Coordinates: 50°43′10″N 1°58′52″W / 50.71942, -1.98113
- For people with Poole as surname, see Poole (disambiguation)
Poole (pronunciation (help·info)) is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England. The town is 20 miles (32 km) east of Dorchester and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The town had a population of 138,288 according to the 2001 census, making it the second largest settlement in Dorset.
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Iron Age. The earliest recorded use of the town’s name was in the 13th century when the town became an important port, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. In later centuries the town had important trade links with North America and at its peak in the 18th century it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. During the Second World War the town was one of the departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion.
Today, the town is a centre of sailing and yachting, and a popular tourist resort, attracting visitors with its history, museums, arts centre, harbour and its Blue Flag awarded beaches. Poole is home to the headquarters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker. The Royal Marines also have a base in the harbour.[2] Poole's main railway station is a short walk from the town centre, cross channel ferries regularly depart from Poole Harbour and the nearest airport is 10 miles away. The main road through the town is the A35, linking Poole to the A3049 and the port.
Despite their names, Poole is home to Bournemouth University, The Arts Institute at Bournemouth and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Poole has a successful speedway team, the Poole Pirates, who race at Poole Stadium.
Harbour and Quay
-
Main article: Poole Harbour
The former Government Poole Custom House on the Quayside of the Harbour and Scaplens Court, now the local history centre
Poole Harbour, the claimant of the title of second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney, has been a working port for hundreds of years, though the port has declined in importance in trade as the shallow water cannot take large container ships. Today the port is the home of Sunseeker, manufacturers of luxury yachts, and the departure point for the ferry companies (Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries) to France and the Channel Islands.
The harbour is noted for its ecology: supporting saltmarsh, mudflats and an internationally important population of wintering waterfowl. Within the harbour lies Brownsea Island, a nature reserve owned by the National Trust and the birthplace of the Scouting movement and first Scout Camp.[3]
During the Second World War the quayside and harbour was one of the central departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasions.[4] There is a plan to expand the port and enlarge the capacity and facilities so that larger ships, even cruise ships can dock in Poole. This is all part of the rejuvenation of the town, alongside new developments and amenities including the new town bridge (over to Hamworthy), which will be built over the next few years.[5]
History
The town's name derives from the Old English word pol which was given to people who lived near a small body of water such as a pool or pond. Variants include Pool, Pole, Poles, Poll, Polle, Polman, and Poolman.[6][7]
The Poole Harbour area has been inhabited for at least 2,500 years.[7] During the Iron Age the local tribe were the Celtic Durotriges who lived in Dorset, particularly around Wareham, five miles to the west. The earliest significant archaeological find in the harbour itself is the Poole Logboat, a 10 metre boat made from a single oak tree and dating to 295 BC.[8] At the time the harbour was probably shallower and any settlement would now be under water.[6]
During the last few centuries before the Roman invasion, the Celtic people were moving from the hilltop settlements, such as Maiden Castle and Badbury Rings on the chalk downs to the north, and onto the lower vales and heathland around the River Frome and Poole Harbour. It may be this marshy area which gave the local tribe of the area, the Durotriges, "water dwellers", their name.[7] The Durotriges probably engaged in cross-channel trading at Poole with the Veneti, a seafaring tribe from Brittany.[6][7]
Poole was one of a number of harbouring sites along the south coast of Britain where the Romans landed in the 1st century.[7] The Romans founded Hamworthy, an area just west of the modern town centre, and continued to use the harbour during the occupation.
After the Saxon invasion of southern Britain in the 7th century, Poole was included in the newly established West Saxon Kingdom or Wessex.[9] Poole was used as a base for fishing and a place for ships to anchor on their way to Wareham, which was an important Saxon fortified stronghold.[10] A Danish Viking army captured Wareham in 876 but they were besieged and defeated by a Saxon army led by Alfred the Great. The Danish fleet retreated though Poole Harbour but most of their longships were sunk in a violent storm off the coast of Poole Bay and Studland.[11] The Danes invaded England again in 1015, Canute the Great led his fleet to Poole Harbour and occupied Brownsea Island, which he used as a base to raid and sack Wareham.[12][9] Poole however remained a small fishing town until the time of the Norman Conquest.
