Bournemouth is a large town and tourist resort, situated on the south coast of England.

With a population of 164,000 it is the largest settlement in the ceremonial county of Dorset, though in the historic county of Hampshire. The town is a regional centre of education and business and part of the South East Dorset conurbation, with the adjoining town of Poole. The town is most notable as the home of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, as well as Bournemouth University and the Bournemouth International Centre.

Bournemouth award winning Central Gardens are a separate major public park, leading for several miles down the valley of the River Bourne through the centre of the town to the sea (reaching the sea at Bournemouth Pier) and include the Pleasure Gardens and the area surrounding the Pavillion and the IMAX cinema.

The main shopping streets in the centre of town are just behind the seafront on either side of the small Bourne river; indeed footpaths lead down to the sea (from The Square) through the lower section of Bournemouth Central Gardens.

The shopping streets are mostly pedestrianised and lined with a wide range of boutiques, stores, jewellers and accessory shops.