Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Bournemouth beach - “Major incident”

999 replies

BebeGlazer · 25/06/2020 15:07

The local police and council have now declared that Bournemouth beach is scene of “major incident” because people will not stay away. Overcrowding, littering, desperately dangerous parking.

www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18541911.bournemouth-beach-bcp-council-declares-major-incident/

Please, please, think kindly before travelling to small seaside towns at the moment. We cannot cope.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
BostonCheers · 26/06/2020 20:20

The people of Bournemouth do not own Bournemouth beach @SquirtleSquad. People from London or anywhere else have exactly the same right to use it as locals.

CherryCocktails · 26/06/2020 20:24

Needmoresleep your perception of Bournemouth is not what Bournemouth is like at all. Like most places you have "rougher" areas, "more expensive" areas and everything in between. There are many regular bakeries too, not everyone in Bournemouth and Poole shop at Mark Bennett's expensive bakery. People even shop in Aldi's and Lidl which there are plenty of!

I've been driving to work throughout lockdown as a key worker and can vouch that the roads/streets were very quiet like a ghost town. People have also been wearing masks and keeping their distance whilst queuing.

Our roads leading to Bournemouth; M27/A31/A35/A338 get extremely congested at the best of times. Add thousands of day trippers going to the beach during a pandemic and something is going to go wrong. It only takes one accident on the A31 or A338 to screw the traffic up for miles and miles around the area.

On Wednesday there was an accident on the A338 "spur road" which meant drivers cutting through the back road from Ringwood to go either across the Avon Causeway (where I had the unfortunate situation where I was the wrong side of the "give way" section meaning it took me half an hour extra to get home from work due to the sheer volume of cars who had right of way over me.") The other way is Ringwood to Christchurch via Stoney lane where the traffic was queuing for a mile and a half (on a minor B road) to get on the roundabout there. While they are all queuing, it traps residents in their villages as that's the only way out.

Locals don't tend to go to Bournemouth beach, they go to other local beaches within the boroughs of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch which are quieter and much nicer. The vast majority of those on the beach the last few days weren't locals. They came here, made the roads unbearable for locals who are trying to do normal things like get to and from work, doing their shopping or accessing healthcare. They created a very dangerous situation for all involved, including the emergency services. They disrespected people's right to get in and out of their driveways and made roads dangerous from irresponsible parking. They also left tonnes of litter on the beaches and surrounding areas.

It's not just the town centre this effects, it's all the surrounding areas leading to Bournemouth.

That's why "just a day at the beach" during a pandemic where facilities such as toilets, restaurants, hotels etc aren't open to spread people out a bit is a really bloody stupid thing to do.

OldQueen1969 · 26/06/2020 20:25

@SquirtleSquad

Sorry - Glitterati is a term coined by some of us on the Bournemouth Creative scene for the well heeled high profile types from Sandbanks etc - the ones who always show up in the Echo when they sneeze in the right frock or vehicle.

BTW I stand in solidarity with you here - Flowers - it's been a frustrating couple of days for locals to be sure.

rosinavera · 26/06/2020 20:28

[quote BostonCheers]@rosinavera

I haven't seen anyone saying that the defecation in gardens and littering is acceptable. I have said on numerous occasions that it is regrettable and disappointing.

However, what people have pointed out is that a few minor incidents can't be allowed to overshadow the overwhelmingly positive economic effect of tourism.

We also need to cut some slack to people who have even trapped in flats for 3 months- they are not going to be saints.[/quote]
I'm sorry BostonCheers but I think regrettable and disappointing are not the words to describe it!

OldQueen1969 · 26/06/2020 20:31

@BostonCheers

ODFOD

Read all the patient posts explaining our thought processes and concerns in detail again.

I repeat we don't own it but we pay for its upkeep and have a stake in keeping the area safe and lovely for residents and visitors alike. Unique situation and all that.

Hold on, why am I even bothering? Your desire to be right is over-riding everything. Vodka is my friend.

SquirtleSquad · 26/06/2020 20:33

No we don't own it - and yes you can come - its just fucking stupid to come from 100s miles away and causing chaos during an unprecedented pandemic.

(Not ideal, regrettable, unfortunate, minor)

CurlyhairedAssassin · 26/06/2020 20:33

@BostonCheers wins the award for most understatements in one thread.

SquirtleSquad · 26/06/2020 20:35

@OldQueen1969 thank you, it's been shit hasn't it? Thanks looking forward to some normality soon (and a rainy beach walk this weekend!)
I don't think I'd qualify for the glitterati though, I drive a 12 year old 7 seat mum bus and I don't think I've worn heels since 2015 GrinWine

CherryCocktails · 26/06/2020 20:37

Think I'll go for a rainy beach walk too over the weekend! I also only own an 11 year old ford and definitely don't wear heals!

OldQueen1969 · 26/06/2020 20:43

Rainy beach walk sounds like bliss to this aging Goth lol - also not Glitterati material by a country mile Grin

I raise my glass to my fellow Bournemouth Belles and may we enjoy some peace until the next minor, unfortunate, regrettable and allegedly understandable shenanigans....... Wine Flowers Cake

SquirtleSquad · 26/06/2020 20:46

@OldQueen1969 @CherryCocktails GrinWineWine

wildone84 · 26/06/2020 21:14

Bostoncheers keeps calling it "minor" but I would like to draw attention to the insightful post further up this thread which mentioned that even if it was just 1 in 100 visitors yesterday who were caught short not being able to find a loo, that's 5000 acts of public urination/defecation. I would like to find a town in the UK that doesn't mind 5000 people shitting and pissing on their beach/pavement/gardens etc in one day.