During the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries the maritime and fishing trade of Poole continued to grow as the importance of Wareham declined.[13] Poole is first mentioned in written records in on a writ of 1224, addressed to the bailiffs and good men of La Pole (Poole), ordering them to retain all ships within their port.[14] A charter of liberties was sold to the Burgesses of Poole in 1248 by the Lord of the Manor and son of the Earl of Salisbury, Sir William Longspee, to raise funds for his participation the Seventh Crusade.[7][9] As a result of this charter, Poole obtained the right to appoint a Mayor, hold a court within the town, and exemption was granted on certain tolls and customs duties on goods from the Port.[15]
A French and Spanish naval fleet attacked Poole in 1405, burning and looting much of the town in revenge for the exploits of Poole privateer Henry Paye.[16][17] Paye frequently led successful raids against the Spanish and French along the coast from Normandy through to the Bay of Biscay and Cape Finisterre.[16] Despite this setback, the town continued to grow, becoming the biggest port in Dorset.[13] In 1433 it was granted Port of the Staple status by King Henry VI, which enabled Poole to begin the lucrative trade of wool exportation.[13] This status also allowed Poole to receive a license for the construction of fortifications; a wall and ditch were built around the town and a stone gatehouse erected to the north.[16][18]
During the English Civil War Poole was staunchly puritan and a Parliamentary stronghold within a mostly Royalist Dorset; Wimborne and the Bankes family in nearby Corfe Castle had sided with King Charles[19] The walled town of Poole constantly under the threat of siege but remained one of Cromwell's strongholds until the end of the war. In 1646 with the Royalists on the verge of defeat, the Parliamentary army from Poole laid siege to Corfe Castle.[20] The Royalists surrendered and Parliament ordered the destruction of the castle to ensure that it could never stand again as a Royalist stronghold.[19] Upon the restoration of the monarchy Poole's defences were demolished on the orders of King Charles II.[21]
The town continued to grow in importance despite the effects of piracy and, in 1568, was given a greater amount of independence when it was made a county corporate by the Great Charter of Queen Elizabeth I and named ‘the County of the Town of Poole’, a title it retained until the 18th century.[15]
Poole established a successful commerce with the North American colonies and more importantly and lastingly, the fisheries of Newfoundland.[22][15] By the mid 1500s records show that large quantities of salt, an essential ingredient for the salt cod trade, was being landed at Poole. Over the next fifty years the trade with Newfoundland steadily grew to meet the demand for fish from the Catholic countries of Europe. Poole's share of this trade varied from decade to decade but the most prosperous period started in the 1700s and lasted until the early 19th century.[22] The trade was a three-cornered route; ships went out to Newfoundland loaded with salt and provisions. Caught, dried and salted in Newfoundland, the fish was brought back to ports in Spain, Portugal and Italy, and finally returned to Poole with wine, olive oil, dried fruits and salt.[22]
Beech Hurst on Poole High Street, built in 1798 for Samuel Rolles, a wealthy merchant
In the early 18th century Poole had more ships trading with North America than any other English port and this trade brought vast wealth to a group of Poole merchants.[23] This prosperity supported much of the development which now characterises the Old Town near the Quay. Many of the town’s Medieval buildings were replaced with extravagant Georgian houses, many of which can still be seen to the present day such as Sir Peter Thompson's 1746 Grade I listed mansion designed by John Bastard and Beech Hurst, a Grade II* listed mansion built on Poole High Street in 1789.[24][22]
The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814 and the conclusion of the War of 1812 changed the fortunes of Poole’s Newfoundland merchants.[15] Peace meant that the French and Americans could fish the waters and take over many of the services provided by Poole merchants at a lower cost.[25] The result was rapid decline in trade and within a few years most of the merchants had ceased trading.[26]
The town grew rapidly during the industrial revolution as urbanisation took place and the town became both an area of mercantile prosperity and of overcrowded poverty. At the turn of the 19th century, nine out of ten workers in Poole were engaged in harbour activities,[23] but as the century progressed ships became too large for the shallow harbour and the port began losing business to the deep water ports at Liverpool, Southampton and Plymouth. In 1847 Poole's first railway station opened in Hamworthy and later extended to the centre of Poole in 1872, effectively ending the port's busy coastal shipping trade.[26]
During the 19th century the beaches and landscape of southern Dorset and south-west Hampshire began to attract tourists and the villages to the east of Poole began to grow and merge until the seaside resort of Bournemouth emerged. Although Poole did not become a resort like many surrounding towns, it continued to grow as the rapid expansion of Bournemouth created a large demand for goods manufactured in Poole.[13] In 1897, the Haven Hotel in Poole was the site of some of Marconi's wireless experiments.[27] Marconi was able to receive radio signals in Poole sent from Alum Bay, Isle of Wight, 20 miles away.
