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Surf’s up!
7:08am Monday 19th May 2008
Comments (27)BOSCOMBE'S new surf reef has attracted its first major investment in Bournemouth's high street.
Clothing retailer Fat Face has told the Daily Echo it will open a giant new town-centre store by the end of June.
The news follows Bournemouth Borough Council's announcement that the reef will definitely be completed by the end of this year.
The borough council's deputy leader, Cllr John Beesley, welcomed the retailer's investment, saying that the return of "quality and excitement" to the retail sector was part of the authority's master vision for the town centre.
The new store on Old Christchurch Road will cover nearly 3,000 square feet selling surfboards, windsurfs and dinghies as well as clothes.
Plans to build the Northern Hemisphere's first artificial surf reef just two miles away were key to the company's decision to invest in the town, said one of its directors.
The long-hoped-for ripple effect from the new reef has now started in earnest. The first of the new businesses has arrived and it is anticipated that more will follow to service the needs of a new breed of tourist.
"Bournemouth is a prime location in the UK, especially with the UK's first surf reef being developed. The new store will be an amazing building, in a great position in the town," said Sarah Baskcomb, the brand's communications chief.
Project manager Mick Marran, who is overseeing the new store, described the turn-of-the-century structure as "incredibly interesting".
"The building has two glass atriums which will be fully refurbished and become major features of the store.
"It's one of the reasons we took the second floor out, so people can enjoy them," said Mr Marran.
Copper-clad windows and the building's stone facia will undergo "substantial refurbishment" and timber backed by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) will be used in the refit, he added.
Your Say YourBournemouth Echo
JayKayDV, Helsinki, Finland (From Poole) says...
11:24am Mon 19 May 08
JayKayDV, Helsinki, Finland (From Poole) says...
11:30am Mon 19 May 08
.me thinks not.
omegaman, Bournemouth says...
11:33am Mon 19 May 08
JayKayDV, Helsinki, Finland (From Poole) says...
11:36am Mon 19 May 08
V1, says...
11:40am Mon 19 May 08
Richard wrote:I am one of those people who are happy to pay £30 for a t-shirt. The quality of their clothes is superb and they are not made by a small child in China or somewhere along those lines being paid a pittance unlike Primark. It is about time we had a decent sized Fat Face in Bournemouth. If it is like the one in Truro I know one person who be very happy (me!)
If people are happy paying about £30 for a t-shirt in Fat Face then good luck to them.
YIIIIPPPPEEEE
JayKayDV, Helsinki, Finland (From Poole) says...
12:12pm Mon 19 May 08
Cheryl Carr Brotherton, says...
12:25pm Mon 19 May 08
Ashley, Verwood says...
12:27pm Mon 19 May 08
I wonder what will happen the to Quadrent centre then though!
Noel, Bournemouth says...
12:45pm Mon 19 May 08
Will their shop disappear in a couple of years when their clothes go out of fashion?
And what is going to happen to this Surf reef when everyone realizes that the Hydraulic research Institute at Wallingford's assessment that it "will have a largely neutral effect" is true?
vote-them-out, Dorchester says...
1:29pm Mon 19 May 08
Fat Face seem to market their product at a broader range of customers, from mid 20s into their 40s.
I'm somewhere in the middle.... ish.
Although I'm reasonably well paid, I have found recent pressures on fuel and food have curtailed my spending on clothes, so I have to question if the retail public will have the money in its pocket to make this store a short-term success, although long term I think it will be a winner.
Simon, London says...
1:45pm Mon 19 May 08
Richard, Bournemouth says...
1:56pm Mon 19 May 08
Simon wrote:So says the surf dude from.........London. Many decent clean breaks on the Thames these days?
Well said vote them out. Funny to see that all the old backward looking farts are squirming as the reef starts to pull in some investment. The poor luvs just don't like any change..
Personally, I'm all in favour of the reef and despite what some others have said, I think it will do the town a lot of good.
However, I do resent these clothing companies that peddle a certain 'lifestyle look' at ludicrously high prices.
Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West says...
2:24pm Mon 19 May 08
Cheryl Carr Brotherton wrote:I take it you know most of the f**t*rs that use these threads. Now I would not have took you as a f**t*rs. Then again one never knows who one is talking to these days.
