Hello Poole!

This week we’ve rounded up the best NYE parties, live music, family events and New Year’s Day traditions so you can plan the perfect send-off to 2025 and a great start to 2026.

You’ll also find stories about the mystery rig floating in Poole Bay, Council Tax plans and a short look back at our 2025.

Whatever you’re doing this New Year’s Eve, we hope you have a fantastic one and have a very Happy New Year.

PooleNow is now proudly sponsored by Bournemouth One, the local radio station bringing you music, news and travel updates across Dorset. Listen whilst you read!

🏛️ Council seeks higher tax rise for 2026

BCP Council is exploring a higher council tax increase for 2026 as it faces growing financial pressures and warns that essential services could be at risk without extra funding.

The council has asked government for permission to raise council tax by up to 7.4 percent, above the current 4.99 percent limit. The move follows a forecast overspend of £4.2 million in the 2025/26 budget and comes after ministers encouraged councils under pressure to consider flexibility.

If council tax rose by the existing 4.99 percent cap, the average Band D bill in BCP would rise to £1,947.99, which the council says would still sit below the estimated national average of £2,060. Any higher increase would be limited to an additional 2.4 percent.

The council’s medium term financial plan warns of an “existential threat” to financial sustainability, with proposals expected to be published in January ahead of Cabinet and Full Council discussions.

🎖️ New Year Honour for Poole resident

A Poole resident has been recognised in the New Year Honours for his long-standing service to veterans.

Retired Captain David John Larcombe has been awarded an MBE for voluntary service to veterans through his work with the Royal Tank Regiment Association. He is currently Chairman of the Bournemouth, Poole and District Branch of the Royal Tank Regiment Association and a national trustee.

David enlisted in the army at just 15 and went on to serve for 30 years, including senior instructional and regimental roles within the Royal Tank Regiment. After leaving the army, he continued supporting the military community through civilian roles and voluntary service.

🌊 Offshore platform sparks curiosity

A large platform spotted in Poole Bay has prompted questions from residents and beachgoers.

The structure has been identified as Seafox 7, a multi-purpose offshore support vessel used for construction and maintenance work on projects such as offshore wind farms and oil and gas infrastructure.

Measuring around 55 metres long and 32 metres wide, the platform arrived in the area after leaving Den Helder in the Netherlands in November and has been visible from the shoreline for several days.

Despite its appearance, Seafox 7 is not a permanent oil rig. It is a temporary working platform and its presence is linked to offshore operations rather than long-term installation.

🎉 PooleNow in 2025: a year of local stories

As this marks the final issue of 2025, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you and to reflect on what we’ve achieved together in just 47 weeks.

When PooleNow launched earlier this year, we started with zero subscribers and a simple idea. To create a friendly, positive and genuinely useful digital local newsletter for Poole. Less clickbait, more community.

Since then, PooleNow has published 47 weekly issues, with more than 50,000 emails delivered, 78,800 impressions and over 87,000 words written about local news, events, people and places. The newsletter has grown to more than 1,700 subscribers and continues to grow every week.

But the most rewarding part hasn’t been the numbers. It’s been the messages.

Readers have told us PooleNow is a “much-needed digital local newspaper”, that it’s helped them discover events they never knew about, and that it’s simply nice to receive positive local news each week. Many have said it helps them feel more connected to Poole, even when they’re away from the area.

So thank you for reading, sharing, replying, clicking links, sending tips and supporting local businesses alongside us. PooleNow only works because of the community behind it.

We’re really excited to see how PooleNow can grow in 2026, with more stories, more voices and even more reasons to celebrate life in Poole.

From all of us here, thank you for being part of the journey and we’ll see you in 2026!

💼 Founder workshop comes to Poole

A new workshop aimed at helping business owners escape burnout is coming to Poole in January.

Breaking Busy: The Founder Bottleneck takes place at Foundry Poole on 15 January from 6pm to 8pm and is led by strategist and coach Anna Lundberg.

