Ashley Road’s got it all!

Let’s be honest: Ashley Road in Poole is not the most beautiful place. The one and a half mile-long road runs from Sea View (where there are fabulous views of Poole Harbour) in the west to Branksome Roundabout in the east and is, frankly, ‘urban’.

However, what the road lacks in beauty it makes up for in opportunity, being crammed full of all manner of businesses. You can buy your vinyl there, at Big Brother Music & Film or get a tattoo at The Black Pearl, invest in some speciality tea or prepare for your wedding, get your cat spayed (Vets4Pets) or buy a car, sell a house and place a bet. 

Ashley Road is where you go to do your ‘chores’; it offers all the necessary amenities – library, post office, banks, laundrettes and chemists - Bryant Pharmacy is always extremely helpful. Get your PC fixed at PCs Made Simple or PC Connect, your bike mended at Cyclefix or even your ironing done at The Ironing Service. 

There are churches, a mosque and sporting opportunities in the form of Bendall’s Gym (of Steve Bendall boxing fame) and MatSpace (if you’re in the mood for some Brazilian Jujitsu). 

Give your home a refresh with a visit to Drapes & Blinds, Contakt Carpets or The Tile Centre and grab a bargain at British Heart Foundation (Furniture & Electrical).  Alternatively, if you’re feeling flush, splash out on a swimming pool at Clearway Pools. 

Your transport needs are covered too, with a friendly welcome at RB Prestige Cars, maintenance and repairs at S&G Auto Care or highly-rated service at Parkstone Tyres. 

Need to do a food shop? You’re spoilt for choice; there are the usual household names – Co-op, Iceland and Waitrose but also individual places for all kinds of speciality foods. Try the popular Makkah Food Stores for “the very best ingredients the world has to offer”, including beautiful fresh fruit, halal meat and an enormous range of spices at competitive prices. Or, for Polish delicacies, Parkstone Delicatessen. There’s Mister Biltong for tasty South African and the Romanian and Polish Store - guess what they sell. 

For a vast range of delicious, freshly-baked bread and hand-made cakes, don’t miss Crusty Bread Artisan Bakery, next to Waitrose, where you can also sit in and enjoy breakfast, lunch or a coffee. Also useful are Youngs Butchers and Roebridge Natural Food Market, a family-run greengrocer with fresh fruit and veg and much more. Don’t miss It’s Tea for quality, loose leaf teas, coffee and accessories; from ‘Christmas blends’ to ‘teas to beat a cold’, there’s nothing these people don’t know about tea! They even do tea tastings!  

When I need a sit-down and maybe a little something, I head to the above-mentioned bakery or to Boheme Coffee Lounge & Bar, which is full of character – and you can take your dog! Or the friendly Serenitea Café, run by EDAS; “a welcoming space and a listening ear alongside eat-in or takeaway homemade food.” Heather’s Tearoom is a good call and I’ve heard wonderful things about Crumbles (think full English with bells on, omelettes and toasties). Bueno Gelato is your go-to for decadent ice-cream-based puds that are bigger than your head. 

In terms of restaurants, Siam Signature Thai is our favourite takeaway choice in the Poole area, it's just excuisite! But the restaurant is also really worth a visit for an authentic family run Thai dining experience. Alghero does mean Italian/Sardinian dishes, and Bamboo Leaf is the place for an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. If you need something a little stronger, the two main pubs on Ashley Road are The Churchill and Victoria Cross, both standard traditional British establishments. For a great real ale (a choice of 24 every day in fact), The Barking Cat Alehouse is fabulous. 

In all honesty, if you’re a fan of charity shops you’re in luck on Ashley Road, with Prama, CRY Shop, Scope, Marie Curie and Age UK in close proximity. Other than that, clothes shopping is fairly sparce – Peacocks is the only place that immediately springs to mind. Having said that, it seems to be an approved place for wedding dress shopping, most notably at Sarah Jane Bridal and Isobel’s Bridal & Groom, where the lovely Amy will take good care of you. Then visit A Touch of Class Events, where staff will help you make your dream wedding a reality. 

Beautifying for your big day (or any other day) is easy too. You can preen at various hair salons – Gloss Hair Lounge (named best salon in Dorset 2021) and Evolve Hair & Beauty come to mind. Indulge in a manicure at Manhatten & Rose, a tan at Summer Jam and a range of beauty treatments at BEAUTIQUE Beauty Salon or Beautifully Gorgeous. Gents, head to H73 Traditional Turkish Barbers or Wild & Co Grooming Salon for a close shave or Inkspiration or The Rising Tide for a tattoo – or do both at Blood Brothers. 

Get your eyes tested at Parkstone Eyecare, have a glow-up at SCA Clinic (think botox and lip fillers) or a hard-core sports massage at Parkstone Chiropractic Clinic. 

In all seriousness, there is so much on Ashley Road, I can’t possibly mention everything so why not take a stroll and see for yourself? 

Can’t be bothered? Then sample one of the numerous take-aways instead from the comfort of your own home. I won’t pretend I’ve sampled them all, but I can vouch for Roosters Piri Piri and The Gurkha Spice. Other Indian take-aways include The Curry House and Imrans - Heart of India. Amongst the pizza offerings, I would choose El Murrino (gorgeous wood-fired pizzas) and for Chinese, the Canton Chinese or Alex Wok. Great burgers can be found at Smokeys Flame Grilled Burgers and for sushi, there’s Shark Tail Sushi. I have it on good authority that Pendik Kebab & Pizza is a wise choice as is Pintoh Thong Thai Takeaway at the Sea View end. 

That's just a flavour and, as you can see, the community around Ashley Road is diverse - that’s what gives it its charm. There are all walks of life and all types of business to suit, with some well-established favourites - Guitar Mania, Parkwood Florists, Raffles Jewellers and DJ Brooking (books and art supplies) and some newer ventures - EcoNatural Products to name just one, reflecting changes in society. 

In the end, it’s the people who make a place and there are some real characters to be found on Ashley Road; let’s get behind them, get to know them and make sure this part of Poole keeps regenerating. 

By Emily McGregor, Local News and Lifestyle Reporter