Opposition councillors say Bournemouth town centre business figures need checking after a council claim about 40 openings was challenged by a newspaper analysis of closures. Opposition councillors have challenged BCP Council’s leader to walk through Bournemouth town centre with them. The invitation follows Councillor Millie Earl’s ITV Meridian comments that the town centre was “thriving” and that 40 businesses had opened in the past year, a figure opposition councillors say should be checked. The Bournemouth Echo checked a list of 41 businesses supplied by BCP Council and reported that 27 h
Opposition councillors have challenged BCP Council’s leader to walk through Bournemouth town centre with them.
The invitation follows Councillor Millie Earl’s ITV Meridian comments that the town centre was “thriving” and that 40 businesses had opened in the past year, a figure opposition councillors say should be checked.
The Bournemouth Echo checked a list of 41 businesses supplied by BCP Council and reported that 27 had opened between October 2025 and October 2026, while at least 17 closed in the same period.
That would leave a net gain of 10 businesses, and opposition group leaders said the figures gave a more limited picture than the one presented by the council leader during the interview.
Conservative group leader Councillor John Beesley said he was “appalled” by the approach and invited Councillor Earl to join him on a walk to discuss empty units and local trading conditions.
Reform UK group leader Councillor Duane Farr said every new opening was welcome, but residents and traders deserved “a more balanced picture” that also reflected closures and the pressure on high streets.
