A view across a street to a historic three storey brick building, now a pair of shops. The building has white painted sash windows, bow windows on the ground floor. A painted sign above the door reads Cinnamon House circa 1692.
Cinnamon House, 24-26 High Street is being repaired through the Poole High Street HAZ. © BCP Council
Cinnamon House, 24-26 High Street is being repaired through the Poole High Street HAZ. © BCP Council

Poole High Street Heritage Action Zone

Poole's spectacular setting is Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world.

Contents
  1. How the Poole High Street Heritage Action Zone will help
  2. Stay up to date
  3. Working in partnership with

Once a small medieval fishing harbour, Poole has since developed into a commercial port with major maritime industries. Against the spectacular backdrop of Poole Harbour, the High Street forms the main link between the historic Quayside and the town centre. Poole is an established visitor attraction and has a lively sense of place with a mix of Georgian houses, fine Victorian commercial buildings and 1930s art deco shopfronts.

How the Poole High Street Heritage Action Zone will help

Poole town centre is experiencing a number of challenges. It has a high vacancy rate and its retail offer is characterised by low- to mid-market outlets. Footfall has declined dramatically in recent years, and is lower in winter than summer. The fabric of the High Street has also deteriorated. Many of its historic buildings are in poor repair and the public realm is tired and lacklustre. There has been a gradual deterioration in the quality of the retail environment, with shopfronts in disrepair and frontages blighted by inappropriate development and poor signage. There are wider social challenges too. Few people live in the town centre and there is no real evening economy, creating the impression of a place lacking vibrancy.

The award of up to £625,000 to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will deliver a Heritage Action Zone focussed on the High Street to the Quayside, forming part of wider regeneration plans for Poole town centre. The Heritage Action Zone will fund repairs to historic buildings and bring vacant buildings and upper floors back into use, especially for creative start-ups. It will also fund improvements to the public realm and pedestrian routes to make the town centre more attractive and accessible. It will also support a cultural programme involving partners including Poole Light House, Arts University Bournemouth and Poole Museums, who will devise creative ways to celebrate Poole and bring new activities and audiences into its historic heart.

High Street Culture

Find out what’s coming up in our four-year programme of cultural activity across England's High Streets Heritage Action Zones, continuing until 2024.

Find out more

High Street regeneration in progress

Repairs are planned or under way at a number of historic buildings on Poole High Street.

A stonemason repairs the interior of a historic building with exposed stonework. A view across a street to a historic three storey brick building, now a pair of shops. The building has white painted sash windows, bow windows on the ground floor. A painted sign above the door reads Cinnamon House circa 1692. A side view of the oustide of a historic shopfront with full height windows. The woodwork and fascia are painted black with gold lettering. A single story cafe building with an historic shopfront with large windows. It has been freshly redecorated and has striking signage above the door. A view down a historic high street with colourful bunting strung between the shops A view across a street to a three-storye red-brick building with white sash windows. The ground floor of the building is behind hoardings as it is being repaired.

Working in partnership with

  • Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council
  • Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership
  • Poole Quays Neighbourhood Forum
  • Poole BID

High Streets

Also of interest

South West Highlights