What BOURNEMOUTH looks like in 2024 👀 

Just for info pigeons don’t poop when flying, enjoy the videos thanks

Such a shame to see the deterioration. The government seem to have money for wars, but not the homeless and the upkeep of towns and roads.

The UK looks so dystopian these days. I've been in Spain for 15 years and the city councils invest a lot of money to keep the areas aesthetically pleasing and well-managed. It makes such a difference to the pride people take in their environment.

I grew up in Poole in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s. Bournemouth was an elegant, Victorian styled haven when Poole was dirty, uncultured in the main, and smelly from the gasworks. I attended Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Winter Gardens, walked across the road to that splendid little corner from the curved bus station opposite. saw traffic travel up and down Poole Hill, Richmond Hill and other roads off of Bournemouth Square. The park half way up Richmond Hill was a particularly attractive and peaceful haven.There was a church to one side of the park where I sang in a concert with a student group called Gli Amici della Musica during college holidays. Everything about the place was pristine, posh and proud. The lower pleasure gardens were vibrant with bands playing in the bandstand, and attended Christmas pantomimes in the Pavilion Theatre. I skated in Westover Road ice rink. I can also remember Westbourne and Bournemouth West rail station, all of which were also elegant and charming. Now look at the area. it's a mere shadow of its former elegance, ugly to the core.

Criminal. In the 70s it was the place to go ! Who is shutting down the UK & Why ?

Hi - well done for giving an unbiased tour of Bournemouth how it is today. I have lived in this town since 1984 and I’m sad to say I have watched this once grand pristine seaside town and its ‘blue rinse’ reputation sadly decline into rot and ruin (as witnessed by yourself) I would have loved to have seen a video of the times then compared to the sorry state it is in today. 😢Did you know that Bournemouth has the highest homeless population outside of London? BCP council are basically bankrupt and their priorities of town improvement are sadly lacking. Thanks again for your time videoing

Last time I was in Bournemouth it was 1979 and it was about the poshest place I had ever seen. All the shops were open and busy. I spent the night in the winter gardens watching a band play then went to a restaurant (a real one not a fast food botchalism outlet) one thing I do remember is how many flowers there were everywhere. Shops. Hotels. Roundabouts. People homes. The whole place had gone flower planting crazy. It looked fantastic. we had a nice time in a nice place. Nothing bad to report about the place. Sounds like it's changed a bit...

Heart breaking to see how bad things are in bournemouth now ,i used to go there on the train as a kid to westover road ice rink.Then when i was older i moved to boscombe and would walk from pier to pier ,then explore all the department stores .It was full of life ,loved it ,seeing vlogs like this fill me with sadness .It is good the you show it warts and all though.

Loved Bournemouth in the 70s,80s and 90s, seeing the benefits of diversity I wouldn’t wish to visit again.

I live in Bournemouth and have to say that a grey winters day isn’t really a true reflection of the town. I don’t remember having been anywhere in the UK recently and not being glad to come home to Bournemouth. It might not have the high street it used to have etc, but nowhere does.

Childhood memories walking thru the winter gardens thru to the beach. Magical past the bandstand, the little river running over the pebbles, the band playing, feeding the squirrels. Always wanted to retire to Bournemouth, glad i didn,t. Wonderful walks along the Chines, but don,t know what us like now.

Wow! When I was Younger in the 80’s & 90’s Bournemouth was always known as a Retirement Town/Place. How Sad 😢 unfortunately all the UK is now Like it, but especially Seaside Towns

All the UK looks the same its all by design!

i grew up in Bournemouth during the 70's and 80's It was a fantastic place and as kids and teens we used to spend weekends meeting up with friends hanging out in the gardens and going to cafes and having Beech parties during the Summer. It was full of Families on holiday and of course lots of old retirees . Bournemouth had a sort of exclusive and wealthy reputation full of top end Jewellery shops, Boutiques and Art Galleries. The town has declined rapidly in the last 15 years or so I guess the 2008 financial crash, the decline in the wealthier retiree population and the influx of international population have gone a long way to bringing about its decline. A friend of mine lives just off Old Christchurch Road and he is desperate to move out. He said he wont go out after dark. He only lived there for 2 years and said its changed a lot even since he moved there. He said there are issues with homelessness drugs and general degeneracy in the town and a growing number of illegal immigrants being put up in some of the Hotels like the Roundhouse and others dosnt help. Just a few weeks ago the riot police were called out to stop a gang fight in the street out side the Roundhouse Hotel !