Poole was the third largest embarkation point for D-Day landings of Operation Overlord with 81 landing craft leaving Poole Harbour for the Normandy shores.[28][15] Poole was an important centre for the development of Combined Operations and it was the base for the US Coastguard’s ‘Rescue Flotilla One’ of sixty cutters. The cutters were assigned to each of the D-Day invasion areas, with 30 serving off of the British and Canadian sectors and 30 serving off the American sectors.[29] A US Coastguard ensign is laid up in St James’ Church and a plaque on the quayside given by the United States Coast Guard commemorates the cutters departure for the Normandy Invasion and expresses appreciation for the kindness of the people of Poole to the crews.[30]
Many of the town's buildings suffered from bombing during the Second World War and years of neglect in the post war era of economic decline in the United Kingdom. Major redevelopment projects began across the town in the 1960s; large areas of slum properties were demolished and replaced with modern public housing, Poole General Hospital was built in 1969,[31] and a large indoor shopping centre called the Arndale Centre (but now known as the Dolphin Centre) was also finished that year.[32] However, many of Poole's historic buildings were also demolished during this period, especially in the Old Town area of Poole. Consequently, a 15 acre Conservation Area was created in the town centre in 1975 to preserve some of Poole's most notable buildings.[33][34]
Poole Today
The Poole Quarter, a housing development adjacent to the town centre.
Building regeneration projects include the demolition of Hamworthy (Poole) power station in the early 1990s and the redevelopment of the old town gas gas-works. The latter has become part of the Poole Quarter, a housing project near the town centre, comprising of 512 new homes. Other projects include the renovated arts centre and the new RNLI headquarters. The construction boom was acknowledged in 2007, when the Borough of Poole received an award celebrating the best of the British construction industry.[35]
A second bridge is planned to be built to connect the centre of Poole with Hamworthy. The existing bridge is unsuitable for the traffic flow, as it was constructed in 1926 after the previous bridge, built in 1885, was also considered unsuitable for the growing town.[36] As of November 2007, construction of the bridge has been delayed because of a stalemate between the council and the owners of the land.[37] The £34 million scheme was given approval in 2006 by the Department for Transport.[38]
Governance
On April 1, 1997 the town was made a unitary authority, once again administratively independent from Dorset after a review of the Local Government Commission for England.[15] The borough reverted to its previous title of the Borough and County of the Town of Poole, which recalled its status as a county corporate prior to the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888. For local elections, 42 councillors are elected across 16 wards in the Borough.[39] Local elections take place in a four-year cycle;[39] the last one took place in May 2007 resulting in the Conservatives retaining overall control.[40] The Council is made up of 25 Conservative and 17 Liberal Democrat councillors and Poole's Council Leader is Councillor Brian Leverett (Conservative).[39] Poole's Sheriff, just one of fifteen Sheriffs in the country allowed by a special charter, is Charles Meachin, a Poole Liberal Democrat Councillor since 1996. The Mayor is Conservative Councillor Joyce Lavender.[41] In 2008, the Audit Commission rated the Borough of Poole one of the top performing councils in the UK.[42] The council was described as 'improving well' and was given a four star overall performance rating.[43]
Poole is represented by two parliamentary constituencies in the House of Commons; Poole and Mid Dorset and North Poole.[44] The county constituency of Mid Dorset and North Poole was created in 1997 and covers the north east of Poole, it also includes Wimborne Minster and Wareham and extends into rural Dorset. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament; currently Annette Brooke, the Liberal Democrat spokeswomen for Children, Schools and Families.[44] At the 2005 general election, the Liberal Democrats won a majority of 5,482 and 48.7% of the vote in Mid Dorset and North Poole. The Conservatives won 36.6% of the vote, Labour 11.6% and the Independence Party 3.1%.[45] Poole has been a borough constituency since 1950. Previously it had been a parliamentary borough, electing two Members of Parliament from 1455 until 1865 when representation was reduced to one member, and in 1885 the constituency was abolished altogether. Robert Syms (Conservative) has been the elected Member of Parliament for Poole since 1997.[46] At the 2005 general election, the Conservatives won a majority of 5,988 and 43.4% of the vote in Poole. The Liberal Democrats won 28.6% of the vote, Labour 23.1%, the Independence Party 3.5% and the British National Party 1.4%.[47] Poole and the rest of South West England, and Gibraltar are in the South West England constituency of the European Parliament.[44]