The session is designed for founders who feel busy but stuck, working long hours while struggling to create space for the life they want. Rather than focusing on productivity hacks, the workshop looks at how business structure itself can become the problem.

Attendees will take part in a hands-on capacity audit and leave with a simple framework to identify bottlenecks, along with practical steps to reshape how their business operates.

Anna has over a decade of experience working with independent business owners and is the author of Outside of the 9 to 5.

Book your place here

🌊 Support PooleNow

Are you a business in the local area? Do you want to reach out to a highly engaged local community? Want to support us so that we can keep running our free local newsletter? Get in touch!

🏡 PooleNow Property Pick

Have we saved the best property of the year until now? Quite possibly, you have to check this one out 👉 View the property

🎄 Give your Christmas tree a new purpose

Residents across Poole are being encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees while supporting a local charity.

Diverse Abilities is running its annual Treecycling scheme, collecting real Christmas trees between Thursday 8 January and Sunday 11 January 2026. The service covers Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset and Ringwood.

For a suggested £10 donation, volunteers will collect trees directly from homes and ensure they are sustainably recycled. The money raised supports children and adults with disabilities across Dorset, with recycled wood chippings even reused in the charity’s outdoor spaces.

The scheme has been running for more than 10 years and is one of the charity’s biggest annual fundraisers. It is sponsored by Waste Management Facilities, whose team will also support collections over the January weekend.

Bookings can be made online, with full details and eligible areas listed at diverseabilities.org.uk/trees.

3 Local stories you might have missed

1. Cabinet backs new waste plan for BCP – Bournemouth One 

2. Hundreds brave the sea for charity Christmas dip at Boscombe Pier - BBC News 

3. Bournemouth apprentice lands 'ideal' placement after viral plea - BBC News 

Although the rig spotted in Poole Bay isn’t an oil rig, there is plenty of oil extraction taking place in Poole. But do you know where?

🎭 New musical tells powerful story of Walter Tull

A critically acclaimed new musical based on the life of Walter Tull will come to Poole next spring as part of a national campaign for justice.

Our Little Hour tells the story of Walter Tull, Britain’s first Black army officer and one of the first Black footballers to play at the highest level in the UK. Despite being recommended for the Military Cross during the First World War, the award was never formally made.

The production has been commissioned by Show Racism the Red Card and combines drama with original music to highlight Tull’s achievements and the injustice surrounding his legacy.

The show will be staged at Lighthouse Poole on Wednesday 11 March. Organisers hope the tour will raise awareness and support calls for posthumous recognition.

What’s on this week in (and around) Poole

Multiple Days

Snow and Ice Family Trail, Upton Country Park, Poole
Friday 19 December – Monday 5 January, 10am–3pm (excluding Christmas Day)
Follow festive clues around the park to help the Ice Queen rebuild her snowman companion. Trail maps available from the Welcome Centre. £4.50 per trail sheet, including a cuddly prize.
Pixie Paint face painting also available in the Welcome Centre, Monday to Wednesday, 22–24 December, 11am–3pm.

Dick Whittington (Panto), Lighthouse Poole, various times
Thu 11 December – Sun 4 January
From £15
CBeebies favourite Chris Jarvis returns as Dame Dolly Doughnuts for a sparkling, family-friendly panto filled with magic, music and mischievous fun. With West End star Bernadette Bangura as Fairy Bowbelles and jaw-dropping tricks from Corben Heward-Mills, it’s a festive treat for all ages.

Tuesday

The Good Quiz, The Goods Yard
Put on your thinking caps, gather your teammates and take part in the no pen, no paper, NO CHEATING, speed quiz!

Acoustic Connection Live Music Showcase, Tap & Grape, Broadstone, from 7:30pm
A curated night of fresh local talent hosted by Acoustic Connection. Free entry and a great chance to support the local music scene.

