Bournemouth is around 800 mm (31 in) annually, well below the national average of 1,126 millimetres. Since 1960, temperature extremes as measured at Bournemouth Hurn Airport have ranged from 34.1 °C (93.4 °F) in August 1990, down to -13.4 C in January 1963. The lowest temperature to be recorded in recent years was -10.4 C during December 2010.
, it was considered desirable that the whole of the Poole/Bournemouth urban area
should be part of the same county. Bournemouth therefore became part of the non-metropolitan county of Dorset on 1 April 1974. On 1 April 1997, Bournemouth became a unitary authority
, independent from Dorset County Council
. For the purposes of the Lieutenancy
it remains part of the ceremonial county
of Dorset.
For local elections the district is divided into 18 wards, and the Bournemouth Borough Council is elected every four years. The Council elects the Mayor and Deputy Mayor annually. For 2009-2010, the Mayor of Bournemouth is Mrs. Beryl Baxter.
The Dorset
and Hampshire
region surrounding Bournemouth has been the site of human settlement for thousands of years. However, in 1800 the Bournemouth area was largely a remote and barren heathland. No one lived at the mouth of the Bourne River
and the only regular visitors were a few fishermen, turf cutters and gangs of smugglers
until the 16th century. During the Tudor period
the area was used as a hunting estate, 'Stourfield Chase', but by the late 18th century only a few small parts of it were maintained, including several fields around the Bourne Stream and a cottage known as Decoy Pond House, which stood near where the Square
is today.
With the exception of the estate, until 1802 most of the Bournemouth area was common land
. The Christchurch Inclosures Act 1802
and the Inclosure Commissioners' Award of 1805 transferred hundreds of acres into private ownership for the first time. In 1809, the Tapps Arms public house
appeared on the heath. A few years later, in 1812, the first residents, retired army officer Lewis Tregonwell
and his wife, moved into their new home built on land he had purchased from Sir George Ivison Tapps. Tregonwell began developing his land for holiday letting by building a series of sea villa
s. In association with Tapps, he planted hundreds of pine trees, providing a sheltered walk to the beach (later to become known as the 'Invalids walk'). The town would ultimately grow up around its scattered pines. In 1832 when Tregonwell died, Bournemouth had grown into small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages.
In 1835, after the death of Sir George Ivison Tapps, his son Sir George William Tapps-Gervis inherited his father's estate. Bournemouth started to grow at a faster rate as George William started developing the seaside village into a resort similar to those that had already grown up along the south coast such as Weymouth and Brighton
. In 1841, the town was visited by the physician and writer Augustus Granville
. Granville was the author of The Spas of England, which described health resorts around the country. As a result of his visit, Dr Granville included a chapter on Bournemouth in the second edition of his book. The publication of the book, as well as the growth of visitors to the seaside seeking the medicinal use of the seawater and the fresh air of the pines, helped the town to grow and establish itself as an early tourist destination.
In the 1840s the fields south of the road crossing (later Bournemouth Square) were drained and laid out with shrubberies and walks. Many of these paths including the 'Invalids walk' remain in the town today; forming part of the Pleasure Gardens which extend for several miles along the Bourne
stream. The Pleasure Gardens were originally a series of garden walks created in the fields of the owners of the Branksome
Estate in the 1860s. In the early 1870s all the fields were leased to the Bournemouth Commissioners by the freeholders. Parliament approved the Bournemouth Improvement Act in 1856. Under the Act, a board of 13 Commissioners was established to build and organise the expanding infrastructure of the town, such as paving, sewers, drainage, street lighting and street cleaning.
During the late 19th century the town continued to develop. The Winter Gardens were finished in 1875 and the cast iron Bournemouth Pier
was finished in 1880. The arrival of the railways allowed a massive growth of seaside and summer visits to the town, especially by visitors from the Midlands
and London. In 1880 the town had a population of 17,000 people but by 1900, when railway connections were at their most developed to Bournemouth, the town's population had risen to 60,000. It was also during this period that the town became a favourite location for visiting artists and writers. The town was improved greatly during this period through the efforts of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes
, the town's mayor and a local philanthropist
. He helped establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
was housed in his mansion and after his death it was given to the town.
As Bournemouth's growth increased in the early 20th century, the town centre spawned theatre
s, café
s, two art deco
cinemas
and more hotels. Other new buildings included the war memorial in 1921 and the Bournemouth Pavilion, the town's concert hall and grand theatre, finished in 1925. The town escaped great damage during the Second World War but saw a period of decline as a seaside resort
in the postwar era.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution
stationed an inshore lifeboat
at Bournemouth in 1965 but it was withdrawn in 1972. Coverage for the area has otherwise been provided from Poole Lifeboat Station
In 1985, Bournemouth became the first town in the United Kingdom
to introduce and use CCTV
cameras for public street-based surveillance.
's novels. Tess
lived in Sandbourne with Alec d'Urberville, and the town also features in The Well-Beloved
and Jude the Obscure
. It is also mentioned in So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish
, the fourth book of the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. In James Herbert
's horror novel The Fog, the entire population of Bournemouth runs into the sea and drowns in a mass suicide. In Andy McDermott
's thriller The Secret of Excalibur, a car chase through the town centre and beach front leads to the destruction of the IMAX Cinema. It is also mentioned in Roald Dahl
's The Witches as the setting for the Hotel Magnificent.
J. R. R. Tolkien
, the writer, spent 30 years taking holidays in Bournemouth, staying in the same room at the Hotel Miramar, with a second room to write in. He eventually retired to the area in the 1960s with his wife Edith. Tolkien died in September 1973 at his home in Bournemouth and was buried in Oxfordshire
.
Mary Shelley
, the writer and novelist is buried in St. Peter's Church, her son Sir Percy having settled at Boscombe
Manor. Also buried at St Peter's is the heart of Mary's husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley
, brought back from Italy
, and her parents William Godwin
and Mary Wollstonecraft
, their remains having been moved there from St Pancras Old Church
.
The town was especially rich in literary associations during the late 19th century and earlier years of the 20th century. Oscar Wilde
and Paul Verlaine
both taught at Bournemouth preparatory school
s. Robert Louis Stevenson
wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and most of his novel Kidnapped
from his house "Skerryvore" on the west cliff. Count Vladimir Chertkov
established a Tolstoyan
publishing house with other Russia
n exiles in Iford Waterworks at Southbourne, and under the 'Free Age Press' imprint, published the first edition of several works by Tolstoy
, however the author himself never visited the town.
In Peter Weir's highly acclaimed 1975 film adaptation of Joan Lindsay's enigmatic 1968 novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock
, bygone holidays at Bournemouth are wistfully recalled by Mrs. Appleyard (played by Rachel Roberts
), headmistress of Mrs. Appleyard's College for Girls, in Australia
.
Bournemouth is a tourist and regional centre for leisure, entertainment, culture and recreation. The award-winning Central Gardens are a separate major public park, leading for several miles down the valley of the River Bourne
through the centre of the town to the sea (reaching the sea at Bournemouth Pier) and include the Pleasure Gardens and the area surrounding the Pavilion and the now closed IMAX
Cinema. It has a thriving youth culture, including a large university population and many language school students. With the advent of the Boscombe Overstrand, the seeds of a dynamic new business culture revolving around new media and surfing have begun to emerge. Bournemouth also has a well-established gay scene comprising a cluster of bars, restaurants, the Bondi (the South's only exclusively GLBT Hotel) and nightclubs all centred around the Triangle in the centre of the town. Bournemouth is known for its popularity with pensioners and it has many residential care homes.
In recent years, Bournemouth has become a popular nightlife destination with UK tourists. Many clubs, bars and restaurants are located within the town centre. Bliss, Chilli White, Lava & Ignite and Mary Shelley operate on St. Peter's Road. In addition, 'V', the converted St. Andrew's Church, since April 2009 has become very popular within the town's night time entertainment.
The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC)
, is a popular venue for the conferences of the major political parties. The centre hosted the Labour Party
conference in 2003 and 2007, the Conservative Party
conference in 2006, and the Liberal Democrat
conference in 2008 and 2009 The BIC also hosts theatrical productions and musical concerts.
