Castlepoint Shopping Centre — Local services in Great Britain

The cornerstone of the shopping centre, almost literally, are Sainsburys, Asda and Marks & Spencer. In between these shops there is a line-up of the usual suspects, most of them high street chains. Nothing special but a decent combination. However, over what feels like the last 4-5 years, there are consistent building works around the car park with new ways to enter, to leave or simply to park. Sometimes whole chunks of previous car park spaces are missing. It is an attempt to keep things going while fixing what seems to be failures in the original build. This is understandable. What is less understandable is that the management of Castlepoint came up with the glorious idea to contract with one of the big private car park operator companies, unfortunately known for their unsympathic approach to appeals when tickets are given out. Not just small amounts, nope, a breach is worth £100. Over all the last years I never experienced any problems of this sort while parking there but recently, since December last year I believe, this has changed and, reading the recent reviews, many people have been disproportionately affected by large fines for rather minor contract breaches. The Castlepoint management have set up the grand amount of 2 devices across the whole place to allow customers to enter their registration details, which then allows to stay longer than 4 hours. They have, on their website (and who would go there before a visit) explained where to go and what to do once fined, but, alas not before you get fined. While some rules have to be upheld one could think that maybe once all the building works are finished these changes could be brought in, clearly displayed (and not on partly covered signs across the building areas), with charges reflecting the severity of the problem. On my part, I will take my business elsewhere, partly online. They might not notice the action of one person, but if many people do the same, I think they will. And their customers (as for the management company), who are the shops, will...

Haven’t been to castlepoint for a couple plus years now… so today I popped in…except I took the wrong bit of road …and promptly popped out…sailed straight past the lower floors as wasn’t sure if these entries were for shop deliveries..anyway I manage to turn round and then headed up the ramp and found a parking space …it was and always will be TKMaxx for me … Southampton has been a regular haunt for me ..and now that the m27 has such narrow lanes I will never go on that part of the road ever again…I have had a crash in my car in june and only just got my car back (not my fault)…so I am incredibly anxious driving my car which (its a Bentley covertable ) as since the last week or so I have seemingly become an target and I have managed to avoid getting smacked into a times ! So the narrow lanes to hedge end will be avoided at all costs… But what a delight is the TKMax store. SOOOO much better that Southampton the shop Is full of delightful goodies …staff were friendly (so so are soton ) car parking was plentiful and had lots of disabled parking …10/10 Castlpoint …Southampton take note ….you are really letting the high street down with all the dreadful planning…I cannot push my daughters wheelchair into west quay from the city centre ..the incline is way too steep for me …coming out would be fun for my girlie not so much fun for me trying to hold on to the handles and using all of my strength to not turn her wheelchair into a ride more suitable to...

Ah, Castlepoint Shopping Centre in Bournemouth—a sprawling retail haven that’s as British as queuing for a cup of tea. Boasting over 35 national retailers, including M&S, Next, H&M, and Boots, it's a one-stop shop for all your high street desires. With more than 2,500 parking spaces offering four hours of free parking, it's as if they've rolled out the red carpet for your wallet.

Navigating the car park can feel like a scene from 'The Italian Job,' with its maze-like layout and the occasional construction detour. And beware the four-hour parking limit—linger too long over a latte, and you might find yourself contributing to the local council's Christmas party fund via a hefty fine.

The selection of shops is commendable, covering everything from fashion to electronics. However, the open-air design means you're at the mercy of the British weather—a sunny day turns it into a pleasant promenade, but when it rains, it's more of a 'dodge the puddle' adventure.

In comparison to the air-conditioned, labyrinthine malls of Thailand, Castlepoint offers a more straightforward, albeit weather-dependent, shopping experience. It's like comparing a hearty shepherd's pie to a spicy Thai curry—both satisfying, but catering to different tastes.

Overall, Castlepoint Shopping Centre is a solid choice for high street shopping, with a few quirks that add to its character. I’d rate it a whimsical...