Council welcomes new students

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, Dorset Police and partners welcome new students studying at Bournemouth University, Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth and Poole College, to Bournemouth town centre.

Bournemouth town centre is a vibrant location, boasting a variety of shops and exciting entertainment venues, a diverse range of restaurants, cafés and eateries, and a thriving nightlife scene - all located just a short walk up from 15 miles of beautiful, award-winning coastline spanning all three towns.

The council, alongside Dorset Police and partners, are continuing to work committedly to enhance the perception of Bournemouth town centre, creating a safer and more welcoming environment for residents, visitors, businesses and students.

Our work has been shaped around resident feedback captured in last year’s Bournemouth Town Centre Survey. Recent events in Bournemouth town centre have helped to demonstrate the positive impact of this work, engaging the public both in person at engagement stands, as well as across BCP Council’s and Dorset Police’s social media channels.

Bournemouth Town Team was formed as a result of this valued feedback, which sees teams from BCP Council, Dorset Police, Bournemouth Business Improvement District (BID), WISE Litter Enforcement, St Mungo’s Homelessness Prevention and other partners work collaboratively to efficiently tackle key safety, wellbeing, and cleansing issues locally.

Since its launch, joint Town Team work has resulted in 15,000 hours of visible foot patrols; 181 legislative breaches being actioned; 77 alcohol seizures under the Alcohol Public Spaces Protection Order; 62 support referrals and a 6% overall drop in reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) this year, an equivalent reduction of 113 incidents.

Other key initiatives, which might be of interest to new students looking to safely make the most of Bournemouth’s town centre and nightlife, include:

• BCP Unity Promise – a campaign involving town centre businesses and services to make their venue, and the wider locality, a safer place for all women and girls. This is just one of a number of measures enabled through Safer Streets funding.

• Safe Bus – a dedicated safe space that’s open late, offering support to those enjoying Bournemouth town centre’s nighttime economy (please note the Safe Bus is not a continuous scheme).

• Knife Crime Awareness Campaign – a multi-agency effort to reduce instances of knife crime and stop young people carrying knives.

• Ask for Angela – a national scheme which can help anyone who is feeling vulnerable on a night out to access discreet support.

• Town Watch – a multi-agency team including the local council and police, helping to protect people and promote a sense of security in licenced venues, whilst helping to identify potential perpetrators.

Bournemouth town centre remains a safe place for people to live, visit, work and study, while Dorset remains one of the top 10 safest places in England, recording a 3.1% drop in overall crime from April 2023 to March 2023 according to the Office for National Statistics.

Councillor Kieron Wilson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services at BCP Council, said:

"We are thrilled to welcome both new and returning university and college students to vibrant Bournemouth this year, which offers a unique blend of daytime and nighttime entertainment and is tailored for a brilliant academic experience.

“While Bournemouth is ultimately a safe and welcoming place, as with any major town there are challenges and incidents to manage. The safety and wellbeing of our residents and visitors is the council’s top priority, and that’s why we work closely with Dorset Police and our partners to continuously improve and enhance our area for the benefit of everyone who lives, works, visits and studies here.”

Chief Superintendent Heather Dixey, BCP LPA Commander at Dorset Police, said:

“We are always keen to welcome new and returning students to Bournemouth and we continue to work with our partners to ensure they can enjoy all that the town has to offer in a safe way.

“We regularly engage with the student population to ensure that if anyone does have any concerns, they feel able to raise it with us in the knowledge that they will be listened to and supported.”

Fatima Farha, Vice President Welfare & Community at the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University, said:

“We are delighted to be welcoming so many students to Bournemouth this year. Whilst we know safety may be a concern for our new students, we want to encourage them to make the most of their time here by exploring the town centre and nightlife.

“We have measures in place at our Students’ Union nighttime venue, The Old Fire Station. From carrying out bag searches and student ID checks to providing bottle stoppers and covers to those who want them, and having a safe taxi scheme, safety is a priority from the moment you arrive. In addition to this, we are also proud to be an accredited Good Night Out venue and part of Bournemouth’s Town Watch.”

To help bring further awareness to the ongoing work and initiatives in place to help keep people safe in Bournemouth town centre year-round, the council will be regularly sharing content across its social media channels moving forward.

We hope all new and returning students enjoy their time in Bournemouth town centre this academic year, and would like to remind them that the council, police and partners are committedly working together year-round to enhance our area and keep people safe.

To report an issue directly to BCP Council, including reporting anti-social behaviour; littering; filing noise complaints and homelessness, use the Report webpage.

For non-urgent police support; such as to raise a report regarding theft, vandalism, suspicious activity, instances of spiking and drug taking, hate crime or missing persons, visit Dorset Police’s website.

For non-urgent support with general health and wellbeing advice (including smoking, drug and alcohol consumption); prescriptions and medications; sexual health and pregnancy support, visit the NHS England or NHS Dorset websites.

Useful information and support can also often be accessed via your university or college’s Student Services webpage: Bournemouth University; Arts University Bournemouth; Bournemouth & Poole College.

In an emergency, always call 999.