Entertainment in Poole

If you want to see some live music during your stay, The Lord Nelson on The Quay near Poole Harbour is one of the best pubs for gigs in town. From Tuesday through to Sunday you can make your way down to see bands from around the region.

If you like rock and blues music, then you’ll definitely want to pay a visit during your stay at one of our Poole hotels. On top of that, they serve an excellent selection of ales, and fabulous fish and chips.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for good music in Parkstone, then make your way to the Bermuda Triangle on Parr Street. It dates back to the 19th century, with rustic features and friendly faces behind the bar.

Upstairs is a swanky cocktail bar, while downstairs is a delightful pub where you can while away the hours sipping on some of the pubs’ stellar ales. Plus, if you happen to get peckish while losing yourself in the Bermuda Triangle, you’ll find some of our favourite places to eat in Poole in the surrounding Parkstone area.

The place for performing arts in Poole is The Lighthouse on Kingland Road. It’s a convenient location, about a mile away from our Poole Centre hotel, in between the town centre and the beautiful boating lake of Poole Park.

The Lighthouse is the largest arts centre in the UK outside of London. It’s several venues rolled into one, including a 1,500-seat concert hall, a 669-seat theatre, a 150-seat studio, a 105-seat cinema, and a large gallery space with a fine programme that has a proclivity for photography.

You really can see everything at The Lighthouse, including weekly performances from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, touring musicals such as Fame, and plays ranging from the classics to kitchen sinks. Not to mention the concert hall has hosted some of the biggest names in music including New Order, The Smiths, Kate Bush, Kings of Leon, Ian Brown and KISS.

The Jellicoe Theatre is another good option if you want to see a play during your stay in Poole. The 136-seat theatre is part of Bournemouth and Poole College and has become a much-loved home for local dance companies and drama groups. In addition, The Jellicoe Theatre also regularly welcomes professional touring companies attracted to the venue for its fantastic facilities and enthusiastic audiences.

If you’re planning on hopping aboard the ferry and paying a visit to The National Trust’s Brownsea Island (one of our top attractions in Poole) then look into which of Shakespeare’s plays is being performed at the Brownsea Open Air Theatre. For over 50 years, the registered charity has been wowing visitors to the island with excellent renditions of Shakespeare’s entire works, from early plays such as The Taming of the Shrew through to his last like The Tempest, all performed beneath the stars by a troupe of volunteers.

When it comes to sporting entertainment, having a flutter on the Poole Greyhounds at Poole Stadium is one of the most popular of options and it’s less than a ten-minute drive from our Poole North hotel.

Alternatively, you can visit the Black Gold Stadium to see Poole Town F.C, or Poole Speedway to see the Poole Pirates motorcycle speedway team.