I have lived in Bournemouth for over 30 years. Bournemouth was such a lovely place year's ago with a beautiful beach. I would say castlepoint is better for shops & Poole is better than Bournemouth now. The only thing Bournemouth has to offer is the beach 👍

I remember a time when you could walk down Old Xchurch Rd at 2am . The place was alive with people coming out of the clubs Adriano’s , Whiskeys , Hell . Everyone high on happiness , not drugs ! A beautiful , vibrant safe town and lovely people .

Was a frequent traveller to Bournemouth. Late '80s til early 2000's. Was considered my second home. Parents and many relatives from there. I knew my way around South West quite well. Am stunned to see what it looks like in 2024. Barely recognise it. Such a shame. Thanks for showing us and your RU-vid channel! Greetings from Canada🇨🇦

My family migrated to Western Australia in 1964 when I was 12. Best thing we ever did. In 1n 1954, when I was 3 years old we went for a holiday to Bournemouth. We stayed in a caravan park. Like many in those days we were very poor. My parents, my 4 year old brother, and I lived in one room without a bathroom in Earls Court. I remember that holiday like it was yesterday. At nights everyone would gather around a big bonfire and sing songs and dance. That's how it used to be, folks. Who remembers the hop picking holidays and Butlins Holiday Camps? When I was 10 we couldn't afford Butlins so we went to Waltons at Norfolk Broads. The staff wore green blazers instead of the red used by Butlins. We had a fantastic time. You don't have to be rich to be happy if you are surrounded by family and good people. I am 73 now, wealthy enough, with 4 uni degrees and I have lived and worked in about 54 countries. I spent 18 years in the Australian Army, including as a Major Force Liaison Officer for the US led MFO in 1982-83. I was in the Gaza, Israel, and West Bank. The Israelis were killing the Palestinians and stealing their land way back then. As an independent peacekeeper I saw it all first hand. Memories.

I havent been for a few years but it's my favourite place. Ive seen seaside towns far more run down than that.

Bournemouth has gone downhill in the last 10 years or so. I would definitely not feel safe being out at night in the town centre. Very very sad.

Lived in Bournemouth 1951 to 1972 and oh has it gone down hill. My daughter still lives there and confirms what many say in these comments that Old Christchurch Rd and Horseshoe common are no go areas as is Boscombe High St (Christchurch Rd.) If you are looking for who to blame - council, council, council.

I enjoyed this and thought that, in general, Bournemouth looked pretty good. I moved here (to Boscombe) about nine months ago and do not regret it at all; in fact, I wish I had done so years ago. It's a good place to live, partly because of the easily accessible environmental benefits, but also because of the generally relaxed atmosphere and the amenities such as a plethora of public spaces and gardens. My suspicion is that many people who have lived in the town (city) a long time or those who return after a long absence, have very nostalgic recollections of a temps perdu and are minded to be very critical and pernickety. For those relocating here recently, it seems a very civilised place to live , possibly one of the nicest in the UK, with many positive features which greatly outweigh any deterioration in standards, which of course, is hardly confined to Bournemouth!

Loved the nightlife in 80’s and 90’s - Royal Exeter Hotel, Madisons, The Academy in Boscombe. Happy times!

I'd heard a lot of horror stories about how downhill Bournemouth has become compared to even ten years ago (when I was a student there), and even though the town centre clearly has taken a hit, I don't think it's as bad as it's been made out to be. It's not irredeemably salvageable (in fact from the video I can see there are some new shops popping up). I could easily see it returning to what it was quite quickly if more cash gets injected into the council.

Bournemouth used to be a place where people retired to such a shame its gone down hill

Thanks for all your hard work, yes bournemouth has changed over the years, it all looks so sad. As a young lad bournemouth was the holiday resort for lots of people with the summer shows and boat trips to swanage. I'ts a pity we cannot put the clock back !!!

I moved to Bournemouth from the U.S and it's always sad to hear that it's gone downhill over the years. I don't think it's terrible, to be fair, but there are a lot of homeless and a lot of stores/shops completely shut down and out of business. I hope things improve in the future and more life returns to the area.

Literally I used to love going to Bournemouth every summer for the beach (if u can actually find a spot becoz its so overcrowded) and the town centre and I've definitely noticed the decline even in the last 5 to 10 years. Everywhere smells like urine and the homeless issue has gotten way out of hand like many places in the UK 😔 Nothing seems like it used to be. My last visit was so depressing and I thought..... just get me out here! I'm glad to go to home!! When i think of Bournemouth i just think of ...... hot urine underpass and thats it.

