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28 Mar 01POOLE TO PARTY ON THE BEACH
Poole Tourism Partnership has announced three new special events for 2001.
Last year the Tourism Partnership announced a five year tourism strategy for Poole and prioritised new stylish events as a tactic for furthering the image of Poole and improving the town’s tourism competitiveness.
The centrepiece of the programme - ‘On the Beach’ - will be held each Thursday evening in July and August. This new event concentrates on live music from samba, steel and jazz bands, beach barbecues with continental style menus, beach sports and water activities and culminating with a burst of fireworks as a finale.
Bruce Grant-Braham, Chairman of Poole Tourism Partnership, says: "’On the Beach" aims to create the coolest beach party in England. The beach barbecues will be stylish, beach sports entertaining and the live steel/samba and swing bands should prove that Poole can party just as well as Rio, Bondi, and St Tropez!"
"What’s more the party goes on for nine weeks: it’s free, and will be as much fun for residents as it will for visitors," added Cllr Sandra Moore, Vice Chair of Poole Tourism Partnership. "The fun will stretch from Sandbanks to Branksome Dene Chine and we hope that the combination of fresh sea-air, a leisurely stroll along the best beach in England, and the entertainment we will organise, will become a ‘must-do’ this Summer."
The Partnership also announced Hex-treme - 2nd September 2001 - as an exciting new triathlon style event comprising a 500m swim from Sandbanks Beach; windsurf course at Whitley Lake; a 10K cycle route ending at Poole Park; 1000m row on Poole Park Lake; a single handed sail course from Baiter; and a 5K road run back to Sandbanks Beach.
"This unique event shows the commitment to developing a programme of stylish and image building events for Poole. If all goes well we anticipate other towns and cities in the UK copying this concept with a national Hex-treme championship being held in Poole in future years," said Graham Richardson, Poole’s Tourism Manager. "We aim to attract up to 50 entrants, either as individuals or teams of two."
‘Taste’ - Poole’s first ‘Festival of Food’ (7th - 16th September 2001) was the third major event announced at the launch event held at Sands Brasserie, Sandbanks, Poole. "We have some outstanding chefs and a host of stylish restaurants in Poole who have all created Poole’s growing reputation. ‘Taste’ will involve 24 restaurants flaunting their own style so that local residents and visitors can indulge in fine food and wine, while the food and drinks editors of the national press sit up and take notice of our ambition to become ‘number one’ outside of London," said Jane Jones, event organiser. "The event will encompass the traditional French Street Market and British Farmers Market and will end in a stylish dinner event."
The Poole Tourism Partnership also announced support for ‘Windfest 2001’ - a nine day European formula windsurfing festival to be held at Sandbanks from September 8 to 16.
‘Go-Boating’ - 23-24th June at Poole Quay - organised by Salterns Marina’s James Sydenham for the British Marine Industry Federation’s annual round-the-coast event. The event was first held in 2000 and almost 1000 people took to the water in Poole Harbour.
Also announced was the dates for the annual Offshore Power Boat Grand-Prix - 18th and 19th August - organised by the Royal Motor Yacht Club.
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Editors notes:
The Poole Tourism Partnership comprises over 200 local tourism businesses and the Borough of Poole in a £210,000 match funded programme of tourism marketing activities.
Graham Richardson, Tourism Manager, Tel: (01202) 262677
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