Wednesday - New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve Family Party, Colehill Village Hall, Wimborne
Two sell-out family sessions packed with disco, games, a balloon drop and a countdown finale. £8.50 per person, babies free.
Book tickets

Snap Ambush New Year’s Eve Party, Tap & Grape, Broadstone, from 8:45pm
Live music and dancing to welcome in the New Year with one of the area’s favourite bands.

New Year’s Eve at The Britannia, Parkstone
Live jazz to start the evening followed by a DJ from 10:30pm as the party rolls into 2026.

New Year’s Eve at The Bermuda Triangle, Ashley Cross, 9pm–1am
Live funk from All Funked Up followed by DJ Garphie to take you through midnight.

New Year’s Eve Dinner & Party, Rockwater, Roof Terrace, from 7:30pm
Four-course candlelit dinner followed by rooftop celebrations and a midnight countdown. Adults only.
Book your place

New Year’s Eve Glitterball Disco, Cobbs Quay Marina, from 8pm
A glitter-themed party night with live music, buffet, drinks on arrival and a glass of bubbly included.
Email or call to book [email protected] 01202 673690

New Year’s Eve Party, King Charles Pub, Poole, from 7pm
Live music from the Poole Vigilantes. Tickets £10.

New Year’s Eve at The Cliff, Canford Cliffs, from 4:30pm
Live music followed by a Champagne set menu from 7pm.
Call, email or visit the website to book

New Year’s Eve at The Bricklayers, Poole, from 5pm
Decades party with DJ Tom, music legend fancy dress encouraged, prizes for best outfits. Free entry.
Book a table

NYE at The Ox
Live music from The Samurais playing indie and classic rock into the New Year. Free entry, arrive early.

S-Bomb Vintage Workshop NYE Party, from 4pm
Live music from Tristan Hutton with laid-back country sounds to see out the year.

Jenkins & Sons New Year’s Eve Party, Penn Hill
Live music from Martin Rice, wood-fired pizza, cocktails and a midnight countdown.
Book your spot

Thursday

New Year’s Day Parkrun, Upton Country Park, from 8:50am
A free, friendly 5k run, jog or walk to start the year right.

Poole New Year’s Day Bath Tub Race, Poole Quay, Race starts at 11am
Charity bath tub race along the quay with creative homemade crafts and cheering crowds.
Go and support the entrants and the local businesses!

BSO: New Year’s Viennese Gala, Lighthouse, 3pm
A sparkling start to 2026 with Strauss waltzes, polkas and The Blue Danube.
Book now

Happy New Year at The Bermuda Triangle, 12pm–11pm
New Year’s Day drinks with the pub open all afternoon and evening.

Friday

Live Music: Big Nite Out, The Bermuda Triangle, Ashley Cross, 9pm–11pm
High-energy live music to kick off the first weekend of the year.

Live Professional Wrestling, Junction Leisure Centre, Broadstone, 6:30pm–9pm
An action-packed night of high-energy wrestling entertainment for all ages.
Book tickets

Saturday

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Lighthouse, 3:30pm
Both Kill Bill films combined as Quentin Tarantino intended, plus a never-before-seen animated sequence.
Book now

DJ Set: Back To The Future House, The Bermuda Triangle, 9pm–1am
House classics and future sounds to keep the weekend going.

The Wiseguys Live, The Lord Nelson, Poole, 9pm
High-energy covers and party anthems spanning four decades to start 2026 in style.

Sunday

Open Boat Flounder Competition, Salterns Marina from 7.30am
A charity fishing competition open to private and charter vessels, with cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. All proceeds go to RNLI Poole. Sign-in from 7:30am at Salterns Marina, fishing from 9am–3pm with weigh-in and presentations later in the afternoon. Entry £10 per person.

Monday

Pub Quiz Night – Bermuda Triangle Pub, 7.30–10.30pm
£3 entry includes quiz and bar snacks. Friendly fun to start the week.

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That’s it! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!