Poole has been twinned with the town of Cherbourg in France since 1977.[48]
Coat of Arms and St James
The first coat of arms were recorded by Clarenceux King of Arms during the heraldic visitation of Dorset in 1563.[49] The arms were recorded again at visitation in 1623.[50] The design originated in a seal of the late 1300s and therefore predated the setting up of the College of Heralds in 1484 and also the order of King Henry V in 1417, which disallowed the bearing of arms without authority from the Crown.[49] The wavy bars (black and gold) represented water and the dolphin "the king of the sea", just as the lion represents "king of the beasts". The dolphin was a sign of Poole's maritime interests.[49] The three scallop shells are the symbol of St James and associated with the shrine of Santiago de Compostela reputed burial place of St James, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Santiago de Compostela was a popular destination for Christian pilgrims departing from Poole Harbour in the Middle Ages.[49] St James is the Patron Saint of the Parish Church in the Old Town of Poole.
The arms were confirmed by the College of Arms on June 19, 1948, with the colours officially recorded for the first time.[49] At the same time the crest, a mermaid supporting an anchor and holding a cannon ball was granted. The crest had in fact been in use since the eighteenth century.[51][52][53] Following local government reorganisation in 1974, the 1948 arms were transferred to the present Poole Borough Council.[54] In 1976 the borough council received the grant of supporters, the figures on either side of the shield. The supporters were a gift from Oscar Murton, Baron Murton of Lindisfarne, the then Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons to commemorate his period of service as a councillor and MP for Poole.[49]
The supporters refer to Poole's main charters, to the left is a gold lion holding a long sword. This represents William Longespee, Lord of the Manor who in 1248 who granted the town's first charter. The other supporter on the right is a dragon which is derived from the Royal Arms of Elizabeth I in 1568. The royal dragon is coloured red, but that granted to Poole was altered to gold for heraldic difference. The dragon holds a silver oar. This is part of the civic regalia of the Mayor of Poole, representing his additional title "Admiral of the Port of Poole". Since 1976 the dolphin has been depicted naturalistically rather than heraldically.[49]
The Latin motto - Ad Morem Villae De Poole means, According to the Custom of the Town of Poole, and comes from the town's 1568 Great Charter.
Geography
Poole is located on the shores of the English Channel, 179 kilometres (110 mi) west-southwest of London, at 50.72° N 1.98° W. It is famed for its large natural harbour, which claims to be the second largest in the world. The town largely lies on the northern and eastern sides of the harbour. Poole merges with several other towns to form the South East Dorset conurbation which has a combined population of 383,713,[55] the whole area being sufficiently populous to be one of the major retail and commercial centres in the south of England.
The oldest part of the town (including the historic quarter of Poole, the Dolphin Shopping centre and Poole Park) lies to the south of Holes Bay and to the north of Poole Harbour. To the west of Poole is Upton. Within the northern boundaries of Poole are the settlements of Broadstone and Merley, with Wimborne lying just across the northern border. Also within the northern boundary is Canford Heath, a new settlement built on an internationally important heathland during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The remaining heathland is now protected, although still in private ownership. At the eastern edge of Poole, the town abuts Bournemouth and the settlements of Talbot Village, Wallisdown, Kinson, Winton and Westbourne. The administrative boundary of Poole also includes the mainly residential areas of Parkstone, Newtown, Branksome, Hamworthy, Oakdale, Broadstone, Canford Cliffs and Creekmoor. The Poole areas of Wallisdown and Talbot Village have a large student population who attend Bournemouth University which has its administrative area and main campus within the boundaries of Poole.
