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Discover Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a thriving market town in East Dorset with great shopping, facilities, restaurants, accommodation and attractions to appeal to everyone.
Whether you want a fine dining experience or simply a hot drink and a slice of cake, Wimborne has a plethora of restaurants, coffee houses and amazing local pubs that will meet your taste and budget.
Over and above some great national store chains, Wimborne boasts a wide range of unique independent shops that offer great service and a relaxed, friendly shopping experience.
Ideally located for visiting the beautiful Kingston Lacy country house, Wimborne has its own treasures - the Minster Church, art deco Tivoli theatre, Priests House Museum , Walford Mill Craft Centre and its famous Model Town, to name but a few.
Seeking financial, legal, banking or insurance services, Wimborne can offer you a wide choice of businesses to meet your personal needs. The town's business sector covers everything from health and beauty to re-upholstering your favourite armchair.
How to get here
We are delighted that you are looking at how to get to Wimborne Minster. Wimborne Minster is set in the beautiful East Dorset countryside, but only 8 miles approx from Bournemouth and Poole, just 40 minutes from Southampton and Salisbury and just 2 hours from London and Bristol.
What to do in Wimborne
Ideally located for visiting the beautiful Kingston Lacy country house, Wimborne has its own treasures – the Minster Church, art deco Tivoli theatre, Priests House Museum, Walford Mill Craft Centre, its famous Model Town and its covered market, to name but a few.
Where to stay
For the perfect break in the town, take a look at our collection of accommodation in Wimborne Minster, including hotels, cottages, B&Bs, and holiday parks. With our wide selection, you are sure to find something to suit your needs and requirements.
Food and Drink
Whether you want a fine dining experience or simply a hot drink and a slice of cake, Wimborne has a plethora of restaurants, coffee houses and amazing local pubs that will meet your taste and budget.
What's on
If you would like to suggest an event that we should display on our calendar, please click here.
On our Calendar page please click on the Post your Event tab and fill in the online form to submit your event.
The event should be taking place in Wimborne Minster and be open to the public.
All events are subject to change. For more information please contact Wimborne Tourist Information Centre on 01202 886116.
Upcoming Events
Frequently Asked Questions
Images Around Wimborne Minster
Videos Around Wimborne Minster
Video: Aspects of Wimborne
Video: Radio Wimborne promotional video
Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community exists to address four key priorities. These have been identified at a National level but tailored to meet the needs of local communities:-
- To raise the awareness of dementia in the local community
- Commit to Action Plans
- Sign up to a National Dementia Declaration
- Create Dementia Friendly Communities
On the local scene, our aim over the past 3 or 4 years has been to identify and address as many of the barriers that people living with dementia face when out and about in Wimborne. It has been found nationally that 47% of people living with dementia no longer felt part of their community. Our aim is to improve on this disturbing figure for both local residents and those who choose to holiday in this popular tourist area.
For more information, please contact Debbie Horlock through the Alzheimer’s Society local office in Branksome (01202 764352 or email to Debbie.Horlock@alzheimers.org.uk), email Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community at Wimbornedfc@gmail.com or visit our web page here.
Why Fairtrade?
Fairtrade puts more power into the hands of such producers and demonstrates that there are alternatives to large-scale trade, alternatives that work for the producers and for us as consumers.
The Fairtrade Foundation certifies products as fairly traded and awards the Fairtrade Mark.
Representatives of local businesses, schools and the Town Council, working with fairtrade volunteers, helped Wimborne achieve Fairtrade Town status in 2006. Since then the number of shops, cafes, restaurants and residential accommodation offering fairly traded goods has more than trebled.
For more information on the work of the Wimborne Fairtrade Group, please contact its conveyor, Robert Pearce, on 01202 886651.
Town Twinning
Wimborne Minster is twinned
with Valognes, France and Ochsenfurt, Germany
Wimborne / Valognes
The Wimborne/Valognes Twinning Association was founded in 1968 under the auspices of Wimborne Town Council and is one of the oldest such associations in the country. Valognes is a town of similar size to Wimborne and is situated about 13 miles south of Cherbourg in the Manche Department, which is itself twinned with the county of Dorset.
The objectives of the Association are to foster and promote goodwill between organisations and individuals of these two communities in a variety of ways, e.g. school exchanges, exchange visits and by encouraging a greater knowledge of the other community’s environment and lifestyles. Anyone interested in furthering these objectives may become a member on payment of a small subscription, which includes a quarterly newsletter.
The Association currently has around 200 members who enjoy a full and varied programme of events throughout the year, which help to raise funds for the entertainment of our French visitors, usually a group of about 25 to 30, on their visits every other year, hosted by members. In alternate years, a group from Wimborne visits Valognes when they are in turn hosted and receive a very warm welcome and a full programme of entertainments. Many lasting friendships have been formed in this way.
Wimborne / Ochsenfurt
Ochsenfurt is Wimborne’s twin Town in Germany. It is situated south of Würzburg, roughly half way between Frankfurt and Nurnberg, and stands on the River Main, a navigable tributary of the Rhine. This area of northern Bavaria is famed for its beers and white wines.
The region has had a connection with Wimborne since 740 A.D. when nuns from the powerful monastery in Wimborne were sent as missionaries to that part of Germany (Franconia). They are remembered to this day as Patron Saints of towns and villages there.
The Wimborne/Ochsenfurt Twinning Association was founded in 1989, when Wimborne Minster Town Council agreed to the formal twinning of the two towns.
Some visits have been made by specific groups e.g. students, orchestral musicians, choirs, scouts and sportsmen, but the majority of the exchanges have been general visits to and from Ochsenfurt, usually in alternate years. This enables members who do not belong to any formal group to stay with a family and get to know people, the picturesque town and the surrounding area. Visitors from the Wimborne area have always been most hospitably received.
The Historic Town Trail
The Historic Town trail consists of three separate trails which can be combined into one enjoyable two hour trail around historic Wimborne or done individually, according to time available.
Positioned around the trail are 12 green plaques located at places of special historic interest (see below). A leaflet including a map showing the location of the plaques is available for £1 from the Tourist Information Office and the Town Council Office.
- First Methodist Church
- Old Grammar School
- Deans Court Lane
- Albion Inn
- Matthew Prior’s Birthplace
- Allendale House
- Wimborne Parish Workhouse
- Priest’s House Museum
- The Tivoli Theatre
- Gulliver House
- Victoria Hospital
- Wimborne Railway Station
Contact the BID
BID Directors
Wimborne BID Directors
Martin Brunt Chairman
Email: martin.brunt@sjpp.co.uk
Mike Dyer East Dorset District Council representative
Email: cllr.mdyer@eastdorsetdc.gov.uk
Ben Richardson Deputy Chair and Marketing and advertising
Email: ben@harkerandbullman.co.uk
Laura Green Events
Email: laura@butchersdogdorset.com
Simon Thomas Events
Email: simoncthomas@outlook.com
Richard Nunn Cleaner, Greener, Safer and Wimborne Minster Town Council representative
Email: richardnunn@talktalk.net
Georgie Boyd Cleaner, Greener, Safer
Email: enquiries@thethirstybird.co.uk
Martin Pate Business Support
Email: mp@mjplaw.co.uk
For media enquiries please contact office@wimborne.info.
Contact Us
Wimborne BID Office
Allendale House
Hanham Road
Wimborne Minster
Dorset
BH21 1AS
BID Manager
Tammy Sleet
office@wimborne.info
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