The Russell-Cotes Museum is located just to the east of the Central Gardens near the Pavilion Theatre
and next to the Royal Bath Hotel. The museum includes many 19th century paintings and the family collections acquired when travelling especially in Japan
and Russia
. It was Russell Cotes who successfully campaigned to have a promenade built; it runs continuously along the Bournemouth and Poole shoreline.
The cover of the Beatles
' second album "With The Beatles
" was photographed in Bournemouth. It was taken at the Palace Court Hotel by Robert Freeman
during the group's week-long summer season in August 1963 at the Gaumont Cinema on Westover Road.
The cover sleeve for "All Around the World
" by Oasis
was shot at Bournemouth, it features four of the bandmates standing on the beach and looking up towards to the sky, while the words "All Around The World" are written in the sand.
. These include St Stephen's Church, which was built for services under the influence of the Oxford Movement
and was finished in 1898. St Stephen's Church was the place of the marriage between Ebba Munck af Fulkila and Prince Oscar of Sweden in 1888. Also included is the Richmond Hill St Andrew's Church, part of the United Reformed Church
. The church was built in 1865 and enlarged in 1891. Another ex-church, St. Andrew's on Exeter Road, has now become a popular entertainments venue known as 'V' in the town centre.
The town is also home to a large Jewish community with three synagogue
s. Chabad-Lubavitch of Bournemouth is a branch of the worldwide movement. The Bournemouth Reform Synagogue
, formerly known as Bournemouth New Synagogue, is a Reform Jewish synagogue with over 700 members. There is also the architecturally notable Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation
.
The Islam
ic community in the town is served by Bournemouth Islamic Centre in St Stephen's Road, also a mosque and the Winton Mosque.
Humanists and atheists in Bournemouth are supported by the Dorset Humanists, affiliated to the British Humanist Association
, who meet at the Moordown Community Centre.
The town has a professional football club, AFC Bournemouth, who play in League One
, and Bournemouth F.C.
who play in the Wessex League Premier Division
. AFC Bournemouth play at the Dean Court near Boscombe
in Kings' Park, 2 miles (3 km) east of the town centre. The Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club
is the town's coastal rowing
club situated on the West Beach next to the Oceanarium. The oldest sporting club in Bournemouth, it competes in regattas organised by the Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Association that take place on the South Coast of England between May and September.
Bournemouth Rugby Club
, who compete in the South West Division One, has its home at the Bournemouth Sports Club located next to Bournemouth Airport
. Hampshire County Cricket Club
regularly played first-class cricket at Bournemouth's Dean Park
until 1992. This became the home ground of Dorset County Cricket Club
, a minor county. Bournemouth Cricket Club, also situated next to the airport, is one of Dorset's largest cricket clubs. Their first team play in the Southern Premier League.
Recently, the Bournemouth International Centre has become a venue for a round of the Premier League Darts
Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation
. It was rated as one of the favourites to become the new host for the PDC World Championships as the last site, Circus Tavern, could not hold the growing numbers of fans.
Bournemouth also has a thriving watersports community with its beaches having great conditions for windsurfing
and kitesurfing
. On a windy day you can see many kitesurfers and windsurfers out enjoying the waves all the way along the beach from Hengistbury Head to Sandbanks, and there are quite a few local schools for the beginner to learn either sport. There is a local kiteboarding club, Bournemouth Boarding, which is recognised by the BKSA.
The shopping streets are mostly pedestrianised and lined with a wide range of boutiques, stores, jewellers and accessory shops. There are modern shopping malls, Victorian arcades (including the Victorian Arcade between Westover Road and Old Christchurch Road), and a large selection of bars, clubs and cafés. About a mile to the west of the town centre, in the district of Westbourne
, there is a selection of designer clothing and interior design shops. About a mile to the east, in the district of Boscombe
, there is another major shopping area including many antiques shops and a street market. North of the centre there is an out-of-town shopping complex called Castlepoint Shopping Centre
with supermarkets, DIY stores and larger versions of high street shops. A new extension to Castlepoint, called Castlemore, is set just south west of the main complex, which features more large retail stores. Other supermarkets are located in the town centre (Asda
and Co-op
), Boscombe (Sainsbury's) and between Westbourne and Upper Parkstone. A large Tesco Extra store is located at the end of Castle Lane East, two miles east of Castlepoint.
with classical concerts, opera, ballet and a visit from the Salzburg Marionettes
; the two weeks in June also featured a national brass band competition, sea cadet displays and different sporting events.
Bournemouth is currently host to several annual festivals. The town has had an annual literary festival since 2005. A Gay Pride festival named Bourne Free
is held in the town each year during the summer.
Since 2008 Bournemouth has held its own air festival
over four days in August. This has featured displays from the Red Arrows
as well as appearances from the Yakovlevs, Blades, Team Guinot
Wing-Walkers, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
including Lancaster
, Hurricane
, Spitfire
and also the last flying Vulcan
. The festival has also seen appearances from modern aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon
. The air festival attracts nearly one million people over the four-day event.
when Bournemouth lost its County Borough
status and became part of the county of Dorset. Under the later reforms of 1997
, Bournemouth became a unitary authority
and the Bournemouth local education authority was re-established. Bournemouth is one of the minority of local authorities in England still to maintain selective education, with two grammar school
s (one for boys, one for girls) and eight secondary modern
/comprehensive
schools. There are also a small number of independent schools in the town, and a further education college.
Bournemouth University
is one of the largest universities in the South of England. Known as Bournemouth Polytechnic between 1990 and 1992, it has its roots in the former Dorset Institute of Higher Education. It is one of the better-performing ex-polytechnics in England. The main campus is however in neighbouring Poole
. The Arts University College at Bournemouth, also officially in Poole, specialises in arts, design, media and performance degree courses. Bournemouth is also a major centre for the teaching of English
and has numerous English language schools. Many thousands of foreign students are attracted to the town every year, an important form of invisible trade. AECC Chiropractic College is also located in the Bournemouth area, which is the only chiropractic college in England. It is located in Boscombe, three miles from the town centre.
Similarly to the rest of Dorset, Bournemouth's economy
is primarily in the service sector, which employed 93% of the workforce in 2007. This is 10% higher than the average employment in the service sector for Great Britain
and the South West
. The importance of the manufacturing sector has declined, and is predominantly based in neighbouring Poole, but still employs 3% of the workforce. Tourism
is crucial to the economy of Bournemouth, generating £440 million a year and employing thousands of workers. Business tourism alone contributed £127 million in 2007, through delegates and business visitors attending venues such as the BIC
and exhibitions in the town.
The following is a non-exhaustive list:
In April 2008, Bournemouth was announced to be the first 'Fibrecity
' in the United Kingdom, with work starting in September to bring 100 Mbit Broadband internet access
into homes and businesses within the town; running fibre optic
cables through the sewers reduces the cost and disruption to road networks during cable laying. This is part of the National Government's plans for everyone in the UK to have access to 100 Mbit Broadband by 2010. A trial to the proposed 100 Mbit is scheduled to begin at the end of March 2009, where 30 homes will be connected for free. As the trial continues, all businesses and homes within BH10 and BH11 are entitled to sign up for free. As of February 2010, Fibrecity is connecting 4,000 homes and businesses a month in Bournemouth to the network and it is hoped that the town will be fully connected by the end of 2010.
dual carriageway, which joins the A31
, itself the major trunk road in central Southern England
, connecting to the M27
at Southampton
. From here the M3
leads to London, and fast access may also be gained via the A34 to the M4
north of Newbury, Berkshire
. National Express
coaches serve Bournemouth Travel Interchange & Bournemouth University. There are frequent departures to London Victoria Coach Station
. There are also direct services to the West Country
, Sussex
coast (Brighton
and Eastbourne
), Bristol
, Birmingham
and the Midlands
, the North West
, and to Edinburgh
and Glasgow
. Flightlink serves Heathrow Airport with connections to Gatwick and Stansted
Airports.
