Bournemouth: Old Christchurch Road frontages

Image: © Chris Downer Taken: 6 Oct 2010

In his "Notes from a Small Island", Bill Bryson praised the viewpoint of the upper deck of a bus for giving a different perspective on Britain's towns. It was the chapter that he took a bus from Bournemouth to Christchurch that he wrote of the fine facades which are all the more apparent from higher up because, on the ground floor, the shopfronts are just the same as anywhere else. He was not actually travelling along this part of Old Christchurch Road - it had already been pedestrianised when he wrote the book in 1994 - but his point is easily appreciated along here and it is always these buildings that spring to my mind when I read it. We are stood at the northeastern end of the pedestrianised section - the gate, which allows access to delivery vehicles during certain hours, can be seen a few yards in front of us.

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