Poole is a gateway to the Jurassic Coast and is located directly to the east of this 95-mile (153 km) section of largely unspoilt coastline recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[56] The Jurassic Coast provides a complete geological record of the Jurassic period and a rich fossil record.[57] To the south of Poole along the coast lies Poole Bay. Along the bay, Poole has 3 miles (4.8 km) of sandy beaches that run from Sandbanks in the west to Bournemouth in the east. The South West Coast Path stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall and on to Poole where it ends. The path is the United Kingdom's longest national trail, at 1,014 kilometres (630 mi).[58]
Sandbanks, a peninsula forming part of the harbour mouth (to the east of the main town centre) has the fourth highest land value, per square foot, in the world.[59] There are expensive homes both on Sandbanks and the area stretching east from the Harbour the Canford Cliffs area.
Poole lies on very unresistant Tertiary beds of Eocene clays (mainly London Clay and Gault Clay), sands and gravels.[60] These thin soils support the heathland habitat surrounding the local area which supports all six native British reptile species. The River Frome estuary runs through this weak rock, and its many tributaries have carved out a very wide estuary. At the mouth of the estuary sand spits have been deposited turning the estuary into Poole Harbour. The harbour is very shallow in places and contains a number of islands, notably Brownsea Island.
Britain's largest onshore oil field operated by BP operates from Wytch Farm on the south shore of Poole Harbour.[61] The oil reservoirs extend under Poole Harbour and eastwards from Sandbanks and Studland for around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) under the sea to the south of Bournemouth.[62]
Climate
Poole has a temperate climate due to its location on the south coast of England with a small variation in daily and annual temperatures. The average annual mean temperature from 1971 to 2000 was 10.2 to 12 °C (50.4 to 53.6 °F).[63] The warmest months in Poole are July and August, which have an average temperature range of 12 to 22 °C (54 to 72 °F), and the coolest months are January and February, which have a range of 2 to 8.3 °C (36 to 46 °F).[64] Mean sea surface temperatures range from 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) in February to 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in August.[65]
| Weather averages for Poole, Dorset, England |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Average high °C (°F) |
8 (46) |
8 (46) |
11 (52) |
13 (55) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
19 (66) |
15 (59) |
11 (52) |
9 (48) |
| Average low °C (°F) |
2 (36) |
2 (36) |
3 (37) |
4 (39) |
7 (45) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
10 (50) |
7 (45) |
4 (39) |
3 (37) |
| Precipitation cm (inches) |
6.29 (2.5) |
5.03 (2) |
4.07 (1.6) |
4.55 (1.8) |
2.92 (1.1) |
3.56 (1.4) |
3.18 (1.3) |
3.55 (1.4) |
5.15 (2) |
7.53 (3) |
6.9 (2.7) |
6.72 (2.6) |
| Source: Msn.com[66] 2008-05-30 |
Demography
| Age |
Percentage[68] |
| 0–4 |
5.2 |
| 5–14 |
12.2 |
| 15–29 |
16.0 |
| 30–44 |
21.5 |
| 45–64 |
24.8 |
| 65+ |
20.3 |
The population of Poole according to the 2001 UK Census was 138,288[1] The population has grown steadily since the 1960s, inward migration has accounted for most of the town’s growth and a significant part of this has been for retirement.[69] Over the last 40 years there has been an increase of over 100% in housing stock from some 30,000 in 1961 to approximately 62,700 in 2004.[69] Compared to the rest of England and Wales there is an above average number of residents aged 65+ (20.3%), however this is less than the Dorset average of 22.2%, and the largest proportion of the population (24.8%) is between the ages of 45 to 64, slightly above the national average of 23.8%.[68] Population projections for Poole have predicted a continual growth, with an estimated population of 151,481 by 2016.[68]
The district is overwhelmingly populated by people of a white ethnic background, 95.98% of residents are of White British ethnicity, well above the rest of England at 86.99%.[67] Minority ethnic groups (including those in white ethnic groups who did not classify themselves as British) represent 4.0% of Poole’s population. The largest religion in Poole is Christianity, at almost 74.34%, which is slightly above the United Kingdom average of 71.6%.[70] The next-largest sector is those with no religion, at almost 16.23%, also above the UK average of 15.5%.[70]