Local buses are provided mainly by two companies, Wilts & Dorset
, the former National Bus Company
subsidiary and now owned by the Go-Ahead
group, and Yellow Buses, the former Bournemouth Council-owned company and successors to Bournemouth Corporation Transport, which began operating trams in 1902. In 1969 the town became one of the last in England to discontinue its trolleybus system
and replace the trolleybus
es with diesel buses. Other operators serving the town include Shamrock Buses
, Damory Coaches
(a subsidiary of Wilts & Dorset), Shaftesbury & District, Thompson's Travel and Verwood Buses.
Bournemouth is well served by the rail network with two stations in the town, Bournemouth railway station
and Pokesdown railway station
to the east. Parts of western Bournemouth can also be reached from Branksome
station. Bournemouth railway station is located some way from the town centre, due to the town's early leaders not wishing to have a railway station within the town boundary, which extended 1 miles (1.6 km) from the pier. However, the station is now well within the town, as the town has grown significantly since its founding. The station was originally called Bournemouth East with a second station, Bournemouth West
serving the west of the town in Queen's Road. South West Trains
operates a comprehensive service to London Waterloo
with a journey time of 1 hour 50 minutes. This line also serves Southampton
, Winchester and Basingstoke
to the east, and Poole, Wareham
, Dorchester and Weymouth to the west. CrossCountry
trains serve destinations to the north with direct trains to Reading
, Oxford
, Birmingham
, Wolverhampton
and Manchester
. The North West, Yorkshire
, Newcastle
, Edinburgh and Glasgow can be reached by changing at Reading or Birmingham
. West Coastway Line
services are available by changing at Southampton Central
. The Sussex coastal towns of Chichester
, Worthing
, Hove
and Brighton
are served and trains continue to Gatwick Airport and London Victoria.
Besides its main line railway connections, Bournemouth is also the site of three funicular railways
, the East Cliff Railway
, West Cliff Railway and Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway
. These are all owned and operated by Bournemouth Borough Council, and each serves to link the seaside promenade with the cliff top, at various points along the seafront.
, in Hurn
on the periphery of Bournemouth is a short journey from the town centre enabling passengers and freight to be flown directly to destinations in the UK and Europe. Taxis going to Bournemouth are available at the taxi stand on the airport and can transport one to the town centre in about 20–30 minutes. An hourly bus service also connects the airport with the town centre, travel interchange and also operates along the major hotel routes. Ryanair
, EasyJet
, Palmair
and Thomson Airways
provide scheduled services to destinations throughout Europe.
The Bournemouth Eye is a local landmark, a helium-filled balloon attached to a steel
cable
in Bournemouth. It is a spherical helium-filled balloon with an enclosed gondola that carries up to 30 passengers. Tethered by a high tensile steel cable, the passenger gondola rises to a height of 390 ft (118.9 m), the maximum height allowed by the Civil Aviation Authority
. This provides a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
The Bournemouth area has long been a place where many unusual species of animals and plants can be found. Brownsea Island
, in nearby Poole Harbour, is one of the few places in the south where the red squirrel
still remains, and the ant
Formica pratensis
had its last stronghold in the area, although it is now thought to be extinct on the mainland. Although described by Farren White as "the common wood ant of Bournemouth" in the mid-19th century, the noted entomologist Horace Donisthorpe
found only one colony of true pratensis out of hundreds of F. rufa
nests there in 1906. In recent times the last known two colonies disappeared in the 1980s, making this ant the only ant species thought to have become extinct in Great Britain
. It does, however, still survive on cliff-top locations in the Channel Islands
. The rare narrow-headed ant also used to exist in Bournemouth, although it has died out in the area.
, which also contains neighbouring towns Poole
, Christchurch
, Wimborne Minster
, Verwood
, Ringwood
and New Milton
. As a result, "Bournemouth" is used in the following terms:
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the ceremonial county of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England. According to the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. With Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Christchurch
Christchurch, Dorset
Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in...
, Bournemouth forms the South East Dorset conurbation
South East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
, which has a total population of approximately 400,000.
Founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell
Lewis Tregonwell
Lewis Dymoke Grosvenor Tregonwell ; captain in the Dorset Yeomanry and historic figure in the early development of what is now Bournemouth.-Early life:...
, Bournemouth's growth accelerated with the arrival of the railway, becoming a recognised town in 1870. Historically part of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
. Since 1997 the town has been administered by a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, meaning that it has autonomy from Dorset County Council
Dorset County Council
Dorset County Council is the county council of the Dorset in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are district councils, and town and parish councils...
. The local authority is Bournemouth Borough Council.
Bournemouth's location on the south coast of England has made it a popular destination for tourists. The town is a regional centre of business, home of the Bournemouth International Centre
Bournemouth International Centre
The Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, Dorset, is one of the primary venues for conferences, exhibitions, entertainment and events in southern England...
and financial companies that include Liverpool Victoria and PruHealth
PruHealth
PruHealth is a United Kingdom-based company specialising in Private Medical Insurance sold to the UK market. It launched its first products on 4 October 2004....
.
In a 2007 survey by First Direct
First Direct
First Direct is a telephone and internet-based retail bank in the United Kingdom, a division of HSBC Bank plc. First Direct has headquarters in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, and has 1.16 million customers....
, Bournemouth was found to be the happiest place in Britain, with 82% of people questioned saying they were happy with their lives.
Geography
Bournemouth is located 105 miles (169 km) southwest of London at . The urban geography of Bournemouth is complex: the town adjoins Poole in the west and Christchurch in the east to form the South East Dorset conurbationSouth East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
. The combined population is 383,713, and it is a retail and commercial centre. To the north west of Bournemouth is the small town of Wimborne and to the north east is the settlement of Ferndown
Ferndown
Ferndown is a town and civil parish in the East Dorset district of Dorset in southern England, situated immediately to the north of unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth. The parish, which until 1972 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and...
. Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
lies to the north east, towards Hurn
Hurn
Hurn is a village in southeast Dorset, England, between the River Stour and River Avon in the borough of Christchurch, five miles north east of the Bournemouth town centre. As of 2001, the village has a population of 468. The village is the location of Bournemouth Airport , an important airfield...
. The town is intersected by the A338
A338 road
The A338 is a major trunk road in southern England, that runs from the junction with the A35 at Bournemouth in Dorset to the junction with the A420 at Besselsleigh in Oxfordshire, roughly long.-Route:...
dual carriageway, known as the "Wessex Way".
Although Bournemouth is on the coast, the centre of the town lies inland - the commercial and civil heart of the town being the Square
The Square, Bournemouth
The Square is a public square that marks the centre of Bournemouth, England. It has been almost totally pedestrianised since 2000. Prior to this it was a large roundabout.-History:...
. From the Square the Upper and Lower Pleasure Gardens
Pleasure gardens
A pleasure garden is usually a garden that is open to the public for recreation. They differ from other public gardens in that they serve as venues for entertainment, variously featuring concert halls or bandstands, rides, zoos, and menageries.-History:...
descend to the seafront and the pier. Areas within Bournemouth include Bear Cross
Bear Cross
Bear Cross is a suburb on the edge of Bournemouth, Dorset named after the crossroads made by the main road between Poole and Ringwood and the Wimborne Road/Magna Road...
, Boscombe
Boscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
, Kinson
Kinson
Kinson is a former village which has been absorbed by the town of Bournemouth in the county of Dorset in England. The area became part of Bournemouth on 1 April 1931....
, Pokesdown
Pokesdown
Pokesdown is a small area of Bournemouth, a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Dorset. It lies just east of the suburb of Boscombe and west of Southbourne.-History:Evidence of human occupation in the area dates back to the Bronze Age...
, Westbourne
Westbourne, Dorset
Westbourne is an affluent residential and shopping area of Bournemouth, Dorset. It is located in between Branksome, Poole and the centre of Bournemouth, just off the main A338. Poole Road, mainly full of specialised shops and small cafes, runs though the centre Westbourne with Seamoor Road curving...
and Winton.
Winton, Dorset
Winton is a suburb of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It lies approximately north of Bournemouth town centre, along Wimborne Road .-History:...
