Rocked by reef
 |
| FIRST SOUTHBOURNE AND NOW THIS: A new row over stones on Boscombe beach. Picture: Richard Crease. ID: 6693167 |
DISGRUNTLED beach hut owners are complaining that the construction of the surf reef has left Boscombe beach looking like a building site.
Pensioner Frederick Hancock, of Christchurch, says he is considering giving up his hut because of the piles of stones currently strewn across sections of the beach.
The extra "beach material" has been dredged from the Isle of Wight and is due to be removed shortly and used in the construction of the surf reef. Bournemouth Tourism says beach hut owners will then be in a prime position to watch the project's progress.
But 81-year-old Frederick may not stick around for that. He said: "The beach is in such a disturbed state. It looks an absolute disgrace.
"I'm paying around £1,000 a year for my hut and I don't expect miracles, but it would be nice if they tidied up as they went along and made the beach safe for people."
Fellow beach hut owner Alec Ward, 58, also had some concerns. He said: "We've still got a pile of sand and stones outside our beach hut which is a little bit disappointing, since we are now in May
"We feel they perhaps could work a bit harder to sort it out."
Boscombe West councillor Phil Stanley-Watts said he felt beach users and local residents needed to be better informed about the major work that was happening at Boscombe.
He said: "People need to know when things will improve and what they can expect afterwards."
Seafront manager Chris Saunders said 15,000 cubic metres of extra beach material was dredged up for the reef and placed between the Honeycombe Chine development and Manor Steps.
Delays to the reef scheme then meant that some of that sand was lost over the winter and additional material had to be dredged up and delivered to the Portman Ravine area.
"In order to specifically avoid disruption to beach users and beach hut tenants, the sand will be transferred overnight," he said.
"There will be no activity or machinery moving during the day and there will be access to the beach throughout the day.
"We hope that people appreciate that this temporary work will make Boscombe one of the most innovative and exciting beaches in the UK."
5:56am Monday 12th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Honest Joe, Bournemouth on 8:40am Mon 12 May 08
All you moaners who have beach huts:- [bold]If you are not happy then give them up[/bold] - there are a lot of us waiting to take your place!!!
All you moaners who have beach huts:-
If you are not happy then give them up - there are a lot of us waiting to take your place!!!
Posted by: oscar99, bournemouth on 8:49am Mon 12 May 08
to right joe
Posted by: beachcomber, Toft zigzag on 9:31am Mon 12 May 08
the area around the base of the Toft zigzag has been in similar condition since the "replenishment" here. My local councillor was full of promises and good intentions about getting the stones sorted when he took office last summer but, surprise surprise, sweet f a has been done.
the area around the base of the Toft zigzag has been in similar condition since the "replenishment" here. My local councillor was full of promises and good intentions about getting the stones sorted when he took office last summer but, surprise surprise, sweet f a has been done.
Posted by: bobble212, Christchurch on 11:00am Mon 12 May 08
I have two children that would love to spend the summer going to a beach hut...to my horror I have just found out the summer rates are now in force and it is £22 a day to hire one !! So stop moaning...the beach will soon be cleared up !!
I have two children that would love to spend the summer going to a beach hut...to my horror I have just found out the summer rates are now in force and it is £22 a day to hire one !! So stop moaning...the beach will soon be cleared up !!
Posted by: Mark, Bournemouth on 11:11am Mon 12 May 08
Give them a chance, you cannot regenerate Boscombe Pier without doing some work.
Give them a chance, you cannot regenerate Boscombe Pier without doing some work.
Posted by: Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West on 11:41am Mon 12 May 08
On one hand we have those who express their concerns that Bournemouth and surrounding areas have nothing to bring in the visitors. Yet when work, which will cause disruption now and then, starts so that this can be implemented, we have those who moan about that.
Stick to your beach hut if you have one. You give it up, you will not get another, as some one else will be in there like a shot.
Sit back, relax, watch the progress, then enjoy the fun and views. You could buy yourself a surfboard.
On one hand we have those who express their concerns that Bournemouth and surrounding areas have nothing to bring in the visitors. Yet when work, which will cause disruption now and then, starts so that this can be implemented, we have those who moan about that.
Stick to your beach hut if you have one. You give it up, you will not get another, as some one else will be in there like a shot.
Sit back, relax, watch the progress, then enjoy the fun and views. You could buy yourself a surfboard.
Posted by: 2Much, New Forest on 3:21pm Mon 12 May 08
Construction = messiness..won't be forever!
Construction = messiness..won't be forever!
Posted by: davey, bournemouth on 4:08pm Mon 12 May 08
Boscome beach is always stoney at the begining of the summer, they dont seem to get cleared away until mid July...
Wish people would get something better to do that complain about everything
Boscome beach is always stoney at the begining of the summer, they dont seem to get cleared away until mid July...
Wish people would get something better to do that complain about everything
Posted by: E.L.M., Dorset on 6:11pm Mon 12 May 08
So thats where all the NIMBY'S spent the summer,in a hut on the prom.
So thats where all the NIMBY'S spent the summer,in a hut on the prom.
Posted by: omegaman, Bournemouth on 10:33pm Mon 12 May 08
The surfing reef will be a total failure and ruin the wonderful beach that was at Boscombe.No car parking, no sand, too many stones, ugly flats and for what - to justify the last Liberal-Democrat administration and I hope it will be the last!
The surfing reef will be a total failure and ruin the wonderful beach that was at Boscombe.No car parking, no sand, too many stones, ugly flats and for what - to justify the last Liberal-Democrat administration and I hope it will be the last!
Posted by: Mister_K, Bournemouth on 11:48am Tue 13 May 08
How can you believe that the reef will ruin the beach at Boscombe??!
One of the big benefits is that it should maintain or increase the sand on the beach by stopping wave erosion of the sand. No more need for costly and ugly wooden groins!
Given the overwhelming interest in the reef in the UK and worldwide, it will be anything but a total failure.
How can you believe that the reef will ruin the beach at Boscombe??!
One of the big benefits is that it should maintain or increase the sand on the beach by stopping wave erosion of the sand. No more need for costly and ugly wooden groins!
Given the overwhelming interest in the reef in the UK and worldwide, it will be anything but a total failure.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