The average house price in Poole is high compared to the rest of the UK and the surrounding south west region.[71] The average price of a property in Poole in 2008 was £274,011; detatched houses are on average £374,150, semi-detached and terraced houses were cheaper, at £226,465 and £217,128 respectively. An apartment or flat costs on average £216,097, more than any other part of Dorset.[71] The average house prices in Poole are boosted by those in Sandbanks, which has the fourth most expensive house prices in the world,[72] with property there selling for an average of £488,761.[73] A study in 2006 by the National Housing Federation, reported that Poole is the most unaffordable town in the UK.[74]
| Population growth in Poole since 1801 |
| Year |
1801 |
1811 |
1821 |
1831 |
1841 |
1851 |
1861 |
1871 |
1881 |
1891 |
1901 |
1911 |
1921 |
1931 |
1941 |
1951 |
1961 |
1971 |
1981 |
1991 |
2001 |
| Population |
6,682 |
6,752 |
9,021 |
9,401 |
9,901 |
10,595 |
12,152 |
13,710 |
15,267 |
20,446 |
29,068 |
41,344 |
50,024 |
60,527 |
71,089 |
83,494 |
94,598 |
107,204 |
117,133 |
135,066 |
138,299 |
| % change |
– |
+1.1 |
+33.6 |
+4.2 |
+5.3 |
+7 |
+14.7 |
+12.8 |
+11.4 |
+33.9 |
+42.2 |
+42.2 |
+30 |
+30 |
+17.5 |
+17.5 |
+13.3 |
+13.3 |
+9.3 |
+15.3 |
+2.4 |
Source:
A Vision of Britain through Time |
Economy
| Poole's Employment Structure[68] |
| Sector |
Poole |
Dorset |
Great Britain |
| Agriculture |
0.1% |
0.4% |
0.9% |
| Energy and Water |
1.1% |
0.6% |
0.8% |
| Manufacturing |
16.8% |
13.4% |
13.4% |
| Construction |
3.3% |
4.0% |
4.5% |
| Services |
78.7% |
81.7% |
80.5% |
Poole’s local economy is more balanced than that of the rest of Dorset.[68] In the 1960s prosperity was fuelled by growth in the manufacturing sector, whereas the 1980s and 1990s saw expansion in the service sector as a number of major office based employers relocated to the area.[68] The importance of manufacturing has declined since the 1960s but, providing jobs for around 17% of the workforce in 2002, it remains more prominent than in the economy of Great Britain as a whole.[68] Sunseeker, the world's largest privately-owned builder of motor yachts and the UK's largest producer, is based in Poole and employs over 1,800 people in its Poole shipyards.[75] In 2004, it was estimated that Sunseeker generates £160 million for the local economy.[76] Other major employers in Poole in the manufacturing industry include Sealed Air, Hamworthy KSE, Hamworthy Heating, Hamworthy Combustion, Lush, Penske Cars Ltd who build racing cars for Penske Racing, Kerry Foods, Precision Disc Casting, Siemens, Southernprint, Ryvita, and Zellweger Analytics Limited. Poole has the largest number of industrial estates in South East Dorset, including the Nuffield Industrial estate, Mannings Heath and the Arena Business Park.[77] Industrial Estate sites are in high demand and there are a number of developments currently under construction including the Poole Trade Park near Tower Park and the Branksome Business centre.[77]
The Sunseeker boat-building factory on the Poole waterfront (the larger of the three yachts is a Sunseeker)
The service sector is the principal economy of Poole is the with a large number of employees working either for the service economy of local residents or for the tourist economy. During the 1970s, Poole’s location within the South West Region, with its less restrictive regional planning policies, attracted companies wishing to relocate from London.[68] These included employers within the banking and financial sector, such as Barclays Bank (who operate a regional HQ in Poole), the Frizzell Insurance Group (now Liverpool Victoria), and American Express Bank. Other important service sector employers include Link House Publications, the Bank of New York Mellon who have their corporate trust division in the town, the national headquarters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the UK headquarters of Fitness First, Bournemouth University and Poole NHS Primary Care Trust. Poole is also the headquarters for Merlin Entertainments, the world's second-largest theme park operator after Disney. Tourism is important to the Poole’s economy and was worth an estimated £158 million in 2002.[68] Poole's Harbour, the Quay, Poole Pottery and the beaches are some of the main attractions for visitors.[56] The visitor accommodation consists of hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts located around the town, especially around the quay area and in Sandbanks. Rockly Park, a large caravan site in Hamworthy, is owned and operated by Haven and British Holidays.[78]