Traditionally a large retirement town, Bournemouth (mostly the Northbourne, Southbourne and Tuckton areas of Bournemouth together with the Wallisdown, and Talbot Village
Talbot Village
Talbot Village is located on the boundary of Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset, England.The old Talbot Village was built between 1850 and 1862 because of the generosity of two sisters, Georgina and Mary Talbot...
areas of Poole) has seen massive growth in recent years, especially through the growth of students attending Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a university in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK...
and the large number of language schools teaching English as a foreign language.
Bournemouth is located directly to the east of the Jurassic Coast
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
, a 95 miles (152.9 km) section of beautiful and largely unspoilt coastline recently designated a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Apart from the beauty of much of the coastline, the Jurassic Coast provides a complete geological record of the Jurassic period and a rich fossil record. Bournemouth sea front overlooks Poole Bay
Poole Bay
Poole Bay is a bay in the English Channel, off the coast of Dorset in southern England, which runs from the mouth of Poole Harbour in the west to Hengistbury Head in the east. It consists of steep sandstone cliffs and several 'chines' that allow easy access to the sandy beaches below...
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Bournemouth also has 7 miles (11.3 km) of sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es that run from Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head is a headland jutting into the English Channel between Bournemouth and Milford on Sea in the English county of Dorset.At the end is a spit which creates the narrow entrance to Christchurch Harbour.-Location:...
in the east to Sandbanks
Sandbanks
Sandbanks is a small peninsula or spit crossing the mouth of Poole Harbour on the English Channel coast at Poole in Dorset, England. It is well-known for the highly regarded Sandbanks Beach and property value; Sandbanks has, by area, the fourth highest land value in the world...
, in Poole, in the west.
Because of the coastal processes that operate in Poole Bay, the area is often used for surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
. An artificial reef (Europe's first) was expected to be installed at Boscombe
Boscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
, in Bournemouth, by October 2008, using large sand-filled geotextile
Geotextile
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain...
bags. However, this deadline was not met, and the construction was actually finished at the end of October 2009. The Boscombe Reef
Boscombe Surf Reef
Boscombe Surf Reef is an artificial reef built to enhance surfing conditions in Boscombe, Dorset, UKThe Boscombe Surf Reef is the first surfing reef to be constructed in the Northern Hemisphere. The town of Boscombe opted to build a surfing reef to provide a unique focal point for the town's...
was constructed as part of the larger Boscombe Spa Village development. Bournemouth also has several chine
Chine
A chine is a steep-sided river valley where the river flows through coastal cliffs to the sea. Typically these are soft eroding cliffs such as sandstone or clays. The word chine originates from the Saxon "Cinan" meaning a gap or yawn....
s (e.g. Alum Chine) that lead down to the beaches and form a very attractive feature of the area. The beaches are subdivided by groyne
Groyne
A groyne is a rigid hydraulic structure built from an ocean shore or from a bank that interrupts water flow and limits the movement of sediment. In the ocean, groynes create beaches, or avoid having them washed away by longshore drift. In a river, groynes prevent erosion and ice-jamming, which...
s.
Climate
Due to its location on the south coast, Bournemouth has a temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
climate with moderate variation in annual and daily temperatures: from 1971 to 2000 the annual mean
Mean
In statistics, mean has two related meanings:* the arithmetic mean .* the expected value of a random variable, which is also called the population mean....
temperature was 10.2 to 12 °C (50.4 to 53.6 F). The warmest months are July and August, which have an average temperature range of 12 to 22 °C (53.6 to 71.6 F), while the coolest months are January and February, which have an average temperature range of 1 to 8 °C (33.8 to 46.4 F). Average rainfall in Bournemouth is around 800 mm (31 in) annually, well below the national average of 1,126 millimetres. Since 1960, temperature extremes as measured at Bournemouth Hurn Airport have ranged from 34.1 °C (93.4 °F) in August 1990, down to -13.4 C in January 1963. The lowest temperature to be recorded in recent years was -10.4 C during December 2010.
Governance
Historically Bournemouth was part of Hampshire, with Poole just to the west of the border. At the time of the 1974 local government re-organisationLocal Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, it was considered desirable that the whole of the Poole/Bournemouth urban area
South East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
should be part of the same county. Bournemouth therefore became part of the non-metropolitan county of Dorset on 1 April 1974. On 1 April 1997, Bournemouth became a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, independent from Dorset County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
. For the purposes of the Lieutenancy
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
it remains part of the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of Dorset.
For local elections the district is divided into 18 wards, and the Bournemouth Borough Council is elected every four years. The Council elects the Mayor and Deputy Mayor annually. For 2009-2010, the Mayor of Bournemouth is Mrs. Beryl Baxter.
History
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
region surrounding Bournemouth has been the site of human settlement for thousands of years. However, in 1800 the Bournemouth area was largely a remote and barren heathland. No one lived at the mouth of the Bourne River
River Bourne, Dorset
The River Bourne is a small river in Dorset, England. It flows into the English Channel at Bournemouth, taking its name simply from Middle English bourn or burn, a small stream, and giving it to the town at its mouth....
and the only regular visitors were a few fishermen, turf cutters and gangs of smugglers
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
until the 16th century. During the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
the area was used as a hunting estate, 'Stourfield Chase', but by the late 18th century only a few small parts of it were maintained, including several fields around the Bourne Stream and a cottage known as Decoy Pond House, which stood near where the Square
The Square, Bournemouth
The Square is a public square that marks the centre of Bournemouth, England. It has been almost totally pedestrianised since 2000. Prior to this it was a large roundabout.-History:...
is today.
With the exception of the estate, until 1802 most of the Bournemouth area was common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
. The Christchurch Inclosures Act 1802
Christchurch Inclosures Act 1802
The Christchurch Inclosures Act 1802 was a United Kingdom local and personal Act of Parliament for the dividing, allotting, and inclosing, certain commonable lands, and waste grounds within the parish or chapelry of Holdenhurst, in the county of Southampton.Bournemouth, in the late 18th century...
and the Inclosure Commissioners' Award of 1805 transferred hundreds of acres into private ownership for the first time. In 1809, the Tapps Arms public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
appeared on the heath. A few years later, in 1812, the first residents, retired army officer Lewis Tregonwell
Lewis Tregonwell
Lewis Dymoke Grosvenor Tregonwell ; captain in the Dorset Yeomanry and historic figure in the early development of what is now Bournemouth.-Early life:...
and his wife, moved into their new home built on land he had purchased from Sir George Ivison Tapps. Tregonwell began developing his land for holiday letting by building a series of sea villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s. In association with Tapps, he planted hundreds of pine trees, providing a sheltered walk to the beach (later to become known as the 'Invalids walk'). The town would ultimately grow up around its scattered pines. In 1832 when Tregonwell died, Bournemouth had grown into small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages.
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. In 1841, the town was visited by the physician and writer Augustus Granville
Augustus Granville
Augustus Bozzi Granville MD, FRS was a physician, writer, and Italian patriot.Born in Milan, he studied medicine before leaving to avoid being enlisted in Napoleon's army. After practicing medicine in Greece, Turkey, Spain, and Portugal, he joined the British Navy and sailed to the West Indies...
. Granville was the author of The Spas of England, which described health resorts around the country. As a result of his visit, Dr Granville included a chapter on Bournemouth in the second edition of his book. The publication of the book, as well as the growth of visitors to the seaside seeking the medicinal use of the seawater and the fresh air of the pines, helped the town to grow and establish itself as an early tourist destination.
River Bourne, Dorset
The River Bourne is a small river in Dorset, England. It flows into the English Channel at Bournemouth, taking its name simply from Middle English bourn or burn, a small stream, and giving it to the town at its mouth....
stream. The Pleasure Gardens were originally a series of garden walks created in the fields of the owners of the Branksome
Branksome, Dorset
Branksome is a suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. The area consists of mainly residential properties but also has a small commercial area. It borders Parkstone, another small Poole suburb, to the west and north, Branksome Park to the south and Westbourne to the east.Until the early part of the...
Estate in the 1860s. In the early 1870s all the fields were leased to the Bournemouth Commissioners by the freeholders. Parliament approved the Bournemouth Improvement Act in 1856. Under the Act, a board of 13 Commissioners was established to build and organise the expanding infrastructure of the town, such as paving, sewers, drainage, street lighting and street cleaning.
