The Bournemouth One News Centre

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

• Wine festival set for Highcliffe Castle return

  The South Coast Wine Festival returns to Highcliffe Castle next month over three days. More than two thousand five hundred tickets have already been sold for the event, which runs from the fourteenth to the sixteenth of August. Visitors can sample more than three hundred wines during a two-hour tasting, alongside live music, food traders and an expanded outdoor festival area. Friday features The Luke Combs Experience, Saturday includes an over-thirties garden party, and Sunday offers talks from wine and hospitality guests. Organisers say this year’s event will have a larger stage, more entertainment and additional traders throughout the weekend. The Bournemouth One Blue Crew will also be there throughout.

• Bourne Valley play area to get £140k revamp

  Bourne Valley play area in Poole is set for a major refurbishment, with work beginning soon. The new design, shaped by local families, will offer inclusive play zones for children of all ages and abilities. The project is part of BCP Council’s wider investment in play areas across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. More sites are due for upgrades in the coming months.

• BSO names new principal horn for Poole

  Eleanor Blakeney has been appointed Principal Horn at Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for its new season. The London-born musician joins from Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and has previously appeared as guest principal with several major orchestras and ensembles across the UK and Ireland. She secured the role after a professional trial which included leading the horn section in Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and performing with the BSO at the BBC Proms. Blakeney will perform with the orchestra this summer before its new concert season opens at Lighthouse, Poole on Wednesday the thirtieth of September. She will also appear at Bristol Beacon in August and during the orchestra’s Bournemouth concerts from Friday the seventh of August.

• Upton and Poole Parks Win Green Flag Award

  Upton Country Park and Poole Park have been recognised with the Green Flag Award, highlighting their status among the best parks in the country. The award celebrates the hard work of staff and volunteers who maintain these spaces for the community and support local wildlife. Parks across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole play a vital role in providing safe and accessible places for relaxation and wellbeing. The recognition reflects ongoing efforts to protect and enhance green spaces for everyone.

• Dorset Way maintenance to prevent potholes

  A major maintenance project will take place on Dorset Way in Poole to help prevent potholes and extend the road’s lifespan. The work will cover over eight kilometres and be delivered in three phases, with overnight and weekend schedules to minimise disruption. Temporary closures and speed limits will be in place during the works. The council aims to avoid more costly repairs in the future by acting now.