Plans to breathe new life into Bournemouth town centre with a £358,000 investment have been met with a mixture of excitement and scepticism from residents and business owners.
The initiative, endorsed at a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council cabinet meeting, aims to enhance the town’s appeal through public art installations, improved street lighting, and upgraded digital infrastructure. The council hopes these measures will attract tourists and encourage greater engagement from the local community.
Carol, a resident who works at Square Newsagents in the town centre, welcomed the facelift for Bournemouth. She said: “This used to be a vibrant town, but all the shops are now closed down. It looks dirty and horrible. People don’t come to town anymore.”
The funding originates from a one-time government revenue grant received in February and will not incur additional costs to the council. Local Business Improvement Districts will supplement the investment with over £98,000 in matched contributions.
Councillor Andy Martin indicated the plan would help improve perceptions about the town. “There’s so much negativity around Bournemouth. If people were there [on the weekend, for the Art By the Sea Festival], they would have thought they were in a completely different place. It wasn’t a negative place, it was a safe, welcoming, vibrant, colourful place and that’s what town centres need.’’
This project is part of the broader Bournemouth Town Investment Plan, which includes a £23 million investment from the government as part of a ‘Town Deal’. The plan encompasses various initiatives, including the Boscombe Masterplan, which proposes revitalising the high street, providing green spaces, a new community centre, and new housing.
Stephanie Thompson, a regular visitor to Bournemouth, supported the council’s focus on new artwork. She said: “It’s a pretty colourful place. It’ll be nice to see more artwork everywhere.”
The plan, however, also faced sceptisism from residents. Some felt the money could be better spent on addressing broader needs such as improving infrastructure, providing job opportunities, and fostering local businesses.
Viv Jubb, the general manager of South Coast Coffee, said: “I think the top priority we should be looking at is the mental health crisis, the drug crisis, and the homelessness issues going on around here.
“You can put up artwork to make it more appealing, but if you’re not dealing with the social issues here, I don’t think it makes a big difference.”
John, another resident, added: “I think there are some key problems. The roads are falling apart. There’s homelessness problems and just disorder in the town centre. Shops are going empty because the rates are too high–and there isn’t enough being done about that.”