Trago Mills + a soup kitchen is fine and more than enough for the old f**t*rs that use these threads most of the f***s that i see in boscombe need putting through a car wash.
nickboy, West London says...
4:09pm Mon 19 May 08
Trifecta, Southbourne says...
5:17pm Mon 19 May 08
Chris McColl, Bournemouth says...
5:46pm Mon 19 May 08
The 'few' luxury appartments are there, the carpark is as good as gone, but guess what....NO SURF REEF.
First sunday of sunshine last week and all of Sea Road was blocked up with cars - all receiving a ticket for their trouble. No where else to park.
Reading some of the above posts I'm not surprised how easily so many were duped over the Imax.
Completed by autumn 2007 I believe we were told. Cue much handwring by the council this time next year. We've been had... again !
omegaman, Bournemouth says...
8:12pm Mon 19 May 08
nickboy wrote:Stay in London you ****!
Hopefully the investment in Boscombe sea front will continue all the way up Sea Road to Boscombe precinct and the Sovereign Centre. Then they can knock it all down and start again - firstly by getting rid of all the wasters,druggies and benefit scrounging cackers that plague the place.
Si, Poole says...
8:22pm Mon 19 May 08
nickboy, West London says...
8:48pm Mon 19 May 08
omegaman wrote:I'm not in London, I'm in Bournemouth , my home town and I used to work in Boscombe and some of my family and friends still do, so I know what i'm talking about . So shut up you **** !
nickboy wrote: Hopefully the investment in Boscombe sea front will continue all the way up Sea Road to Boscombe precinct and the Sovereign Centre. Then they can knock it all down and start again - firstly by getting rid of all the wasters,druggies and benefit scrounging cackers that plague the place.Stay in London you ****!
Simon, London says...
9:17pm Mon 19 May 08
omegaman, Bournemouth says...
10:02pm Mon 19 May 08
nickboy wrote:Since when has West London been in Bournemouth?
omegaman wrote:I'm not in London, I'm in Bournemouth , my home town and I used to work in Boscombe and some of my family and friends still do, so I know what i'm talking about . So shut up you **** !nickboy wrote: Hopefully the investment in Boscombe sea front will continue all the way up Sea Road to Boscombe precinct and the Sovereign Centre. Then they can knock it all down and start again - firstly by getting rid of all the wasters,druggies and benefit scrounging cackers that plague the place.Stay in London you ****!
Dorset Red, Dorset says...
11:26pm Mon 19 May 08
I am a bit sad, however to hear that this shop won't be in Boscombe where the reef itself will actually be located! It's high time Boscombe was given the opportunity to go back up-market again!
vote-them-out, Dorchester says...
9:23am Tue 20 May 08
I was born in Boscombe and work in Bournemouth.
Just thought I'd clear that up in advance of any micro-xenophobia.
Hell, what chance do we stand with the rest of the world if we offer this kind jingoistic nonsense in response to people less than 120 miles away?
nickg, canford heath says...
11:05am Tue 20 May 08
omegaman wrote:You try changing your location details when updating personal details - it doesn't work ! I am not in West London, I am now living in Bournemouth. I moved down to Dorset in 1979, going up to London to work in 2001 and now i'm back home. As I said before, I know what i'm talking about, but you seem to have the rather small-minded attitude that a lot of people here have, which is a shame.
nickboy wrote:Since when has West London been in Bournemouth?omegaman wrote:I'm not in London, I'm in Bournemouth , my home town and I used to work in Boscombe and some of my family and friends still do, so I know what i'm talking about . So shut up you **** !nickboy wrote: Hopefully the investment in Boscombe sea front will continue all the way up Sea Road to Boscombe precinct and the Sovereign Centre. Then they can knock it all down and start again - firstly by getting rid of all the wasters,druggies and benefit scrounging cackers that plague the place.Stay in London you ****!
bob sagget, b'mouth says...
12:14pm Tue 20 May 08
JayKayDV wrote:um what you mean like having a store in bournemouth just up the hill from m&s? although fatfaces new store will no doubt dick all over it..
Such a pity that local highly successful ANIMAL UK based in Poole cannot see the same vision and support its local communities in the same way!
kevcal, Poole says...
1:03pm Tue 20 May 08
FOCAL POINT: One of the oringal features at the store
UNCOVERED: An eye-catching mural
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Richard, Bournemouth says...
10:45am Mon 19 May 08