Commercial postcard of The Square, Bournemouth - circa 1960

This commercial postcard view dating from around 1960 shows Bournemouth’s unusual bus and coach station to very good effect. The general view is of what is called The Square and is taken from one of the buildings on Bourne Avenue facing towards Exeter Road which is in the centre of the photograph along one side of the station. Avenue Road and Commercial Road are to the right of the trolleybus in the bottom right corner. The roundabout no longer exists, the roadway along the front of Bobby’s Department Store (now Debenhams) between Exeter Road and Avenue Road is now pedestrianised as is the section at the bottom left corner of the photograph. On one side of the old roundabout traffic flows from Avenue Road to Bourne Avenue and on the other side it flows down Exeter Road to Gervis Place along the path where the darker coloured buses are. The former is opened to all traffic whereas the latter is restricted to local buses, taxis and cycles. The area where the roundabout is located in the photograph is now occupied by a circular café and paved area.

The two storey station was opened in 1931 as a joint venture between Elliott Brothers (Royal Blue) Coaches and Hants & Dorset Motor Services. It was enlarged in 1959. Royal Blue used the lower covered area whilst Hants & Dorset used the open area forming the roof. The latter can be seen to the left of the bus station building.

In the early hours of 25 July 1976 a fire broke out in the lower covered area of the bus station the effects of which made the building unsound. It was eventually demolished and the site is now occupied by a cinema and leisure complex featuring restaurants etc part of which can be seen in my photographs taken in July/August 2018.