Feeding frenzy: town centre shops disappear as food outlets take over

Over the last two years the town has seen at least a dozen retail units make way for cafes, bars and restaurants as consumers shift their spending habits.

What began with a few restaurants taking over traditional shops – such as Pizza Express at the old Post Office and Del Marco at the Richmond Classic’s womenswear boutique – has snowballed as more and more food outlets look to take over space once home to retail shops.

The Cosy Club took over what was formerly River Island, Cote Brasserie is set to open at the former Austin Reed, Yo Sushi set up home at the empty La Senza unit and Pret a Manger is due to open at the former Miss Selfridge.

A rough count has revealed the town centre now has more than 80 restaurants.

And the shift in the High Street has seen a mixed response from consumers.

George Cole, 26 and of Jellicoe Drive in Christchurch, who works in computing said he would prefer to see more restaurants.

But administrator Liz Taylor, 61, said: “I think it is a bit overkill to be honest, but people are shopping online.”

Starbucks manager Pimji Wanta, 23, said she would prefer to see more shops in the town.

And freelance translator Robert Adamowicz, 37 of East Howe, said: “It would be nice to have some independent shops.”

Martin Davies, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: “Whether we have too many restaurants now is a subjective judgement but there is no doubt retailers are under immense pressure.

“People generally have a habit of going into town, trying something on and then finding it cheaper online.

“And you can see that because a lot of internet retailers seem to be doing well and that does seem to be one of the issues here.”

Mr Davies said shops have to pay business rates and corporation tax, but online companies are not under the same financial pressure.

“It is in our interest to see a vibrant high street of some sort rather than an empty one” he added. “We do also seem to be becoming a leisure-focused economy which I don’t think is a bad thing. Add all those pressures together and it means the high street is available.

“In a perfect world we would see nothing but independent retailers. But an imperfect world means we have to take the high street as it comes.”

Dr Jeff Bray, principal academic of consumer behaviour at Bournemouth University, said the Office for National Statistics showed that consumers are spending as much money eating out as they are eating in for the very first time.

“This is a national picture – not just Bournemouth,” he said. “That naturally leads to demand for more places to eat out. Online shopping isn’t going to replace the high street but it has changed part of it. There is no evidence that the high street is dying. Vacancy rates are greatly reducing in the very recent years. We have also got more leisure time than we had before because of the efficiencies that the digital world gives us.”

Restaurants which used to be shops

- Cosy Club, was once River Island

- The Stable took over the Tourism Office

- Cote Brasserie due to open at the former Austin Reed

- Yo Sushi took over the empty unit that was once La Senza

- Franco Manca will be at Debenhams's former men's department

- Creams Cafe will be opening at Bath Travel where Base + Barley also showed an interest in

- Wildwood took over Richmond Classics's men's boutique

- Skinny Kitchen was once a burger bar and a fashion boutique before that

- Pizza Express is at the old Post Office

- Ojo Rojo is at the site that used to house Oswald Bailey

- Del Marco is based where Richmond Classics's women's boutique was

- 7 Bone Burger Co used to be the site of Jones the boot maker

- Yobu used to be Blacks

- Southbourne Ales is set to take over the former Rolls Royce and Bentley garage

- Pret a Manger will be opening up at the former Miss Selfridge

All restaurants

The Triangle

• Koh Thai Tapas

• Rancho Steak House

• Pinocchio Restaurant

• La Piazza

• Funchal by Night

• Brewhouse and Kitchen

• Bar Afrique

• Troy Turkish Restaurant

• Atlantica

• Mint Leaf

• Lola's

• Ojo Rojo

• The Four Horsemen

BH2 complex

• The Real Greek (yet to open)

• Five Guys (yet to open)

• Frankie and Benny's

• Chiquito

• Miller and Carter

• Prezzo

• Nando's

• Ask Italian

• Handmade Burger Co

• Pizza Express

• TGI Friday's

• Las Iguanas

Town

• Franco Manca (yet to open)

• The Moon in the Square

• Schpoons and Forx at the Hilton

• Valentino

• La Strada

• Funki Griller

• Sixty Million Postcards

• Blue Mango

• 1812

• The Crab

• Prezzo

• Chimichanga

• Wagamama

• Pizza Hut

• The Brasshouse

• The Stable

• 7 Bone Burger Co

• Yo Sushi

• Pizza Express

• The Slug and Lettuce

• Zizzi's

• The Skinny Kitchen

• Wildwood

• Coriander

• Cosy Club

• The Mary Shelley

• Day's

• Alcatraz

• Turtle Bay

• Levant Lebanese Restaurant

• El Murrino

• Casa Brasil

• The Mandarin

• Saray

• Revolution

• Cuccinis

• Beirut Lounge Restaurant

• Zorba's

• Agora

• Eye of the Tiger

• Little India

• Pera Rose

• The George Tapps

• Amaretto

• The Old Place

• Nativ

• Dosa World

• O'Neill's

• Hungry Oven

• Noodle Bar

• The Christopher Creeke

• La Piccola Italia

• Kayla

• Inferno

• Mexigo

• Del Marco

• The Real Eating Company

Beach

• Hot Rocks

• West Beach

• Aruba restaurant and bar

• Harry Ramsden's