The new ‘Ask Bournemouth’ Customer Service Centre in Boscombe is part of the Customer Access Strategy approved by Council in July 2004.  It was funded as part of the 2005/06 budget to improve access without adding to any congestion in Bournemouth Town Centre.

The key objectives are to improve the accessibility and availability of our services, especially in areas like Boscombe, which is the target of key regeneration investment.

As part of that overall regeneration, new face-to-face service centres are being created so you can drop in and ask your questions about the Council’s services and any other agencies that you may have enquiries relating to.  These centres will be in local communities, the first is situated within Boscombe.

In 2004 we conducted consultation with 200+ people. Interviewing in and around the Sovereign Centre – Boscombe, with community groups, including local traders and with local shop workers.  We found that shoppers were extremely keen to have a Customer Service Centre in Boscombe and particularly for it to be located within the central shopping precinct, easily reachable when going about their normal business.

To have a Customer Service Centre of this nature as part of the main shopping area is not unusual.  In many other towns it has been found to complement the shopping environment very well – providing the area with increased patronage and security, for example The London Borough of Ealing, Halton-in-Widness and Runcorn.