It’s true! Bournemouth “Gaza Strip” DOES exist, at least that’s what the locals call it in suburb Charminster…

Bournemouth – An Introduction

“Sunny Bournemouth” is only 100 miles from London, on the south coast of England; it is almost opposite the Isle of Wight and is famous for its music festival and many yacht regattas.

The city is home to over 200,000 people, growing by the thousands on weekends and during the summer months; it is a well-known tourist center with many hotels, restaurants and leisure activities available.

At one point in Bournemouth’s history, there were more hotel rooms within its boundaries than any other city in Europe outside of London, with approximately 30,000 beds.
The city also benefits from being a world-class English language learning center, with many schools attracting students from all over the world to learn English.

Where to go – What to do

Bournemouth is in the county of Dorset and is an ideal tourist base. Holidaymakers benefit from a nine mile sandy beach, and it is well located for visiting Salisbury, Stonehenge, Winchester, the New Forest and Dorchester (the famous market town residing in what is known as “Hardy Country”). The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is just 45 minutes away, with over 90 miles of stunning coastline containing fossils dating back 180 million years and recording Earth’s history.

The climate is so mild in Bournemouth that the palm trees bloom all year round. It is a very green city, with many parks and a large number of excellent championship golf courses. It also benefits from its growing international airport, which already services many European countries, with direct flights to the main cities and tourist centers of the Mediterranean.

Nearby is Sandbanks Penisula, which has some of the most expensive houses in the world – the houses have beautiful views of the Purbeck Hills and one of the world’s largest and most impressive natural harbors – providing the perfect setting for sailing and water sports. . The marshes and marshes are an ecological paradise for the rest of birds.

There are three theatres: The Pavilion, The Pier Theater and the Bournemouth International Centre. We also have multiplexes, the Russell Coates Museum, an oceanarium. two docks, beautiful gardens and a pedestrian shopping area that runs from east to west of the city joining in the Town Center called The Square, which usually has a series of attractions throughout the year culminating in the German Christmas Market. The city also has its own large International Convention and Exhibition Center called BIC. At certain times of the year, the main leisure center has an ice rink installed. During the summer months there is a free fireworks display near Bournemouth Pier on Friday nights.

Bournemouth is also one of the most popular places in Europe for young clubbers. It is also a firm favorite for stag and hen parties.

Bournemouth was recently voted the ‘happiest place to live in the UK’ – receiving over 82% of the vote to come first.

The “Gaza Strip”

Let me reveal all about the “Strip”. I have already mentioned the large influx of language students who visit our city, they used to come from spring to autumn, but nowadays the schools are very busy all year round, such is the demand for English as a language all over the world. The consequence is that Bournemouth has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the United Kingdom.

To cater to the needs of these new temporary residents, Charminster’s main street has blossomed with bars, restaurants, cafes and shops selling exotic ethnic foods. Most of the owners of these outlets tend to be from the Middle East, with Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turks supplementing their numbers. Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Asian food stores are on the rise. It has made the main street a vibrant and colorful place to eat, drink and shop.

Bars and restaurants often serve food and drink throughout the day; you will not go hungry in the Gaza Strip.

I have noticed that there has been a change in body language and traditional English greetings, due to the influence of shopkeepers and students – many more men kiss and hug on the street quite easily! I have also noticed more back pats and handshakes than would have been seen before.

All in all, Gaza has benefited the community as a whole. In addition, due to the ban on smoking in shops and bars, there are more people on the street, they have adopted an almost bazaar camaraderie. If you take a walk in Gaza, you will notice the number of people shouting at each other with jokes and comments across the street, something unknown in conservative England.

Depending on which end of the strip you start from, the boundaries of “Gaza” are as follows: starting from the north, you have Sinbads restaurant at the traffic light, commonly known as “Kebab Juction and the Corner of the Gaza” (this was an instruction genuine for a taxi driver by a passenger, and he was taken directly there), he reaches the end of the strip in the south on Tesco Express. In between these crossings, you can feast on just about any delicious food you desire.

Restaurants and bars

Listed below are just a few of the places on the “Strip”. I have also included the nationalities of the owners, who have seen an opportunity to serve an extended community. They are to be commended for their foresight and capital investment in turning what was a mediocre suburban shopping street into a vibrant experience for all to enjoy.

