Bournemouth

[JockinTas]

This is what I'm talking about!

http://metro.co.uk/2014/05/12/11-reasons-dorset-is-the-best-place-to-live-in-the-uk-4722560/

 

I am very fond of North Yorkshire, Cumbria and County Durham but down south - Dorset is beautiful also Somerset.

[foibles]

I can vouch for the excitement level on the rise in Perth. We have a 24 hour IGA supermarket here in Leederville (inner city)for the past two years.

 

Shopping can't be that exciting can it? Even at an IGA? (unless you have the roller disco 24 x 7 supermarkets like we have here in Melbourne. I prefer it on nights when the bumpers are up.......falling through the fridge is never fun).

[Marisawright]

After two weeks in Bournemouth I have to say I'm disappointed. Before I did my research, I'd have said Bournemouth was a sleepy retirees' town, with lots of grand old buildings falling into decay. When I was deciding where we'd base ourselves on our return to the UK, so many people recommended Bournemouth that I decided I was wrong.

 

I was right.

 

In many places, you'll struggle to meet anyone under seventy on the street. Most of the new development is retirement flats. We've visited all of the main shopping areas and all look run-down - many of the older buildings are in a poor state of repair, with veritable gardens growing out of the gutters. Yet in spite of this sleepy atmosphere, the traffic is horrendous - I dread to think what it will be like when the tourist season starts!

 

Poole isn't much better, with its town centre dominated by a shopping mall which is lovely inside but a concrete monstrosity on the outside - and it's separated from the seafront by a huge road system.

 

I'm sure people will pipe up to tell us about the lovely villages on the fringes or the great places along the coast - but the whole point of us choosing Bournemouth is that we're townies and like living where the action is, so we have no interest in living way out in a village. Especially after experiencing the traffic nightmare that is the run from Lymington to Christchurch.

 

We can see that there is action in Bournemouth - there are some good dance classes and both Poole and Bournemouth have small theatres with some good shows, plus Southampton has a major theatre too. The question is whether we can put up with the depressing vibe of the place the rest of the time! We have found one nice area, Parkstone, which has some real cafes serving decent coffee and a couple of nice pubs, but it is pricey.

[Sustain]

The sandbanks were suggested to me. Any local knowledge on this area of Poole?

[srh82]

 

@Marisawright have you considered Hove or Lewes in Sussex?

[Marisawright]

The sandbanks were suggested to me. Any local knowledge on this area of Poole?

 

Sandbanks is a very exclusive area of Poole. I read an article in the Guardian which said that Sandbanks is what proves that money does not automatically mean good taste - meaning it's fairly brash and nouveau riche. I did notice quite a few ladies around Poole who looked very Sylvania Waters (Sydneysiders will know what I mean), I imagine they could be Sandbanks residents. Sandbanks is a bit out-of-the-way for my taste.

 

If you have the money, I did like the Parkstone area, which had some decent pubs/cafes etc and a lively atmosphere. If you want quiet exclusivity, the area around Alum Chine is beautiful with some gorgeous houses. We'd be happy to stay in Bournemouth if we could afford one of those areas. Unfortunately the cost of rentals in Bournemouth is high everywhere, and in Parkstone/Alum Chine even worse. Landlords can make so much money by renting to holidaymakers in summer and students in winter, which drives up the price of rentals overall.