Canford Cliffsis asuburbofPooleinDorset,England.The neighbourhood lies on theEnglish Channelcoast midway between Poole andBournemouth.To the southwest isSandbankswhich has some of the highest property values in the world; withCanford Cliffsit forms aparishwhich has the fourth highest property prices in the world and second highest in theUnited KingdomafterLondon.[2]
| Canford Cliffs | |
|---|---|
 Clifftop: Cliff Drive, Canford Cliffs | |
  Canford Cliffs Location withinDorset | |
| Population | 8,620 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SZ055895 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | POOLE |
| Postcode district | BH13 |
| Dialling code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
History
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Originally part of the estate ofLord Wimborne,development began in the 1880s.[3]The land around Haven Road was divided into plots and buildings designed individually. To preventerosionof the cliffs, which caused annual falls, asea wallandpromenadewas constructed in the 1930s. The area was originally designed to be residential, with a church and village hall but few commercial buildings. The Canford Cliffs Land Society still works to preserve these goals, and there are few businesses and no industry in the area.[3]
In 2021, stabilisation works will be carried out to secure the cliffs.[4]Works began in September 2020.[5]
Geography
editCanford Cliffs is located along the eastern edge ofPoole Harbour.Canford Cliffs is south ofParkstoneand north of Sandbanks. Canford Cliffs is built around a small hill, with a maximum elevation of 30 metres abovesea level.[6]Canford Cliffs Chine, running southeast towards Sandbanks, issandyand flat and the neighbouring waters relatively shallow, making Canford Cliffs a popular site forwatersports,especiallywindsurfingandparasailing.[7]
Demographics
editCanford Cliffs has a significant population ofretiredpeople; in the2001 Census,31.30% of the population was registered as retired,[8]twice the national average, while 44.42% of the population was registered as being over 65, far greater than the national average of 15.89%.[8]
The area is also far more affluent than typical: the area has a type 1ACORN classification(affluent mature professionals, large houses), putting it in the top 1.7% of the population.[9]62.55% of homes are owned outright,[8]while the national average is 21.19%,[8]and less than 0.6% of the population lives incouncil housing,only one-twentieth of the national average, 13.21%.[8]73.26% of the population is in the ABC1social gradewhen the national average is 51.91%.[8]81.66% of households have no dependent children against a national average of 56.58%.[8]
Banking controversy
editThe area is home to the Canford Cliffs branch ofHSBC.The bank announced that as apilot experiment,the entire branch would be upgraded to a "premium" branch. Althoughcashpointswould remain free-of-use outside the branch, all indoor services would be restricted to those with savings of£50,000, amortgageof £200,000, or a salary of £100,000 and a mortgage of £75,000; otherwise the customer must pay £19.95 per month or use another branch.[10]
HSBC defended its decision, claiming "not everybody in the world is equal. Some people have higher incomes and need greater services through the bank. These customers demand a better service"[10]and referring to its other branches in the Poole area, which remain free of charge.
However, the move angered many customers and commentators;The Daily Telegraphquoted one account holder as saying "This is outrageous. It is particularly discriminatory against people who are house rich and cash poor. What happens if you are an elderly person living in a £500,000 house with no mortgage and no £75,000 salary?",[10]while the customer advisory serviceMoney Supermarketexpressed fears that it may be "thin end of the wedge", saying "HSBC has given the green light to other high street providers to look at splitting their customers into first class and cattle class".[11]
The branch was subsequently closed on 6 November 2015. HSBC said the closure was due to the rise of internet banking and the impending renewal of the lease.[12]
Politics
editCanford Cliffs is part of theCanford Cliffs wardwhich elects two councillors toBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council,and also thePoole parliamentary constituency.
References
edit- ^"Ward population 2011".Neighbourhood Statistics.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved6 April2015.
- ^McVeigh, Karen (12 April 2007)."The bank that likes to say... push off".The Guardian.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^ab"The Parish of Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks".Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks PCC. Archived fromthe originalon 18 February 2007.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^"Canford Cliffs promenade closed for stabilisation works".BBC News.21 February 2021.Retrieved22 February2021.
- ^"Canford Cliffs stabilisation works begin after landslips".BBC News.21 September 2020.Retrieved22 February2021.
- ^Landranger 195 - Bournemouth, Purbeck and surrounding area,Ordnance Survey,1991.
- ^"Canford Cliffs Chine Beach".PooleView.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^abcdefg"Neighbourhood statistics: Canford Cliff Ward".2001 Census.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^"My Neighbors".UpMyStreet.Archived fromthe originalon 30 September 2007.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^abc"High street bank that talks only to the wealthy".The Daily Telegraph.12 April 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 18 May 2007.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^Hill, Jennifer (12 April 2007)."HSBC move could be thin end of the wedge".Reuters.Archived fromthe originalon 17 July 2012.Retrieved13 April2007.
- ^"HSBC shuts bank branch reserved exclusively for rich customers because not enough people used it".The Mirror.25 August 2015.Retrieved25 July2016.
External links
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Media related toCanford Cliffsat Wikimedia Commons