Bostoncheers you are deluded.

BebeGlazer · 26/06/2020 21:19

[quote SquirtleSquad]**@OldQueen1969* @CherryCocktails* GrinWineWine[/quote]
I’ve managed to avoid posting today, but have foolishly just skim read the last few pages. Lots of “regrettables” still, oh dear! Solidarity to fellow Bournemouthians Wine

OP posts:
annabel85 · 26/06/2020 21:49

@Mymycherrypie

I know. It’s not like 3 months in a flat with Netflix, Internet, tv, radio etc has turned people back in to cavemen. Humans aren’t bears Grin we aren’t all walking about dragging our knuckles now that lockdown is lifted. These people were probably animals before.

So nah, I don’t buy the argument what we should allow a poo here or there because that’s what comes with tourist money.

Why are all these people needing to shit everywhere in public anyway? If it's a medical condition, why have you traveled to an overcrowded beach during a pandemic? You wouldn't, so for the most part it won't be that.

If not, then you're not a baby who needs to be potty trained.

Hearwego · 26/06/2020 22:43

Camber Sands was also bad. On the South East news, someone stated that yesterday it took a school bus 5 hours to travel from Rye to Camber. This is journey is only a few miles. Those kids were stuck on a hot bus with no air con or water.
Presumably these were younger kids who couldn’t get off and walk.

Miljea · 26/06/2020 22:51

Aaaand on tonight's local TV, a rather more non-sensationalist view of yesterday's conditions on Bournemouth's beaches. Along with a (Tory!) councillor Philip Broadhead, suggesting yesterday's declaration of a 'major incident' was an overreaction. He recognised that it was 'something we should have been prepared for'; but evidently feels calling 'a major incident' set unwanted, unnecessary wheels in motion. Followed by dismay from local business leaders, having seen how those long-lens images have gone global, and thus will seriously damage Bournemouth's recovery chances as people will heed the Stay Away/We Can't Cope message (while warming the cockles of the hearts of some on here who are Alright, Jack, and don't want bloody tourists with their bloody spending power down 'ere)...

Vikki Slade (BCC leader) may have a lot of unnecessary redundancies on her hands, as a result of yesterday's mishandling.

Bournemouth beach - “Major incident”
Hearwego · 26/06/2020 22:53

**FFS I’ve rarely felt so ashamed to be British shock. These halfwits think being on furlough = being on holiday. They’ll have a shock when the scheme ends and their companies no longer need them fill stop.
Who the hell would want to be in that beach - it beggars belief. Darwinism in action.

This is a bit unfair. Not everyone on furlough chose to drive to Bournemouth. And it’s not their fault that they have been furloughed.
Don’t make a generalisation, blame the fools that decided to drive 4 or 5 hours to go to these places.

Hearwego · 26/06/2020 22:58

I can’t believe the selfish arseholes who parked their cars in front of people driveways or blocked people cars.
Some residents even got abused and assaulted for asking people to move!
What the fuck is wrong with people?

Miljea · 26/06/2020 22:59

What makes one more, or less, 'foolish'? Can you please draw me a line across a map with 'fool/not fool' on it? 1 hour, not foolish; 2 hours, foolish?

That would be really helpful...

Miljea · 26/06/2020 23:02

Please note that now the hysteria has died down, people within Bournemouth City Council, itself, are challenging the need and wisdom for calling yesterday's 'Major Incident'.

A less incendiary image of the 'hellish conditions' and 'open sewers' of yesterday on the beach...

Bournemouth beach - “Major incident”
AnnaBanana333 · 26/06/2020 23:15

Um, what part of that "less incendiary" image do you think is not hellish?

SquirtleSquad · 26/06/2020 23:17

Do you really need an annotated map to figure out if Bournemouth beach is your local outdoor space? Is common sense really a thing of the past?

Where you in the BCP area at the time? Did you experience it yourself?

You can post as many screenshots of the news as you like, you have no idea what time that image was captured or what the surrounding conditions were. Have you seen how rammed the zig zags, promenades and paths to the major car parks were like?

Surely if you've read what local residents have experienced you'd start to understand that this is not purely down to crowding on the beaches but the chaos caused for the local communities in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. The traffic, the parking, the huge amounts of litter, the massive clean up operation, our local emergency services having to deal with gang fights, stabbings, injuries from jumping off the pier, council staff and residents being attacked and abused and so much more.

Also Bournemouth isn't a city, nor does it have its own council. Its BCP.

Miljea · 26/06/2020 23:30

Please tell me you can recognise how perceptions are skewed by these two images?

One went international to the irritation of Bournemouth business owners; the other reflected reality.

And if we've got down to the semantics of BCC meaning city or county council, I think we can assume you know you're in the corner.

Bournemouth beach - “Major incident”
Bournemouth beach - “Major incident”
Miljea · 26/06/2020 23:33

As for 'being there' ('in the local area' , as opposed to 'being on the beach', I note 😉 because 'being on the beach' would render me an 'idiotic cunt' (cf this thread...); you'd have no better first hand experience of beach conditions if you were on Winton High Street than the BBC News, would you?