A NEW show exploring the lives of people in and around Poole Harbour looks set to give tourism in the town a major lift.

Eight-part ITV series Harbour Lives, filmed with Ben Fogle last summer, has already seen website pooletourism.co.uk receive double the usual amount of hits in one weekend. Poole Tourism is now hoping to capitalise on the show’s popularity to bring more visitors to the area, with posters referencing the show placed around the London Underground to exploit the extra interest.

Bruce Grant-Braham, chairman of the Poole Tourism Partnership, said: “This is a fantastic showcase for Poole, its harbour and the wider Dorset area. “Not only does it show what a wonderful location it is – full of natural beauty, history, wildlife and adventure – it’s also given a number of local businesses the chance to profile the fantastic food and experiences they offer.

“This is a unique opportunity and we hope that off the back of the programme visitors will come and experience harbour life in Poole for themselves.”

The series, which continues this Friday at 8pm, describes Poole as “Britain’s answer to Monte Carlo”, and features various sides to the town, from Miami beach style apartments, to the working quayside, through the eyes of local people.

Fishing with popular Storm restaurateur/fisherman Pete Miles features in the second episode, who Ben described as an “amazing character”, adding: “He’s definitely what you’d call a modern fisherman, very entrepreneurial.”

The series explores the work of Poole Harbour Commissioners controlling one of the UK’s busiest waterways, the bustling life of Poole and its heritage as a trading port.

The programme also follows the beach team who look after the 500,000 people who visit the town’s 3.5miles of award-winning sands including Sandbanks, Britain’s best beach, which this year achieved its 26th Blue Flag, more than any other UK resort.

Ben, who went to Bryanston School, Blandford said: “It was an amazing opportunity to spend some time in a county that I love. Dorset was where I spent much of my childhood, so I knew Poole very well, although there were lots of new areas that I discovered too.”