During the late 19th century the town continued to develop. The Winter Gardens were finished in 1875 and the cast iron Bournemouth Pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
was finished in 1880. The arrival of the railways allowed a massive growth of seaside and summer visits to the town, especially by visitors from the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and London. In 1880 the town had a population of 17,000 people but by 1900, when railway connections were at their most developed to Bournemouth, the town's population had risen to 60,000. It was also during this period that the town became a favourite location for visiting artists and writers. The town was improved greatly during this period through the efforts of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes
Merton Russell-Cotes
Sir Merton Russell-Cotes, FRGS was Mayor of Bournemouth, England, 1894–1895. During his Mayoralty, Meyrick Park, two free libraries, and the first two schools of art in the borough were opened....
, the town's mayor and a local philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
. He helped establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
The Russell-Cotes Museum is an art gallery and museum in Bournemouth, England. It is located on the top of the East Cliff, next to the Royal Bath Hotel.-History and collections:...
was housed in his mansion and after his death it was given to the town.
As Bournemouth's growth increased in the early 20th century, the town centre spawned theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
s, café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s, two art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
cinemas
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and more hotels. Other new buildings included the war memorial in 1921 and the Bournemouth Pavilion, the town's concert hall and grand theatre, finished in 1925. The town escaped great damage during the Second World War but saw a period of decline as a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
in the postwar era.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
stationed an inshore lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
at Bournemouth in 1965 but it was withdrawn in 1972. Coverage for the area has otherwise been provided from Poole Lifeboat Station
Poole Lifeboat Station
Poole Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations at Poole, Dorset in England. The first lifeboat was stationed at Poole Harbour in 1865 and the present station was opened in 1988...
In 1985, Bournemouth became the first town in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to introduce and use CCTV
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
cameras for public street-based surveillance.
Literature references
Bournemouth appears as Sandbourne in Thomas HardyThomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
's novels. Tess
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, also known as Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman, Tess of the d'Urbervilles or just Tess, is a novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British...
lived in Sandbourne with Alec d'Urberville, and the town also features in The Well-Beloved
The Well-Beloved
The Well-Beloved is a novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1897.The main setting of the novel was the Isle of Slingers, a caricature of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, southern England....
and Jude the Obscure
Jude the Obscure
Jude the Obscure, the last of Thomas Hardy's novels, began as a magazine serial and was first published in book form in 1895. The book was burned publicly by William Walsham How, Bishop of Wakefield, in that same year. Its hero, Jude Fawley, is a working-class young man who dreams of becoming a...
. It is also mentioned in So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish is the fourth book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" written by Douglas Adams. Its title is the message left by the dolphins when they departed Planet Earth just before it was demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, as described in The...
, the fourth book of the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. In James Herbert
James Herbert
James Herbert, OBE is a best-selling English horror writer who originally worked as the art director of an advertising agency. He is a full-time writer who also designs his own book covers and publicity.-Family:...
's horror novel The Fog, the entire population of Bournemouth runs into the sea and drowns in a mass suicide. In Andy McDermott
Andy McDermott
Andy McDermott is a British thriller author, and former journalist, magazine editor and film critic.-Characters:To date, McDermott's books have all featured the same two lead characters: Dr Nina Wilde, a young American archaeologist, the later founder of Atlantis, El Dorado and many more...
's thriller The Secret of Excalibur, a car chase through the town centre and beach front leads to the destruction of the IMAX Cinema. It is also mentioned in Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
's The Witches as the setting for the Hotel Magnificent.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, the writer, spent 30 years taking holidays in Bournemouth, staying in the same room at the Hotel Miramar, with a second room to write in. He eventually retired to the area in the 1960s with his wife Edith. Tolkien died in September 1973 at his home in Bournemouth and was buried in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
, the writer and novelist is buried in St. Peter's Church, her son Sir Percy having settled at Boscombe
Boscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
Manor. Also buried at St Peter's is the heart of Mary's husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
, brought back from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and her parents William Godwin
William Godwin
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism...
and Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary Wollstonecraft was an eighteenth-century British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. During her brief career, she wrote novels, treatises, a travel narrative, a history of the French Revolution, a conduct book, and a children's book...
, their remains having been moved there from St Pancras Old Church
St Pancras Old Church
St Pancras Old Church is a Church of England parish church in central London. It is believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England, and is dedicated to the Roman martyr Saint Pancras, although the building itself is largely Victorian...
.
The town was especially rich in literary associations during the late 19th century and earlier years of the 20th century. Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
and Paul Verlaine
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
both taught at Bournemouth preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
s. Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and most of his novel Kidnapped
Kidnapped (novel)
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis...
from his house "Skerryvore" on the west cliff. Count Vladimir Chertkov
Vladimir Chertkov
Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov was a Russian writer and secretary of Leo Tolstoy, and one of the most prominent Tolstoyans.-Family and childhood:...
established a Tolstoyan
Tolstoyan
The Tolstoyan movement is a social movement based on the philosophical and religious views of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy . Tolstoy's views were formed by rigorous study of the ministry of Jesus, particularly the Sermon on the Mount....
publishing house with other Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n exiles in Iford Waterworks at Southbourne, and under the 'Free Age Press' imprint, published the first edition of several works by Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
, however the author himself never visited the town.
In Peter Weir's highly acclaimed 1975 film adaptation of Joan Lindsay's enigmatic 1968 novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a 1967 drama and mystery novel by Australian author Joan Lindsay. She wrote it over a four-week period at her home Mulberry Hill in Baxter, on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. It was first published in 1967 in Australia by Cheshire Publishing and was released in...
, bygone holidays at Bournemouth are wistfully recalled by Mrs. Appleyard (played by Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roberts may refer to:*Rachel Roberts *Rachel Victoria Roberts, British actress sometimes credited as Rachel Roberts*Rachel Roberts *Rachel Roberts, author of the Avalon: Web of Magic series...
), headmistress of Mrs. Appleyard's College for Girls, in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Culture and recreation
River Bourne, Dorset
The River Bourne is a small river in Dorset, England. It flows into the English Channel at Bournemouth, taking its name simply from Middle English bourn or burn, a small stream, and giving it to the town at its mouth....
through the centre of the town to the sea (reaching the sea at Bournemouth Pier) and include the Pleasure Gardens and the area surrounding the Pavilion and the now closed IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
Cinema. It has a thriving youth culture, including a large university population and many language school students. With the advent of the Boscombe Overstrand, the seeds of a dynamic new business culture revolving around new media and surfing have begun to emerge. Bournemouth also has a well-established gay scene comprising a cluster of bars, restaurants, the Bondi (the South's only exclusively GLBT Hotel) and nightclubs all centred around the Triangle in the centre of the town. Bournemouth is known for its popularity with pensioners and it has many residential care homes.
In recent years, Bournemouth has become a popular nightlife destination with UK tourists. Many clubs, bars and restaurants are located within the town centre. Bliss, Chilli White, Lava & Ignite and Mary Shelley operate on St. Peter's Road. In addition, 'V', the converted St. Andrew's Church, since April 2009 has become very popular within the town's night time entertainment.
The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC)
Bournemouth International Centre
The Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, Dorset, is one of the primary venues for conferences, exhibitions, entertainment and events in southern England...
, is a popular venue for the conferences of the major political parties. The centre hosted the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
conference in 2003 and 2007, the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
conference in 2006, and the Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
conference in 2008 and 2009 The BIC also hosts theatrical productions and musical concerts.
The Russell-Cotes Museum is located just to the east of the Central Gardens near the Pavilion Theatre
Pavilion Theatre (Bournemouth)
The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom. located in the Westover Road in Bournemouth, is a venue for year round entertainment. Built in the 1920s, it retains its splendour and elegant styling and is Bournemouth's regular home for West End stage shows, Opera, Ballet, Pantomime and Comedy as well as for...
and next to the Royal Bath Hotel. The museum includes many 19th century paintings and the family collections acquired when travelling especially in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It was Russell Cotes who successfully campaigned to have a promenade built; it runs continuously along the Bournemouth and Poole shoreline.
