Central Bournemouth

Central Bournemouth is organised around The Square, the town's transport and meeting point, with streets of shops and cafes radiating north from there. Old Christchurch Road and commercial streets lead toward the railway corridor, while pedestrian routes link retail zones to the seafront. The area contains council offices, small galleries, and the cluster of independent shops and chains that form the town centre; buses use the interchange at The Square to connect the seafront, suburbs and surrounding towns.

The seafront sits just south of the centre, where Bournemouth Pier meets the promenade and the Pavilion Theatre and Bournemouth International Centre stand close by. A planted corridor of Lower, Central and Upper Gardens runs inland from the pier, and the River Bourne reappears through the Lower Gardens near the bandstand, forming a visible green route between beach and shops. Events, markets and seasonal attractions often use the gardens and pier area, keeping movement and activity focused along that spine.