Investment in new port facilities on the southern side of Hamworthy, and the deepening of shipping channels has allowed growth in cross-channel freight and passenger traffic, and Poole is now one of Britain’s busiest ports.[68] In November 2005 the main shipping channels into the harbour and the Port of Poole were dredged in order to accommodate modern ferries at all states of the tide.[79] The project was carried out by Van Oord, and by the time it was completed, the depth had been increased from 6 metres to 7.5 metres. Approximately 1.8 million m3 of sand and silt were dredged from the approach channels to the Harbour and port, and 1.1 million m3 was made available to the local beaches of Poole, Bournemouth and Purbeck for beach replenishment.[79] Commercial ferry operators run regular passenger and freight services from Poole to Cherbourg, St Malo and the Channel Islands.[80] The channel deepening works have ensured that the port can accommodate larger vessels and also attract other ferry and cruise line operators. Poole is also a major destination for bulk cargo imports and the port receives imports of steel, timber, bricks, fertiliser, grain, aggregates and palletised traffic. Export cargoes include clay, sand, fragmented steel and grain.[80]
One hundred and five fishing boats are registered and licensed to the Port of Poole which hold a permit issued by the Southern Sea Fisheries District Committee (SSFDC) to fish commercially.[81] It is the largest port in terms of licences in the SSFDC area, the second largest being Weymouth, and one of the largest registered fishing fleets in the UK.[82] Many other boats use Poole as their home port which do not hold permits and operate either as charter boats running angling trips or for personal use.[82] The fishing fleet catch mainly mullet, squid, crab, and bass. Shellfish are fished in the harbour and during the summer plaice and sole are caught.[82] However, the fishing fleet is gradually declining as a result of fishing quotas introduced by the EU.[81]
Sport and recreation
Poole Harbour and Poole Bay are popular areas for a wide variety of recreational pursuits, including sailing, windsurfing, surfing, kitesurfing and water skiing.[83] The harbour attracts windsurfers with large areas of sheltered shallow waters, especially around the northern and eastern shores. Water skiing takes place in the harbour in a special designated area in the Wareham Channel. The waters around the harbour, Poole Bay and Studland Bay are also popular for recreational angling and diving.[83] Poole's wide and sandy beaches are used for swimming, sunbathing and water sports including catamaran sailing and windsurfing.[84] The beaches at Sandbanks are used for sporting events such as the Beach Volleyball Classic[85] and in 2008 it will host the first ever British Beach Polo Championship.[86]
Poole Harbour is one of the largest centres for sailing in the UK with yacht clubs including Lilliput Sailing Club, Parkstone Yacht Club and Poole Yacht Club. Parkstone Yacht Club hosted the OK Dinghy World Championships in 2004,[87] the J/24 National Championships in 2006 and the J/24 European Championships in 2007,[88] as well as being organisers of Youth Week and Poole Week, two of the largest dinghy regattas of their type in the country.[89][90]
Poole's oldest football team is Poole Town FC, a semi-professional team who play in the Wessex League Premier Division (the ninth tier of the English football league system).[91] Established in 1880, the team has had erratic success at their level; once playing in the third round of the FA Cup, and making it through to the first round four times.[92] They played at Poole Stadium until 1994 they were forced out, and have since settled at Tatnam Farm, sharing the school playing field with Oakdale South Road Middle School.[93] Poole Town have recently submitted plans for the creation of a new £1 million ground in Branksome which would enable them to meet strict Football Association criteria to progress up the pyramid ladder.[93] Poole's other football teams are Hamworthy United, formed in 1970 and who also play in the Wessex Premier League and amateur team, Poole Borough F.C. who play in the Dorset Premier League. Poole is one of the largest towns in England without a professional football team.[94]
Poole is home to a motorcycle speedway team, the Poole Pirates. The Pirates were established and began racing at Poole Stadium in 1948 in the National League Division Three and rose to the top flight.[95] The team races in the top tier of league racing, the Elite League, whihc they last won in 2004. Poole Stadium is also a venue for greyhound racing, with race nights three days a week throughout the year.[96]
Poole's entertainment sites include Tower Park, one of England's largest entertainment and dining complexes. Poole also has restaurants, cafés and historic public houses, many of which are on the Quay.