The cover of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' second album "With The Beatles
With the Beatles
With The Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock group The Beatles. It was released on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, and was recorded four months after the band's debut Please Please Me...
" was photographed in Bournemouth. It was taken at the Palace Court Hotel by Robert Freeman
Robert Freeman (photographer)
Robert Freeman is a photographer and designer, most famous for his album cover photos for The Beatles and his design work on the end credit sequences of their first two films and the related film posters and advertising materials....
during the group's week-long summer season in August 1963 at the Gaumont Cinema on Westover Road.
The cover sleeve for "All Around the World
All Around the World (Oasis song)
"All Around the World" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by the band's lead guitarist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher. Released on 12 January 1998, the track peaked at number one in the UK Singles Chart; it is the longest single ever to do so...
" by Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
was shot at Bournemouth, it features four of the bandmates standing on the beach and looking up towards to the sky, while the words "All Around The World" are written in the sand.
Religion and beliefs
Bournemouth contains places of worships for many denominations. The town has several examples of Victorian church architectureVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. These include St Stephen's Church, which was built for services under the influence of the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
and was finished in 1898. St Stephen's Church was the place of the marriage between Ebba Munck af Fulkila and Prince Oscar of Sweden in 1888. Also included is the Richmond Hill St Andrew's Church, part of the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
. The church was built in 1865 and enlarged in 1891. Another ex-church, St. Andrew's on Exeter Road, has now become a popular entertainments venue known as 'V' in the town centre.
The town is also home to a large Jewish community with three synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s. Chabad-Lubavitch of Bournemouth is a branch of the worldwide movement. The Bournemouth Reform Synagogue
Bournemouth Reform Synagogue
Bournemouth Reform Synagogue , also known as BRS, is a Reform Jewish synagogue of over 500 members in the heart of Bournemouth.- History :...
, formerly known as Bournemouth New Synagogue, is a Reform Jewish synagogue with over 700 members. There is also the architecturally notable Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation
Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation
The Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation is a synagogue in Bournemouth, England.-History:The congregation formed in 1905. It built its present building in 1911...
.
The Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic community in the town is served by Bournemouth Islamic Centre in St Stephen's Road, also a mosque and the Winton Mosque.
Humanists and atheists in Bournemouth are supported by the Dorset Humanists, affiliated to the British Humanist Association
British Humanist Association
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...
, who meet at the Moordown Community Centre.
Sport
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, and Bournemouth F.C.
Bournemouth F.C.
Bournemouth Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Wessex League Premier Division. Their nickname is "The Poppies", and they are often known as Bournemouth Poppies to avoid confusion with the Football League club A.F.C. Bournemouth...
who play in the Wessex League Premier Division
Wessex League
The Wessex League is an English association football league formed in 1986, with its premier division currently at the fifth step of the National League System, or the ninth tier of the overall English football league system...
. AFC Bournemouth play at the Dean Court near Boscombe
Boscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
in Kings' Park, 2 miles (3 km) east of the town centre. The Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club
Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club
Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club was founded in 1865 and is the oldest club in Bournemouth. It competes in coastal rowing regattas organised by the Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Associationon on the South Coast of England...
is the town's coastal rowing
Coastal and ocean rowing
Coastal and offshore rowing is a type of rowing performed at sea. Due to the harsher conditions encountered, the boats are wider and more robust than those used on rivers and lakes.-International competition:...
club situated on the West Beach next to the Oceanarium. The oldest sporting club in Bournemouth, it competes in regattas organised by the Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Association that take place on the South Coast of England between May and September.
Bournemouth Rugby Club
Bournemouth Rugby Club
Bournemouth RFC is a rugby union club founded in 1893. The grounds are currently located at Chapel Gate.-Teams:Bournemouth currently run four mens teams....
, who compete in the South West Division One, has its home at the Bournemouth Sports Club located next to Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
. Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
regularly played first-class cricket at Bournemouth's Dean Park
Dean Park Cricket Ground
Dean Park is a cricket ground in Bournemouth, England, currently used by Bournemouth University Cricket Club, as well as by and Suttoners Cricket Club....
until 1992. This became the home ground of Dorset County Cricket Club
Dorset County Cricket Club
Dorset County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Dorset and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
, a minor county. Bournemouth Cricket Club, also situated next to the airport, is one of Dorset's largest cricket clubs. Their first team play in the Southern Premier League.
Recently, the Bournemouth International Centre has become a venue for a round of the Premier League Darts
Premier League Darts
The 888.com Premier League Darts is a darts tournament which launched on January 20, 2005 on Sky Sports, and is currently the world's largest indoor sports event. The league is now played weekly from February to May, having originally started as a fortnightly fixture...
Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
. It was rated as one of the favourites to become the new host for the PDC World Championships as the last site, Circus Tavern, could not hold the growing numbers of fans.
Bournemouth also has a thriving watersports community with its beaches having great conditions for windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
. On a windy day you can see many kitesurfers and windsurfers out enjoying the waves all the way along the beach from Hengistbury Head to Sandbanks, and there are quite a few local schools for the beginner to learn either sport. There is a local kiteboarding club, Bournemouth Boarding, which is recognised by the BKSA.
Shopping
The main shopping streets in the centre of town are just behind the seafront on either side of the River Bourne (also known as the Bourne Stream); footpaths lead down to the sea from the Square through the lower section of Bournemouth Central Gardens.The shopping streets are mostly pedestrianised and lined with a wide range of boutiques, stores, jewellers and accessory shops. There are modern shopping malls, Victorian arcades (including the Victorian Arcade between Westover Road and Old Christchurch Road), and a large selection of bars, clubs and cafés. About a mile to the west of the town centre, in the district of Westbourne
Westbourne, Dorset
Westbourne is an affluent residential and shopping area of Bournemouth, Dorset. It is located in between Branksome, Poole and the centre of Bournemouth, just off the main A338. Poole Road, mainly full of specialised shops and small cafes, runs though the centre Westbourne with Seamoor Road curving...
, there is a selection of designer clothing and interior design shops. About a mile to the east, in the district of Boscombe
Boscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
, there is another major shopping area including many antiques shops and a street market. North of the centre there is an out-of-town shopping complex called Castlepoint Shopping Centre
Castlepoint Shopping Centre
Castlepoint Shopping Centre is a retail park in Bournemouth, Dorset, United Kingdom occupying a site containing around 40 shops, including major retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Gap, Topshop, Asda, Sainsbury's, and B&Q...
with supermarkets, DIY stores and larger versions of high street shops. A new extension to Castlepoint, called Castlemore, is set just south west of the main complex, which features more large retail stores. Other supermarkets are located in the town centre (Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
and Co-op
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
), Boscombe (Sainsbury's) and between Westbourne and Upper Parkstone. A large Tesco Extra store is located at the end of Castle Lane East, two miles east of Castlepoint.
Festivals
The town was a major centre for the 1951 Festival of BritainFestival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
with classical concerts, opera, ballet and a visit from the Salzburg Marionettes
Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Salzburg Marionette Theatre was established in 1913 and is one of the oldest continuing marionette theatres in the world. It is based in the city of Salzburg, Austria. Original productions featured live actors and musicians. Today soundtracks are recorded...
; the two weeks in June also featured a national brass band competition, sea cadet displays and different sporting events.
Bournemouth is currently host to several annual festivals. The town has had an annual literary festival since 2005. A Gay Pride festival named Bourne Free
Bourne Free
Bourne Free is an annual celebration of all diversities that live in Bournemouth, England and the constant strive towards universal equality for all – through entertainment and awareness.Registered Charity No. 1115708.-Introduction:...
is held in the town each year during the summer.
Since 2008 Bournemouth has held its own air festival
Bournemouth Air Festival
The Bournemouth Air Festival is an annual air show held along the coast of Bournemouth, between Bournemouth pier and Boscombe pier, in Dorset, England...
over four days in August. This has featured displays from the Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
as well as appearances from the Yakovlevs, Blades, Team Guinot
Wing walking
Seen in airshows and barnstorming during the 1920s, wing walking is the act of moving on the wings of an airplane during flight.-The beginning of air walkers:...