Writing from India. I did my Masters at Bournemouth Uni in 2006. It used to be so posh and beautiful then. I used to work weekends at House of Fraser selling suits. Those were the best 2 years of my life. Happy memories.

Bournmouth used to be a nice safe holiday destination ,i wonder what changed that !!

Bournemouth has a lovely beach and is great for a day or two in summer, but besides that has little more to recommend it. The walk from the train station to the centre is really rundown and depressing, and the town centre itself asides from the central park gardens, is nothing to write home about. It improves as you go west towards Sandbanks, but still somehow lacks the depth and variety of some other south coast towns such as Brighton or Exeter/Exmouth. Even Christchurch, just down the road, is much nicer.

Ex Bournemouth lad assisted in building the roundhouse hotel way back in 69 for Bison, glad I got out.

Love Bournemouth and boscombe, in summertime they come alive and it's all vibrant and beautiful, great video...🌴🍷🍸

Holidays there in 1950 made me feel jealous, is was so nice.

I lived in Boscombe for five years, until 2022. It was awful. Constant burglaries, fights on the street, my bike vandalised, shops empty. Completely dead in winter. Nothing to do.

I went to Bournemouth once. It was closed

Nice to see my home town how it is as don't get to get down and see it. Thanks for the vids gives me good memories!

A bleak day in January doesn't do Bournemouth justice, but it has definitely changed.

It all looks beautiful to me and some of the architecture is truly wonderful.

This was a wonderful place to stay in the 60s, but UK cities are now a disgrace. Thanks for the good video which confirms my fears.

it’s a dump now too many knife attacks , there was a case recently about two people who killed someone , they swapped shoes to try and trick the police it was bournemouth gardens 😢 they didn’t get murder should of been life sentence , i miss the 80s before social media and crime

Thank you for putting up this video my wife and I really enjoyed it we stayed in the round house many years ago watching your video brought back some lovely memories. But such a shame to see it so run down from what we remember.

Been living in Bournemouth as an International student from Namibia since 2023 and I've been enjoying it. People say it used to be nicer though. Love the beach 🏝️

I liked it when it had trolleybuses, the near unique turntable is a listed structure at Christchurch.

I was in Bournemouth in 1979 as a student I had greatest time in my life. I use to go Alcatraz and Adrianos at the weekends great memories ❤

Grandma lived in West Moors and when we visited as kids it was bournemouth and sandbanks where we spent our days. Great nostalgic memories.

Yes please make more of these videos thank you very much in advance ❤

I was there in 2010 for English education for abour 7 months in SNT International Collage. It was one of the best time in my life time. The school was just there opposite of the bliss bar. It is quite emotional for me watching this video... Thanks for sharing....

We went in Key West when we were there in August. The food was lovely x

The old shop front on the right (No. 7) at 13:34 is one of the original arcade shops. It should say 'Cigars' in the brass at the base of the window. Used to catch the trolley buses in that street - electric-driven, using an overhead wire system to power them. Little blue sparks in the winter gloom. Born in the now demolished Boscombe Hospital, lived in a couple of places, such as Alum Chine, left 30 years ago - now looks like a right dump!

0:06 That college building with the tower is not human. I love it!

would be nice to see boscome pier and the gardens keep up the great filming x

Bliss was a swanky bar back in 2005ish. Toko was next door. I lived above them in a student flat for a year. Behind them is St Peters church, the burial place of Mary Shelly. I woke up one day to find Billy Connolly interviewing a tramp about it for his World Tour tv show. That street used to be buzzing, so it's really sad to see it in that state. I think Pop World is where Walkabout used to be. I worked there for a bit. I used to get asked why an English fella was working in Walkabout (for backpackers) so much that I would put on an Aussie or Safa accent when on shift. That lead to ladies asking why I had an Australian accent an hour ago, but speaking with an English one in bed! Cameos used to be called Elements, it was notorious because of a stabbing that occurred there and an Eastenders episode was filmed there. What has happened to the place? It really was the Costa del Bournemouth years ago. If you went to Uni there, you had a good time... I lived on top of a multi-storey car park in a uni halls that was falling apart called Glenfell House and still had a mental time. I think Slinky might have had something to do with that though!

that's amazing!!! I lived in Bournemouth for almost 12 years and I love the city. Unfortunately, I miss these live views

Love this style of video, looking forward to more!