In no particular order:

Sebis Brewery

iranian owner

Serves mostly continental food and a varied selection of wines, open late, very popular in the evenings, gets very crowded, mainly due to the efforts of Miguel, Marco, Einstein (Ali) Guzel and Ishmael the Boss, all great guys who they always have a smile and a welcome for you… not to mention their naughty cocktails.

the japanese inn

Japanese/English owner

This little restaurant and bar is run by Steve and his Japanese wife; they are right next to Sebis and serve some amazing versions of Japanese food that resemble Spanish tapas…nice people.

Dip

Syrian owner

This small and cozy restaurant and bar has a reputation for Italian/Spanish food with a fair amount of Middle Eastern food. It benefits from having a very sunny courtyard, where you can hang out and enjoy eating garlic olives, a slice of pizza and a glass or two of wine while watching the antics of the people parading up and down Gaza. Tariq is my host and he will always give you the time of day.

cucumbers

iranian owner

Serves mostly Italian food and wines along with that lovely Peroni beer, open late, very popular in the evenings, gets very crowded – they have great jazz nights and always go out of their way to provide live entertainment.

Sale and Pepe

iranian owner

A great Italian restaurant operated by the lovely Nikki and Nico the owners, luxury food and drink for the fussiest of eaters, only wish they would open at lunchtime again.

San Lorenzo

italian owner

Undoubtedly the most famous Italian restaurant on the strip, very friendly and ably run by Ann and Lorenzo for many years. This restaurant has a very long association with the soccer fraternity, having hosted many dinner parties for professional soccer players when they have come to compete in the city.

You also have the following to choose from:

Havanas Night Club… The Vibe Nightclub… Bar Zuka… Retro… San Miguel… Baraca… Damasco… Bedouin… Pass Mr Falafael…

STOP THE PRESS… An American Diner will soon be opened by an Englishman – ah, but he’s half Italian… God bless.

All of these places, and this is by no means a complete list, are owned or operated by the following nationalities:

Lebanese, Israelis, Turks, Moroccans, Palestinians, French Algerians… these great people have made the “Gaza Strip” what it is today. Thank you very much to all.

the sad part

I have a sad point to make, there is only one pub in Gaza. It’s called the Richmond Arms, and what a state the brewery has let her in. It has one of the largest gardens of any local pub and borders at least 100 feet of the “Strip”, separated only by dirty railings. This once happy and vibrant community pub is now in a disgraceful state of decoration. The opportunity to showcase on this thriving street and attract a plentiful customer base again is being missed. Given the effort our Middle Eastern friends have put in (and the quality too), the brewery should be ashamed.

A question?

Why do the people of Spain enjoy the freedom of choice when it comes to where you can and can’t smoke in a Bar/Restaurant environment?

They make me understand that if the venues are less than a certain square meter, say 100 or such venues only have a capacity for up to 100 people, then they can apply and are issued a license which they display at their front door and warn the public to make smoke inside… how sensible.

The question is of course… can it be done in the UK?

A good part

For the first time this year, an event known as the Bournemouth Sevens will take place at the sports venues near the airport, on May 31 and June 1, 2008. I have copied the information below if you are interested.

Roger Woodall, director of Diamond Sports Events, former rugby union player and founder of the Bournemouth Sevens, realized there was a unique opportunity in England to create a two-day festival on par with global tournaments such as Dubai, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. His goal is to make this annual festival the biggest in Europe, attracting people of all ages.

This rugby/music festival will be a whole weekend of entertainment!

It will be a magnificent event for years to come. Not only will there be 24 national teams competing fiercely for the number one spot, but we are delighted to announce our special guests, Rugby World Cup winners England (Lewis Moody, Martin Johnson or Jonny Wilkinson TBC), plus numerous other players. international and top-level rugby. In addition, the world renowned band Electric Mayhem will perform live at the festival. Not only will they rock the B7s Arena, but they will also bring a great production and PA system.

B7s will be a truly exclusive experience, taking place at the picturesque venue of Bournemouth Sports Club. It will be transformed into the ultimate sports arena with 65 acres of picturesque grounds and a capacity to serve 10,000 people each day. We are also very lucky to have our own car park and campsite for 3,000 people.

We welcome all rugby clubs, hockey clubs, netball clubs, sports clubs, universities and anyone who wants to have fun.

Be the first to experience this carnival weekend! Find more information at http://www.bournemouthsevens.com

Why not visit the Gaza Strip after the day’s events are over and Party On…

And if you are visiting Bournemouth with a group of people and need hotel accommodation, why not use our services? http://www.hotelsmart.co.uk

Welcome to the “Gaza Strip”… whenever.