Jobs in Bournemouth | Pictures of Bournemouth

Bournemouth became a popular tourist destination for two very simple reasons: it has 7 miles of stunning, clear sand and some of the warmest, driest and sunniest weather which ensures that Bournemouth is one of the best places to be in Britain when summer comes.

It is also a town with a dual personality, where old age pensioners and day-trippers rub shoulders with boozed-up clubbers, hen parties and conference delegates. All of which conspire to make Bournemouth one of the happiest towns in Britain and the safest place to live in England and Wales in terms of crime. 

Getting around Bournemouth
Bournemouth is well served by the rail network with two stations in the town, Bournemouth station and Pokesdown station to the east. This line links the town with the majority of the south coast.

Given the fact that the main rail station is more than a mile away from the town centre, Bournemouth operate a Plus Bus combined rail and bus ticketing scheme. Local buses are provided mainly by Wilts & Dorset and Transdev Yellow Buses .

Eating, drinking and shopping in Bournemouth
Bournemouth is often considered to be a retiree's paradise. However, its elderly population is counterbalanced by a thriving culture buoyed by students at the local College and University, a growing number of professionals relocating here with their companies and that fact that it is one of the UK 's largest centre for learning English as a foreign language.

As a result, the town centre is vibrant and cosmopolitan with good shopping facilities and a growing café culture alongside a compelling night life scene.

Known as its ‘Shopping Seven', Bournemouth 's shopping offering is split into seven very distinct areas: the town centre, Westbourne, Winton, Castlepoint, Southbourne, Charminster and Boscombe – each offering something different from designer boutiques and high street favourites to antique shops, markets and knick-knacks.

With much of the town centre pedestrianised, it is easy to get from one side of town to the other without having to dodge any traffic. The main shopping streets in the centre of town are just behind the seafront on either side of the River Bourn, and are lined with a wide range of boutiques, stores, jewelers, accessory shops and a number of leading high street stores including Beales, Dingles, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and BHS. And since the completion of the Commercial Road development, Zara, H&M, Ann Summers and Republic are the new kids in town.

Elsewhere, there are a number of Victorian shopping arcades and shopping malls outside of the town, such as Castlepoint , the UK 's largest retail park. A mile west, in the district of Westbourne, there is a selection of designer clothes and interior design shops. And in Boscombe, there is another major shopping area including many antiques shops and a street market that is a real bargain hunter's paradise.

And keeping in tradition as a seaside resort, Bournemouth has quite literally hundreds of restaurants to choose from. From the cheap and cheerful pub grub and fish ‘n chips, to European, Oriental and Asian cuisine that can be found throughout the town centre. However, for finer tastes, you may struggle to find what you are looking for in Bournemouth itself and will probably want to head outside of the main centre.

The Richmond Hill area, in particular, has many European style restaurants like the Print Room. Westbourne has a good choice of restaurants, whilst Charminster is regarded as one of the ‘in' places to eat with its range of international restaurants.

At night the town comes alive with a vibrant pub and club scene. Bournemouth is one of the most popular clubbing, stags and hens locations in Britain : with over 40 nightclub venues, as many as 30,000 people descend on the town centre every weekend. Most nightclubs are located in and around the town centre, with the exception of the Triangle area which is home to Bournemouth 's thriving gay community.

But if you're looking for a way to spend a few hours at the weekend that doesn't involve stuffing your face or trying to keep up with a bunch of twenty-something's in a drinking competition, there are a few sobering things that you can do to while-away a few hours.

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum has an impressive collection of 19th century art and Japanese artefacts. And St.Peter's Church is where the famous author Mary Shelly who wrote 'Frankenstein' is buried in the churchyard of this church along with the heart of her husband the Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelly.

Alternatively, the Bournemouth Eye offers tethered balloon flights that rise around 500 ft in the air – not good if you suffer from vertigo, whereas the Bournemouth International Centre is where music concerts and exhibitions are regularly held.

Being a coastal town, Bournemouth naturally has a good choice of sporting options, including the Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club on West Beach , the Rugby club and AFC Bournemouth. There are also various activities that you can participate in, from athletics to golf, leisure centres to health and fitness clubs.

Main residential areas
Property prices in Bournemouth are pretty much in line with those in the South East, which can be quite a strain when the wages don't quite match up..

Some of the most affluent areas of town can be found in neighbouring Boscombe and Winton – both characterised by a plethora of semi and detached houses with three or four bedrooms. Elsewhere, Spring Bourne, Westbourne, South Bourne and Charminster are popular areas.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Bournemouth.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Bournemouth below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Bournemouth or find out more information on the local area.