I visited Bournemouth a number of time in the 2000's on long distance bicycle tours, and was last there in 2010. I wanted to see how it looked now.

I had many holidays in Bournemouth in the 50s and 60's. Lighting candles in the gardens at night was exciting for the children. Picnics on the grass next to the stream, paddling in the same stream, Lovely traditional shops in town. Trolley buses, fishing off the pier, walking up the chines swanky hotels up on the cliffs, renting rowing boats off the beach next to the pier...... so many pleasant memories and it makes me sad and depressed to see what it's like now. Sadly the same with most seaside towns now.

Thanks so much for nice walking.

Been living in Bournemouth all my life (34 years) and unless you live or work in Bournemouth town centre, most people genuinely have absolutely no reason to need go into town. Absolutely absurd parking prices is a major reason people use other places to shop (castlepoint for example). We had many many empty shops before covid and then the pandemic was really the nail in the coffin 😅

Real shame. In 1990 I spent a summer working at the Dormy Hotel, which is long gone, and had a blast in Bournemouth with fond memories. Sunbathing in the day and Boscombe Academy in the evening dancing to old school classics. I remember even bumping into Rick Buckler of the Jam and having a coffee with him!The gradual changes would be exactly that for those living there but for me to see thirty odd years later is a shock.

I lived around the area for ten years until 2010. Its still a beautiful place, if you look up above the ever changing shopfronts. The ethnic sector then was exclusively in Charminster. Good to see O' Neils pub managed to stay in business. I wonder if the same infamous slum landlord is operating?

Thanks for making this video. I live in Bournemouth too and have I really liked your shorts such as the escalator and the hidden lift at the pavilion. Any more discoveries like that I would like to see

Really enjoyed the walk round Bournemouth with ya ,, perhaps Boscombe and Christchurch next time ,the camera was ok sound and vision good 👍

I loved Bournemouth it was a lovely place, safe and buzzy. I live in Christchurch but have not been to Bournemouth for a few years now although it's only a short bus ride away. It has nothing to offer and doesn't. Feel safe anymore

I recently watched a similar video of a Bournemouth tour filmed during the summer where the trees were in bloom, sun shining, more colour etc and it looked like an almost complete different place to the one in this video! Gonna take a trip there this summer to judge for myself.

Glen fern road there used to be a roller disco underneath the car park back in the 80’s loved the place ,I used to come down to Bournemouth most weekends from Watford now i live down on the south coast ,Bournemouth brings back many happy memories when I used to go on holiday with my mum dad and sister playing poo sticks in the winter gardens before we went back to the hotel to go to bed

The big furniture shop was called Maples, once had a gigantic red and black circular bed in the window.

I love Bournemouth and it's years since I've been there so I was excited to see your video, it has certainly gone downhill, thanks for the video and I have subscribed to your channel I just wished you'd slowed down a bit.

I used to play at a boozer around here, no longer there now, and regularly walked down to the beach at midnight and beyond but a good few years ago now when Bournemouth was very safe and even stayed over for an anniversary with my parents one year.

Lived there in the early 1990s i remember legends coffee bar by the gardens and the nightclub on the pier think it was called the pier. Sad to see it look so run down at the top Christchurch rd end i lived in westbourne which has the amazing chipshop. The flowers the huge pine trees so many fond memories of the place. Branksome chine is beautiful had many lovely walks there.

I lived there for many years. It looks much the same to me. Violent crime has risen mostly everywhere in the Uk towns and cities.

Great place to start. Hurn House used to be around there. The best (and cheapest) of the student halls. Mighty! Bournemouth was great. Up the Cherries!

Burger king get loads of Deliveroo/Uber orders. I'm not sure why exactly, as it's some of the most god-awful shit a person could eat. I enjoyed your vid! Couldn't help cracking up at some of the OAPs whizzing past you on their scooters hahaha! (No offense intended to them of course, but it's just kind of amusing how they do that). Total ghost town on the day you recorded this, but today it was crowded 'cause the sun was out. In a few months I'm sure it'll be totally packed with people, as it usually is during the summer. 🌞 🌊 Check out the Oceanarium sometime if you haven't yet, mate. 🐢🐠🐧👍 (The audio is very good btw). Wishing you safe travels. 😉

Thanks for video ☺️.

Cameo was meant to have been closed down a few years ago. As you can see above the club, the whole block is empty. The only reason the club is still open it because it's doing very well and they keep renegotiating the lease for another year. I believe they want to knock it down and re-develop that area. I go to Bournemouth every year, my birthday and we do Be At One and Cameo.

