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Westbourne, Dorset
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Westbourne | |
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| Population | 8,044[1] (Weymouth) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Unitary authority | Bournemouth |
| Ceremonial county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bournemouth |
| Postcode district | BH4 |
| Dial code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | Bournemouth West |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Dorset | |
Westbourne is an a residential and shopping area of Bournemouth, Dorset. It is located in between Branksome, Poole and the centre of Bournemouth, just off the main A338. A high street, mainly full of specialised shops and small cafes, runs though the centre Westbourne. It is however mainly a residential zone.
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The area has become a fashionable and popular part of Bournemouth with a unique mix of clothing shops, cafes, restaurants and many other independent businesses. Westbourne has a reputation for being the fashion district of Bournemouth, which is supported by the many boutiques and home interior shops located in the main shopping area. The main high street of Westbourne includes a Victorian covered shopping arcade. On March 13th 2007 a large M&S Simply Food replaced the Waitrose store which has recently moved to the Upper Parkstone area of Poole. There are several international language schools in Westbourne.
Until it was destroyed in 1965, Westbourne had a station known as Westbourne West Station Terminus. The station was often very busy during the summer seasons, as it was a main disembarkation point for holidaymakers to Poole and Bournemouth. Westbourne also had an ornate odeon cinema, that is now a bingo hall.
Westbourne is also home to the head office of 'LV=' [1] which has two buildings, Frizzel House in the centre and Victoria House on the edge of County Gates roundabout, a large local employer with around 1600 staff.
The subarea known as Alum Chine provides a pathway to the beach, and is crossed by a pedestrian suspension bridge, from which Winston Churchill fell when he was a child, breaking both legs. Robert Louis Stevensonwas Westbournes most famous resident, who lived at 'Skerryvore' on the West Cliff between 1885 and 1887. While at this rather ordinary house he wrote Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as well as part of Treasure Island while he was recovering from an illness. There is small statue commemorating his work on the site of the house he lived in, which was destroyed in the Second World War.
Florence Nightingale had an interest in Westbourne when in 1867 she was a prime mover in the building of the Herbert Home Hospital.
There are many places to eat and drink in Westbourne, ranging from brand establishments such as cafe Rouge to pubs such as the Porterhouse pub, which is owned by the local Ringwood Brewery and is the official head quarters of the WFA (Westbourne Friends Association). Restaurant choices include the | Taj Mahal (the "Taj"), Westbourne Tandoori, Enzo's Italian, and | Chez Fred (1991 winner, Seafish Industry Authority's "Best Fish and Chips Shop in Great Britain").
There are good bus links to both Bournemouth and Poole and the beach is a 15 minute walk away.