New Business Quarters created to strengthen and improve Bournemouth's Town Centre

Home to unique areas, each with their own character and appeal, the Bournemouth Town Centre BID has facilitated the start-up of new business ‘Quarter’ groups for Bournemouth’s town centre. Through regular meetings, the Quarter groups provide an opportunity for businesses to feedback ideas and priorities that support growth and improve the trading environment. This gives local businesses a chance to actively influence projects or events in their specific area.

Supporting individual trading quarters, the Town Centre BID aims to better highlight the town centre’s world-class visitor offering as a whole. To date, the groups include The Lansdowne Quarter, which is headed by the driving force behind the area’s popular Metropole Market, Lyn Turnbull from Mexigo Burrito Bar and Mark Cater from Bournemouth Pizza. There is also The Triangle Quarter. Headed by Helen Cookson from Organix, this group is still in early days but has already completed a new branding review for the area.

Furthermore, Westover Road has a new quarter group headed by Ally Tanswell from Westover Gallery. The BID has already facilitated a meeting for this group with Bournemouth Council to discuss parking and footfall issues. There is also a well-established group for Upper Old Christchurch Road. This group has successfully submitted its first funding application for an exciting event in the area this Autumn. It’s being headed by Rod Cake from Sharkeys Sports Bar. Lastly, a brand-new group in the process of forming for Post Office Road, headed by Vasek Gryga from Patisserie Valerie.

Paul Kinvig, Chief Operating Officer at Bournemouth Town Centre BID, said, “The new business quarters are an important step towards ensuring the future vitality of the Bournemouth town centre business community. By bringing business owners and managers from each individual area together, we are pleased to be giving them a voice in directing new projects which will support their collective growth.”

Lyn Turnbull, from Lansdowne Business Quarter, said, “This is an excellent new initiative that will help to highlight the unique collection of businesses in each area of the town centre. It’s also an excellent platform for us to communicate with other businesses and let the BID know exactly what we need.”