Wing-Walkers, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...
including Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
, Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
and also the last flying Vulcan
Avro Vulcan XH558
Avro Vulcan XH558 The Spirit Of Great Britain is the only airworthy example of the 134 Avro Vulcan V-bombers that were operated by the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1984. Vulcan XH558 served with the RAF between 1960 and 1985 in the bomber, maritime reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling roles...
. The festival has also seen appearances from modern aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
. The air festival attracts nearly one million people over the four-day event.
Education
The Bournemouth local education authority was first set up in 1903 and remained in existence until local government was reorganised in 1974Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
when Bournemouth lost its County Borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
status and became part of the county of Dorset. Under the later reforms of 1997
Local Government Commission for England (1992)
The Local Government Commission for England was the body responsible for reviewing the structure of local government in England from 1992 to 2002. It was established under the Local Government Act 1992, replacing the Local Government Boundary Commission for England...
, Bournemouth became a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
and the Bournemouth local education authority was re-established. Bournemouth is one of the minority of local authorities in England still to maintain selective education, with two grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s (one for boys, one for girls) and eight secondary modern
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
/comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
schools. There are also a small number of independent schools in the town, and a further education college.
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a university in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK...
is one of the largest universities in the South of England. Known as Bournemouth Polytechnic between 1990 and 1992, it has its roots in the former Dorset Institute of Higher Education. It is one of the better-performing ex-polytechnics in England. The main campus is however in neighbouring Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
. The Arts University College at Bournemouth, also officially in Poole, specialises in arts, design, media and performance degree courses. Bournemouth is also a major centre for the teaching of English
English language learning and teaching
English as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
and has numerous English language schools. Many thousands of foreign students are attracted to the town every year, an important form of invisible trade. AECC Chiropractic College is also located in the Bournemouth area, which is the only chiropractic college in England. It is located in Boscombe, three miles from the town centre.
Economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
is primarily in the service sector, which employed 93% of the workforce in 2007. This is 10% higher than the average employment in the service sector for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
. The importance of the manufacturing sector has declined, and is predominantly based in neighbouring Poole, but still employs 3% of the workforce. Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is crucial to the economy of Bournemouth, generating £440 million a year and employing thousands of workers. Business tourism alone contributed £127 million in 2007, through delegates and business visitors attending venues such as the BIC
BIC
-Places:* Le bic, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada** Bic National Park, Quebec nationa located near the village of Le bic. See List of Quebec national parks* Bîc River, Moldova* Bic, a village administered by Şimleu Silvaniei town, Sălaj County, Romania...
and exhibitions in the town.
The following is a non-exhaustive list:
- PalmairPalmairPalmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
- Its head office is in the Space House in Bournemouth - JPMorgan Chase - Employs around 10,000 people
- Portman Building SocietyPortman Building SocietyThe Portman Building Society was a UK mutual building society, providing mortgages and savings accounts to UK consumers and offering loans to commercial enterprises. Its head office was located in Bournemouth and its administration centre in Wolverhampton...
- now part of Nationwide Building SocietyNationwide Building SocietyNationwide Building Society is a British building society, and is the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains significant administration centres in Bournemouth and Northampton... - UnisysUnisysUnisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:...
group, the office for UISL - ParvaluxParvaluxParvalux Electric Motors Ltd is a manufacturer of fractional horsepower geared electric motors. Based in Wallisdown, Bournemouth in southern England.The company name derives from the latin "parvulus" and "lux" meaning 'little light'.-History:...
- the UK's largest fractional horsepower motorFractional horsepower motorA fractional horsepower motor is an electric motor with a rated output power of 746 Watts or less. There is no defined minimum output, however, it is generally accepted that a motor with a frame size of less than 35mm square can be referred to as a 'micro-motor'.Fractional horsepower electric...
manufacturer has its headquarters in Wallisdown - Fitness FirstFitness FirstFitness First is the largest privately owned health club group in the world with over 540 Fitness First clubs worldwide reaching over 1.7 million members in 21 countries...
was started in Bournemouth and its headquarters are in the neighbouring town of PoolePoolePoole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council... - McCarthy & StoneMcCarthy & StoneMcCarthy & Stone plc is a British residential property developer based in Bournemouth on the south coast of England which constructs and sells private retirement homes.-History:...
- Liverpool Victoria formerly Frizzell Insurance
- RIAS Insurance company has its headquarters in Bournemouth
- Bournemouth Borough Council is one of the largest employers in the area.
- PruHealthPruHealthPruHealth is a United Kingdom-based company specialising in Private Medical Insurance sold to the UK market. It launched its first products on 4 October 2004....
has a large office in Bournemouth - Lloyds TSB InsuranceLloyds TSBLloyds TSB Bank Plc is a retail bank in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1995 by the merger of Lloyds Bank, established in Birmingham, England in 1765 and traditionally considered one of the Big Four clearing banks, with the TSB Group which traces its origins to 1810...
has its call centre in Bournemouth, formerly Abbey LifeAbbey LifeAbbey Life plc was a leading life assurance business based in London also with an office in Bournemouth. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:... - Imagine PublishingImagine PublishingImagine Publishing is a UK-based magazine publisher, which publishes a number of video games, computing, creative and lifestyle magazines. It was founded on 14 May 2005, and launched with a core set of six gaming and creative computing titles. In November 2005 it acquired the only retro games...
a modern consumer specialist magazine company is based on Richmond Hill
In April 2008, Bournemouth was announced to be the first 'Fibrecity
Fibrecity
Fibrecity Holdings was formerly owned by i3 Group and was acquired in January 2011 by CityFibre Holdings Ltd because of the scale and value of the fibre to the home network already built in Bournemouth, currently the largest in the UK....
' in the United Kingdom, with work starting in September to bring 100 Mbit Broadband internet access
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
into homes and businesses within the town; running fibre optic
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
cables through the sewers reduces the cost and disruption to road networks during cable laying. This is part of the National Government's plans for everyone in the UK to have access to 100 Mbit Broadband by 2010. A trial to the proposed 100 Mbit is scheduled to begin at the end of March 2009, where 30 homes will be connected for free. As the trial continues, all businesses and homes within BH10 and BH11 are entitled to sign up for free. As of February 2010, Fibrecity is connecting 4,000 homes and businesses a month in Bournemouth to the network and it is hoped that the town will be fully connected by the end of 2010.
Road
Bournemouth's road network is focused on a few main roads in and out of the town centre. The principal route into the town centre is the A338A338 road
The A338 is a major trunk road in southern England, that runs from the junction with the A35 at Bournemouth in Dorset to the junction with the A420 at Besselsleigh in Oxfordshire, roughly long.-Route:...
dual carriageway, which joins the A31
A31 road
The A31 is a major trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset.-Route of road:The road begins in the centre of Guildford, meeting the A3 road before running south west along the Hog's Back. It continues past Farnham, Alton and New Alresford before...
, itself the major trunk road in central Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
, connecting to the M27
M27 motorway
The M27 is a motorway in Hampshire, England. It is long and runs west-east from Cadnam to Portsmouth. It was opened in stages between 1975 and 1983. It is however unfinished as an extension to the east was planned...
at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. From here the M3
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
leads to London, and fast access may also be gained via the A34 to the M4
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
north of Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
. National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
coaches serve Bournemouth Travel Interchange & Bournemouth University. There are frequent departures to London Victoria Coach Station
Victoria Coach Station
Victoria Coach Station is the largest and most significant coach station in London. It serves long distance coach services and is also the departure point for many countryside coach tours originating from London. It should not be confused with the nearby Green Line Coach Station serving Green Line...
. There are also direct services to the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
coast (Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
), Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
, the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, and to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Flightlink serves Heathrow Airport with connections to Gatwick and Stansted
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
Airports.
