Trade profiles (1): hospitality (1)

Introduction

Trade profiles (1) shows the proportion of all Bournemouth commercial listings taken by hospitality businesses as reported by directories published during the period 1859-1898. Listings used appear within the entire Greater Westover area.

Trade profiles (1): tables

Hospitality: share of all enterprises	1859	1871	1880	1889	1898
Lodgings/Apartments	24%	13%	20%	29%	27%
Hotels/Pubs/Restaurants	4%	7%	4%	3%	3%
Rest	72%	80%	76%	68%	70%

Indexed growth rates	1859	1871	1880	1889	1898
Lodgings/Apartments	1.00	1.05	5.29	16.53	22.13
Hotels/Pubs/Restaurants	1.00	4.17	7.33	12.33	14.50
Rest	1.00	2.19	6.65	12.76	19.10

Split between hospitality types	1859	1871	1880	1889	1898
Apartments	0%	0%	27%	91%	90%
Boarding house	0%	3%	5%	6%	10%
Lodging house	100%	98%	68%	2%	0%
Grand Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Geographic distribution across Greater Westover: Lodging houses	1859	1871	1880	1889	1898
Bournemouth	100%	100%	92%	78%	65%
Boscombe Pokesdown	0%	0%	3%	10%	22%
Springbourne	0%	0%	4%	4%	6%
Westbourne	0%	0%	0%	8%	5%
Southbourne	0%	0%	0%	0%	1%
Rural Greater Westover	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Winton Moordown	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%

Geographic distribution across Greater Westover: Hotels, pubs, restaurants	1859	1871	1880	1889	1898
Bournemouth	83%	60%	41%	35%	36%
Boscombe Pokesdown	0%	16%	9%	12%	22%
Springbourne	0%	4%	11%	11%	11%
Winton Moordown	0%	0%	5%	7%	5%
Rural Greater Westover	17%	12%	9%	4%	3%
Southbourne	0%	0%	0%	3%	1%
Westbourne	0%	0%	2%	0%	1%

Trade profiles (1): discussion

The hospitality sector consists of lodging houses, hotels, pubs, and restaurants. The first chart shows that lodging houses and apartment buildings formed the largest part of this commercial sector. Furthermore, these businesses account for the largest single sector of all those listed in the directories. In terms of presence, therefore, hospitality dominated Bournemouth’s commercial landscape during the Victorian period.

The second chart shows the rate of growth for the numbers of enterprises listed at Bournemouth during the Victorian period. The figures represent this growth as an index. The 1859 directory forms the basis of the index. It displays data for lodging houses and apartment buildings, hotels/pubs/restaurants, and everything else. Thus, in the earlier part of the period growth in the hotel category outpaced that in the lodging houses/apartments as well as all other enterprises. Later, however, an enormous growth in apartments occurred, the category expanding quicker than all others.

The third chart breaks down the overall category of lodging houses and apartment buildings into its component parts. It perhaps demonstrates a change in usage as much as commercial differences. The term ‘lodging-house’ appeared to represent the category during the early period, but towards the end the directories used the word ‘apartments’. ‘Boarding-house’ as a term did not achieve much usage at all. The apparent shift may reflect changes in vernacular rather than commercial offering. On the other hand, it may indicate a growth in self-catering.

Charts four and five show the split of this category across Greater Westover. As in other categories, a growth towards the east occurred in the latter part of the period. Hotels, pubs, and restaurants increased their presence in ‘Bournemouth East’ to a greater extent than lodging houses and apartments.

Takeaway

Trade profiles (1) has shown key dynamics for the business category of hospitality. It reports on enterprise numbers, rates of growth, and the relative popularity of terms used within the category by the directories. Further research will attempt to show the extent to which the terms used reflect fundamental shifts in the types of visitor attracted to Victorian Bournemouth.

References

For references and engagement, please get in touch. For a starting point on directories please go here and here.