I walked round Bournemouth town centre a few weeks back and was shocked to see the utter state of the town now. Litter, graffiti, broken windows, weeds everywhere, closed down department stores and empty shopping malls. Now all there is left are takeaways, taxi firms, nail bars and barbers.

Interesting to see HMV store in the Avenue. I think they are one of the few music suppliers that are creating an offering on vinyl at a good price. I am starting to build up a vinyl collection again, and buy quite a few from these guys as you can get some classic albums re-released from about £12.99.

I moved from Bournemouth 26 years ago, had lived there since I was 7, 68 now, I used to have a bedsit off Old Christchurch road, and was married at the registry office, which now looks like its called "Wiggles"? It looks very sad now, but I guess many towns are going/gone this way. thank you for this wander around my old haunts👍👍

My mum was born in Margate and as I child we would spend 2 weeks every year there. It was a great place in the 70's, lots of amusements and always packed on the beach. I know that it went a bit run down but glad to say things serm to be looking up again for it. Haven't been since 1983 so I cant comment on what its like now, but have fond memories of my childhood spent there.

Was born here in 1943, during an air-raid. Glad to see the bomb damage has been repaired.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and walked through the town centre on the way to the hotel and I have to say it’s gone seriously downhill in some places. Having 3 big stores close in a short space of time won’t have helped and lots of closed down shops. Really don’t know why councils can’t incentivise shops to fill the empty ones, would definitely improve the look of things. Such a shame because it’s always been one of my favourite places.

Great to see Wiggles is still there. We always seemed to end up there on a work night out. The best place to escape students.

I think some of the residential roads in Westbourne and Branksome are still very nice.

I Lived in Bournemouth for 10 years up to 1986. often wondered what the old place looked like now. I used to work in the Round House

I used to live in Bournemouth when I was a child and left at 16 moved to Kent it has changed a lot since I lived there I do miss home I will return one day nothing in Kent to do Bournemouth and Poole have loads to do I was never bored growing up in Bournemouth and poole

2:21 Sharkey’s!!! It’s been decade but unforgettable moment.

Crikey can't believe the place is buzzing with shoppers "ALL THREE OF THEM"

13:30 the booths make the arcade look tacky. If Waterstones move out it's game over.

It’s 31 years since I was in Bournemouth and even then there were people sleeping in shelters along the prom from Boscombe so I imagine it’s a lot worse A great video thanks

Try going Slough, it used to be a nice town, where neighbours Lent over fences and had conversations. Or if you had a barbecue invited your neighbours or even asked him to look out for your house if you went abroad. There is a park called Salt Hill Park where they're always murders or dump bodies? My friend was telling me they found two dead bodies last month

Miss it so much ❤

Bournemouth is beautiful . We holiday there from Manchester

Beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Keep the good work up👍

Doesn't matter if its no hands or not to the viewer ! Don't recognise the place, it is 20yrs since I was there...... What about going to Christchurch or Poole, surely it isn't as run down there ? Brownsea Island ?? Wimbourne.....Ringwood....There you are - that will last you until mid summer 😄Then you can go on to Torquay 😆

10 years ago Bournemouth even in the winter looked clean and bright even above eye level, what ever has become of of it I am not sure I would like to take my kids on holiday there, i don't think I would like to have a night out in Bournemouth!! the council wants to get a grip.

I left Bournemouth in 2008 to live in France. Bournemouth was dyng then because the transport to Bournemouth doesn't work. The locals can not afford to park in town so they shop out of town. Bournemouth is all hills so lugging shopping about is a nightmare. The students don't mind because everything is for them. Holliday makers go where the sun is and again it is always about where to park and how much. Bournemouth had something that locals could relate too like Londoners do and that was the colour of the yellow buses but they have gone too. Pedestrianising the town has killed it because pedestrians are actualy people. I am surprised Smiths is still there but they just happen to be where the buses stop. One could get off the bus buy a paper and then go somewhere else. We have some very old towns here in France but they still can have aretisan shops and cafes because there is still traffick acces and parking and buses that can get around. They even have trams and metros at an affordable amount. Those towns are always full of people. I will never go back.

I live in France returned to UK (Bournemouth) for visit totally shocked how bad it was

I think the Two Rivers Meet Leisure Centre would be good to have a look at.

I been there past week. Was nice ate at Sams and popped into that subway too