The Bournemouth One News Centre

All the news you need for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with travel information and national headlines.

• Heath fire closed Ferry Road in Studland

  A heath fire near Agglestone in Studland has been extinguished following a major emergency response on Monday night. Around forty-five firefighters from seven stations used hose reels and beaters to tackle the blaze, which affected an area measuring about one hundred metres by fifty metres. Residents were asked to close windows and doors, while the public was told to avoid the area as several emergency services supported the firefighting operation. Crews had extinguished the fire by nine o’clock and continued dampening down the heath before the incident was scaled back shortly after ten o’clock. One fire engine and one Land Rover remained at the scene as the response was reduced into the night.

• Call to Promote Inland Dorset’s Tourism Gems

  Councillors say Dorset’s tourism plans focus too much on the coast and neglect inland towns. Some believe sustainable tourism is not being prioritised, with visitors choosing other regions seen as more welcoming. Others argue that towns like Blandford and Shaftesbury are barely mentioned in council strategies. There are calls for more equal promotion of both countryside and coastal attractions.

• Driver with serious convictions seeks taxi licence

  A taxi driver with three serious convictions is being considered for a new licence by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. The driver previously lost his licence after failing to disclose his offences to Christchurch Borough Council, and his appeal was dismissed by the Magistrates’ Court. He has since reapplied for a licence, and it was discovered he also applied to Portsmouth City Council this year, while Dorset Council would likely refuse his application. The council’s licensing sub-committee will now decide if he is suitable to hold a taxi licence, with public safety as their main concern.

• Roundhouse hotel to be empty by October

  The Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth is expected to stop housing asylum seekers by October. Bournemouth West MP Jessica Toale says the Home Office has confirmed the building will be emptied as the Government reduces its use of hotel accommodation. The Roundhouse is one of three Bournemouth hotels used for asylum seekers and has remained closed to paying guests, while attracting protests and concerns from some residents. Ms Toale says she has raised Bournemouth’s situation with ministers and will continue pressing for the town’s remaining asylum hotels to be returned to other uses. She plans to work with the community and the landlord over the future of the Roundhouse site.

• New fitness park planned for Southbourne

  Residents can view plans for a free outdoor fitness park proposed for Southbourne Overcliff. The Kevin Mathie Fitness Park would be built beside the children’s play area at Fisherman’s Walk and designed for people of all ages and abilities. A public consultation this Saturday July will allow residents to examine the plans, speak with Steve Bernard Foundation representatives and provide feedback before work progresses. The proposed facility would be free to use throughout the year and aims to encourage exercise while supporting healthier lifestyles and improved physical and mental wellbeing. People unable to attend the consultation can view the proposals and submit their comments through the Foundation’s website.