Local buses are provided mainly by two companies, Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
, the former National Bus Company
National Bus Company
The National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
subsidiary and now owned by the Go-Ahead
Go-Ahead
Go-Ahead may refer to:*Go-Ahead Group, British transport operator*Go Ahead Eagles, Dutch football club*"Go Ahead", a single from Rilo Kiley's album Take-Offs and Landings...
group, and Yellow Buses, the former Bournemouth Council-owned company and successors to Bournemouth Corporation Transport, which began operating trams in 1902. In 1969 the town became one of the last in England to discontinue its trolleybus system
Trolleybuses in Bournemouth
The Bournemouth trolleybus system once served the town of Bournemouth, then in Hampshire, but now in Dorset, England. Opened on , it gradually replaced the Bournemouth tramway network....
and replace the trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es with diesel buses. Other operators serving the town include Shamrock Buses
Shamrock Buses
Shamrock Buses was a bus operator based in Poole on the south coast of England. It operated many contracted routes in Poole, Bournemouth and the surrounding area...
, Damory Coaches
Damory Coaches
Damory Coaches is a bus and coach operator based in Blandford Forum in Dorset, England. Officially registered as Hants & Dorset Motor Services Limited, Damory Coaches is a subsidiary of Wilts & Dorset, which is itself part of the much larger Go-Ahead Group...
(a subsidiary of Wilts & Dorset), Shaftesbury & District, Thompson's Travel and Verwood Buses.
Rail
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
and Pokesdown railway station
Pokesdown railway station
Pokesdown for Boscombe railway station is a railway station serving the Pokesdown, Boscombe and Southbourne areas of Bournemouth in Dorset, England...
to the east. Parts of western Bournemouth can also be reached from Branksome
Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station is a railway station serving the Branksome and Branksome Park areas of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth.-History:...
station. Bournemouth railway station is located some way from the town centre, due to the town's early leaders not wishing to have a railway station within the town boundary, which extended 1 miles (1.6 km) from the pier. However, the station is now well within the town, as the town has grown significantly since its founding. The station was originally called Bournemouth East with a second station, Bournemouth West
Bournemouth West railway station
Bournemouth West railway station was a railway station in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It closed on 4 October 1965. The station was the southern terminus of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, as well as being the terminus for trains from London Waterloo and other local trains.-Closure:The...
serving the west of the town in Queen's Road. South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
operates a comprehensive service to London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
with a journey time of 1 hour 50 minutes. This line also serves Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Winchester and Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
to the east, and Poole, Wareham
Wareham, Dorset
Wareham is an historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles southwest of Poole.-Situation and geography:...
, Dorchester and Weymouth to the west. CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
trains serve destinations to the north with direct trains to Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The North West, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Edinburgh and Glasgow can be reached by changing at Reading or Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. West Coastway Line
West Coastway Line
The West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton, plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
services are available by changing at Southampton Central
Southampton Central railway station
Southampton Central railway station is a main line railway station serving the city of Southampton in Hampshire, southern England. It is on the Wessex Main Line, the South Western Main Line and the West Coastway Line...
. The Sussex coastal towns of Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
and Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
are served and trains continue to Gatwick Airport and London Victoria.
Besides its main line railway connections, Bournemouth is also the site of three funicular railways
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, the East Cliff Railway
East Cliff Railway
The East Cliff Railway, or East Cliff Lift, is a funicular railway located in the English seaside resort of Bournemouth. The line serves to link the seaside promenade and beach with the cliff top and the town behind....
, West Cliff Railway and Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway
Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway
The Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway, or Southbourne Cliff Railway, is a funicular railway located in Southbourne, a seaside suburb of the English seaside resort of Bournemouth...
. These are all owned and operated by Bournemouth Borough Council, and each serves to link the seaside promenade with the cliff top, at various points along the seafront.
Air
Bournemouth AirportBournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
, in Hurn
Hurn
Hurn is a village in southeast Dorset, England, between the River Stour and River Avon in the borough of Christchurch, five miles north east of the Bournemouth town centre. As of 2001, the village has a population of 468. The village is the location of Bournemouth Airport , an important airfield...
on the periphery of Bournemouth is a short journey from the town centre enabling passengers and freight to be flown directly to destinations in the UK and Europe. Taxis going to Bournemouth are available at the taxi stand on the airport and can transport one to the town centre in about 20–30 minutes. An hourly bus service also connects the airport with the town centre, travel interchange and also operates along the major hotel routes. Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
, EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
, Palmair
Palmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
and Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
provide scheduled services to destinations throughout Europe.
Bournemouth Eye
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
in Bournemouth. It is a spherical helium-filled balloon with an enclosed gondola that carries up to 30 passengers. Tethered by a high tensile steel cable, the passenger gondola rises to a height of 390 ft (118.9 m), the maximum height allowed by the Civil Aviation Authority
Civil Aviation Authority
This is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
. This provides a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
Wildlife
Brownsea Island
Brownsea Island is the largest of the islands in Poole Harbour in the county of Dorset, England. The island is owned by the National Trust. Much of the island is open to the public and includes areas of woodland and heath with a wide variety of wildlife, together with cliff top views across Poole...
, in nearby Poole Harbour, is one of the few places in the south where the red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
still remains, and the ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
Formica pratensis
Formica pratensis
Formica pratensis is a species of European red wood ant in the family Formicidae. It is found in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Latviania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and...
had its last stronghold in the area, although it is now thought to be extinct on the mainland. Although described by Farren White as "the common wood ant of Bournemouth" in the mid-19th century, the noted entomologist Horace Donisthorpe
Horace Donisthorpe
Horace St. John Kelly Donisthorpe was an eccentric British myrmecologist and coleopterist, memorable in part for his enthusiastic championing of the renaming of the genus Lasius after him as Donisthorpea, and for his many claims of discovering new species of beetles and ants.He is often considered...
found only one colony of true pratensis out of hundreds of F. rufa
Formica rufa
Formica rufa, also known as the southern wood ant or horse ant, is a boreal member of the Formica rufa group of ants, commonly found throughout much of Europe in both coniferous and broad-leaf broken woodland and parkland. Workers can measure 8–10 mm in length...
nests there in 1906. In recent times the last known two colonies disappeared in the 1980s, making this ant the only ant species thought to have become extinct in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. It does, however, still survive on cliff-top locations in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. The rare narrow-headed ant also used to exist in Bournemouth, although it has died out in the area.
Naming conventions
The word 'Bournemouth' is often used loosely to describe the South East Dorset conurbationSouth East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
, which also contains neighbouring towns Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Christchurch
Christchurch, Dorset
Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in...
, Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
, Verwood
Verwood
Verwood is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north of Poole. The town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.-Early...
, Ringwood
Ringwood
Ringwood is a historic market town and civil parish in Hampshire, England, located on the River Avon, close to the New Forest and north of Bournemouth. It has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages....
and New Milton
New Milton
New Milton is a market town in south west Hampshire, England. The town has a high street and holds a market every Wednesday. Situated on the edge of the New Forest, the town is about 6 miles west of Lymington town centre and 12 miles east of Bournemouth town centre.-History:New Milton dates back...
. As a result, "Bournemouth" is used in the following terms:
- Although it has a significant presence in Bournemouth town centre, Bournemouth UniversityBournemouth UniversityBournemouth University is a university in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK...
's main campus is located in Poole, on the boundary with Bournemouth - Bournemouth AirportBournemouth AirportBournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
is located near HurnHurnHurn is a village in southeast Dorset, England, between the River Stour and River Avon in the borough of Christchurch, five miles north east of the Bournemouth town centre. As of 2001, the village has a population of 468. The village is the location of Bournemouth Airport , an important airfield...
in the borough of Christchurch, and was originally named RAF Hurn - "Bournemouth Bay" is sometimes used for Poole BayPoole BayPoole Bay is a bay in the English Channel, off the coast of Dorset in southern England, which runs from the mouth of Poole Harbour in the west to Hengistbury Head in the east. It consists of steep sandstone cliffs and several 'chines' that allow easy access to the sandy beaches below...
- The Bournemouth Symphony OrchestraBournemouth Symphony OrchestraThe Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. Originally based in Bournemouth, the BSO moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole in 1979....
is now based in Poole
See also
- List of Dorset beaches
- List of schools in Bournemouth
- UK coastlineUK coastlineThe coastline of the United Kingdom is long in comparison to the coastline of similar sized countries; it is accessible and very varied in geography and habitats....