The most "Family friendly" UK beach

As well as the best beaches in the UK (some say possibly in Europe) Bournemouth has won many "Blue Flag" awards for its overall cleanliness. There are terrific views over the Purbeck Hills. During the summer months there is a fantastic free display of fireworks.

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HOW much more can go wrong? (Article from Bournemouth Echo) 8:16am Saturday 13th December 2008

That’s the question being asked as the Boscombe surf reef project is hit by yet another massive blow.

With the surf reef itself already overdue and over-budget, councillors have now been told that the cost of regenerating Boscombe’s Overstrand building will be significantly higher than thought.

The exact cost will not be revealed until January but is thought to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The derelict Overstrand building is set to be converted into luxury beach huts or “surf pods”, an “Urban Reef” restaurant and cafe, “Sorted” surf shop and surf school.

But the building is in a far worse state of disrepair than originally thought and will be costly to refurbish.

In an update to councillors, executive director Tony Williams said: “Recent work on the building has uncovered some unexpected structural deficiencies. The state of the structure behind the façade is much worse than anticipated.

“Remedial and additional restorative work is required, including repairs to tiles, the copper roof and expansion joints. This carries with it an additional cost.

“Although the extent of the additional work cannot be fully determined at this stage, the construction estimates and income projections confirm that the costs should be fully funded from the sale of some of the new surf pods.”

And there is further bad news to do with the surf reef. The delays to the project mean the council needs to spend more money on replacing the sand they expect to lose over the winter.

Mr Williams said there was “every indication” that capital receipts would cover these costs so they would not fall on council taxpayers.

But Labour leader Cllr Ben Grower said this was simply not true. “It’s still council taxpayers’ money, no matter where they get it from,” he said. And Conservative councillor Basil Ratcliffe said: “I’m horrified at the way these things have not been properly looked into in the first place. “It’s sad because the whole idea was good but now it has been spoiled by all these problems.” But Mr Williams said he was still confident the beleaguered project would have a “successful outcome”. He said economic benefits were already being felt from the regeneration project and three local businesses had won lucrative contracts to operate retail and catering outlets

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Bars & Clubs

Toko is well known amongst Bournemouth's residents and tourists. Located in a night life hotspot next to several other big night clubs (such as Bliss and Elements), it attracts many visitors each night of the week.

The interior of Toko is superbly decorated with marble and huge fish tanks, which give the venue an exclusive look. There are two floors, each with their own bar and playing different styles of music. The top floor is mainly used as a bar area with comfy seating, whereas the downstairs floor is a dance area.

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Camping & Caravan Holidays

Camping sites, Caravan and Holiday Parks are on the periphery of Bournemouth. But access to Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the New Forest are only minutes away. Walking, cycling and horse riding in Dorset (considered by many to be one the most beautiful areas of Britain) is very popular. Many bridle paths lead into remote and wild areas where wildlife such as pony's badgers, foxes, stoats, deer, and occasionally wild boar. Grove Farm Meadow is a five star park offering luxury Rose award holiday caravans, touring pitches and holiday home sales. The park is beautifully landscaped and planted with an abundance of flowers, providing a peaceful and relaxing environment to compliment its stunning riverside location. In keeping with this ideal we choose not to offer clubs or bars and operate a no pets policy. more...

Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site It is the only natural World Heritage site in Britain and ranks alongside the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon. This England's first natural World Heritage Site - it is known as The Jurassic Coast. It covers 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth's history. World Heritage Sites are places of ‘outstanding universal value' selected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

Old Harry Rocks Dorset is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, with a fantastic variety of sandy beaches, towering cliffs and unspoilt countryside. Old Harry Rocks are chalk stacks located directly east of Studland and to the north of Swanage in Dorset. Nearby and to the north are the larger towns of Poole and Bournemouth. The rocks are part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site of which they form the eastern end. It is also believed that the rocks were once connected to The Needles on the Isle of Wight. Boat trip excursions are available from Bournemouth pier in the summertime.

Parking: Not normally a big problem in Bournemouth, with lots of free and ample parking areas which are convenient to walk from. Bournemouth's terrific beaches, shops, pubs, clubs and cinemas all have handily placed "Pay and Display" multi-storey car parks. National Car Parks (Car Parks, Bournemouth)  Bournemouth Car Parks And Airport Parking if you are planning to fly on to another destination from Bournemouth Tel: 01202 556965 - Glen Fern Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 2LZ (1.57 miles)

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