Bournemouth Town Centre BID brings businesses, police and council together to drive action in the Triangle

Business owners from Bournemouth's Triangle met yesterday with senior representatives from Dorset Police and BCP Council to tackle concerns around anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, drug-related activity and public safety.

Organised & chaired by Bournemouth Town Centre BID, the meeting, held at Flirt Cafe & Bar, brought together businesses and key decision-makers to discuss the challenges facing the area, agree practical solutions and strengthen partnership working between all organisations.

Businesses forcefully shared their experiences directly with representatives from neighbourhood policing, BCP Council's anti-social behaviour and homelessness teams, helping to shape the next steps for improving the Triangle.

Key themes discussed included anti-social behaviour and its impact on businesses, police visibility and response times, improving communication around incident reporting, environmental concerns and strengthening collaboration between Dorset Police and businesses.

Following the meeting, partners agreed a series of actions designed to improve communication, confidence and safety in the area. These include:

• Increasing the visibility of police officers in the Triangle during both the day and evening. 
• Continuing targeted policing operations to tackle crime, drug-related activity and anti-social behaviour. 
• Improving communication with businesses, including clearer guidance on how incidents should be reported and how reports contribute to police action. 
• Encouraging businesses to use the BID's SentrySIS reporting platform to strengthen intelligence gathering and help identify repeat offenders. 
• Holding regular meetings between businesses, Bournemouth Town Centre BID, Dorset Police and BCP Council to review progress and respond to emerging issues. 
• Continuing environmental improvements, including tackling graffiti, reviewing bin provision and maintaining public spaces. 
• Reconvening the group in the coming months to review progress against the agreed actions. 

Dorset Police also confirmed that businesses and visitors will see an increased police presence in the Triangle as neighbourhood officers continue to focus on the area and carry out targeted operations to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

Martin Davies, Chair of Bournemouth Town Centre BID, said:

"Businesses made it clear what challenges they are facing. This meeting focused on listening, bringing the right organisations together and agreeing practical, tangible actions.

"The Triangle is a vital part of Bournemouth's town centre, home to many independent businesses that contribute significantly to the local economy. By working together, we can address concerns constructively, improve confidence and ensure the area remains welcoming for businesses, residents and visitors."

“This isn't a one-off meeting. We'll continue bringing businesses, Dorset Police and BCP Council together on a regular basis to make sure progress is being made and that our levy payers get the service they deserve from these statutory authorities and can see the positive changes happening across the Triangle."

Chief Inspector Barry Gosling of Dorset Police said:

 “We are committed to working with local businesses and members of the community to address any issues and concerns in the area of the Triangle.

“We recognise the importance of a collaborative approach and keeping the community fully updated with the actions we are taking and progress we are making, which is something we have committed to doing. 

“We are committed to tackling crime and  anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the Bournemouth Triangle and the wider town centre area and will work relentlessly to reduce incidents for the community.

“We acknowledge that crime and ASB affects people’s quality of life and how safe they feel within their communities, whether that’s in their own homes, at work or in public places. 

“We take all reports of crime and anti-social behaviour seriously and remain committed to working with our partners to confront these issues, hold offenders to account and support victims. 

“Reporting helps us to understand what and where ASB is happening in your community – if we don’t know about it, we can’t put a stop to it – so please continue to report it to us.”

Kelly Deane, Director of Housing and Public Protection, said: 

"We know recent incidents in the Triangle have caused serious concern, which is why today's meeting was so important. Crime and anti-social behaviour often go hand in hand, and tackling these issues needs a coordinated response from the council, Dorset Police and our wider partners. We're strengthening our community safety presence through increased patrols in the area, while also looking at any environmental improvements that can help address some of the concerns raised.

"The strong turnout showed just how much people care about the Triangle, and there was a willingness from everyone involved to work together. We’ll continue to listen to businesses and residents and take action alongside our partners to make the area a safer and more welcoming place for all."

The next meeting, organised & facilitated by the Bournemouth Town Centre BID will take place in two months' time to ensure concerns continue to be heard, progress is monitored and actions remain on track.