BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole) Council chose Greenspan back in November 2018 to develop an underutilised bit of public space, right next to the pier on Bournemouth beach, into a stunning 18 hole Adventure golf course. We were asked to design a uniquely themed concept based on the history of smuggling in Bournemouth. Since opening in July 2019 (just in time for the school holidays) the Smugglers Cove course has seen amazing numbers of visitors coming to enjoy the inspirationally designed and built holes which include, a massive waterfall, large central lake, bespoke building structures, themed obstacles, and more!
Andrew Emery, Resort Development & Strategic Planning Manager for BCP Council, is delighted with the popularity of the course since opening (not including the past year with COVID restrictions). He provides us with his highly positive testimony on how the course has significantly raised average visitor spend, and also increased the amount of time people stayed at Pier Approach.
“More than happy to confirm that the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course constructed for BCP Council by Greenspan is on target to achieve projected footfall and visitor spend projections set out in the original business plan for the period since opening at the beginning of August through to the end of the financial year 31st March 2020, having achieved close to 29k visitors to date (end Dec 2019). Visitor footfall is largely seasonally driven with around 49.5% of total footfall to date occurring during the school summer holiday period.”
“The development of the adventure golf course has introduced a new family leisure attraction to the seafront, complimenting significant recent investment in the public realm around Bournemouth Pier and provided additional reasons for residents and visitors to enjoy the seafront and extend their visits. The course, which is run in house by the Council’s tourism department has helped to re-activate an underutilised site and generate a new source of revenue for the Council. The project has been conceived as a medium-term (5 year) solution for a space with significant planning constraints attached to it.”
“The golf has played a key role along with a wider range of investments and improvements by the Council in the Pier Approach area to drive up visitor dwell and spend. Other improvements have included a café extension, a water play facility, a new tourist information centre, new public lighting and refurbished public toilets.”
In 2015 and 2019 BCP Council undertook face to face visitor surveys in the pier approach area to measure the impacts before and after the various improvements. The results show that in 2015 average visitor spend on leisure in Pier Approach was £7.53. By 2019 this had risen to £13.06.
Visitor dwell also showed a marked increase: In 2015, 35% spent between 2 and 4 hours and 16% spent over 4 hours. The results for 2019 showed: 52% spent between 2 and 4 hours and 29% spent over 4 hours.
“Finally, Greenspan worked closely with the Council to develop and deliver a course that reflects some key elements from Bournemouth’s little known pre-history as a smuggler’s haunt in the 18th century, prior to the development of the town. The course presents some key elements of that story in an easily accessible way and we are already considering ways in which to develop this narrative further, contributing to a unique sense of place.”
We are appreciative of Andrew providing the testimony and are extremely happy about the course’s success.
For full information, visuals, and video on the Smugglers Cove project please Click Here
To visit the main website for Smugglers Cove please Click Here