Culture
The Lighthouse
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Built in 1978, The Lighthouse is a regional arts centre, containing a cinema, concert hall, studio, theatre, image lab and media suite, a gallery for photography and digital art, a restaurant and function rooms. According to the Arts council of England it is the largest arts centre in the United Kingdom]] outside London.[97] The venue underwent an £8.5 million refurbishment in 2002, paid for by the Arts Council England, the Borough of Poole and private donations.[98] The concert hall has been home to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra since their former base at the Bournemouth Winter Gardens closed. The rock band Oasis played a gig at the Lighthouse in 2004 as a warm up for their headlining appearance at the Glastonbury Festival.[99]
Poole Park
Poole has a large public park, adjacent to Poole Harbour and the towns sports complex and swimming centre. The park is one of only two Victorian parks in the Borough of Poole and the only one containing buildings.[100] The park comprises 109.5 acres of which 60 acres are water. The park has a lake, as well as a large fountain and two children's play areas. There is a monument to Poole citizens lost during the First and Second World Wars. In 2006 the park was redeveloped at a cost of £2 million. The redevelopment included a new Italian restaurant, indoor ice rink and cleaning of the lake.[101] Poole Park also hosts several road races such as the Poole Festival of Running organised by Poole Runners and 'Round the Lakes' on Boxing Day organised by Poole Athletic Club Poole Park is also host to many other lesser known events such as 'The Skeleton Fun Run' and 'Trolly Dash'.[102]
Entrance to Poole Park, with the civic centre behind
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Poole Park Lake, looking north
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Poole Park Lake, looking north-west
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Poole Museum
Poole Museum (formerly the Waterfront Museum) has been renovated at a cost of £1.3 million. Following a refurbishment and extension funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund the museum opened in July 2007. The extension, designed by architects Horden Cherry Lee, includes a balcony with views over the Old Town and Harbour.[103][104] The museum includes the Poole Logboat, as well as a detailed history of Poole from the Iron Age to the present day. The museum also has a floor devoted to the history of Poole Pottery and some of the company's products are on display. Entrance to the museum is free.[105]
Transport
Road
The main transport features in Poole and Dorset
The A350 is Poole town centre's main artery, running north along Holes Bay to the A35, and as a single carriageway to Bath and Bristol. The A337 runs east to Lymington and the New Forest. The A35 trunk road which runs from Devon to Southampton connects to the A31 on the outskirts of the town. The A31, itself the major trunk road in central southern England, connects to the M27 at Southampton. From here the M3 leads to London, and fast access may also be gained via the A34 to the M4 north of Newbury, Berkshire.
Most bus services in Poole are provided on a commercial basis by private bus companies.[106] The majority of services are provided by Wilts and Dorset who are based at the town’s bus station and have been serving Poole since 1983.[107] Wilts & Dorset operates intensive networks across Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Salisbury, in addition to operations on the Isle of Purbeck and the New Forest in Hampshire.[107] In 2003 Wilts and Dorset were acquired by the Go-Ahead Group.[107] Other services are run by Bournemouth based Transdev Yellow Buses, Roadliner and Shamrock.[106] Limited services are provided by First who operate the Jurassic Coast X53 service which provides Poole with direct buses to Weymouth, Bridport, Lyme Regis, Seaton and Exeter.[106] Poole bus station is the terminus of National Express coaches which have frequent departures to London Victoria Coach Station. There are also direct services to the West Country, the Sussex coast (Brighton and Eastbourne), Bristol, Birmingham and the Midlands, the North West, and to Edinburgh and Glasgow. The National Express Flightlink service serves Heathrow Airport with connections to Gatwick and Stansted Airports.[108]
Rail
Poole has four railway stations on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth within the Borough. These are, from east to west, Branksome near the border with Bournemouth, Parkstone, Hamworthy (serving Hamworthy and Upton) and Poole railway station in the town centre. Poole railway station, the largest station in Poole, has the most frequent service and is served by express, semi-fast and stopping services to and from London Waterloo. Services to Waterloo are operated by South West Trains and depart from Poole every half hour, with express services every hour.[109] Virgin Trains used to operate services from Poole to the North West and Scotland but these now terminate at Bournemouth. There are plans for a £50 million development at Poole railway station in the future, however, the scheme has been delayed due to contractual issues between land owners Network Rail and developers the Kier Group.[110] The plans include a new railway station, a hotel, a new pedestrian bridge, offices and a transport interchange for taxis and coaches.[111][112]
Ferry
Poole is a cross channel port for passengers and freight with up to seven sailings a day in the summer season. Services to Cherbourg in France are operated by Brittany Ferries who provide a year round service from Poole Harbour. Brittany operate two ferries from Poole; the |
