The inaugural Westbourne Motor Show has been declared a roaring success.

Bournemouth Coastal BID, in partnership with the British Motor Show, successfully hosted the event.

It brought together car enthusiasts, local families and traders in Westbourne, making for a busy and engaging day.

The show featured a diverse range of vehicles, including a V8 Audi safety car, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, classic 1965 open-top Ford Mustangs, kit cars, and displays from various car clubs.

The combination of good weather and a wide variety of cars helped attract a steady stream of visitors throughout the day.

Local businesses reported increased foot traffic, with many seeing a significant boost in sales.

Barry Killeen, owner of Baks Menswear, said: “In all my time owning the shop, I’ve never seen anything so brilliant in Westbourne.

“Shutting the road down was a first, and I’d love to see it happen again next year.

“It was fantastic to see Westbourne so busy.”

James Roper, from The Hutch coffee shop, said: “We had our best day to date, so we have the car show to thank.

“Today was proof that it’s doable, the footfall is there and people want it.

“Bring on year two!”

The event ran smoothly, thanks to close cooperation between Bournemouth Coastal BID, BCP Council, and Morebus.

Sonia Shaw, Operations and Marketing Manager at Bournemouth Coastal BID, said: “Having spent two years planning this event, I’m delighted to see the community’s and traders’ appetite for it.

“Bournemouth Coastal BID is proud to have brought it to life, and this will undoubtedly grow into an annual event for Westbourne.

“We’ll take all feedback into account and improve for next year.”

Fiona McArthur, Bournemouth Coastal BID Manager, added, “This partnership with the British Motor Show is part of our five-year business plan to deliver unique experiences to each of our areas.

“We’re creating an anchor event for Westbourne that will continue to grow.”

In addition to the cars and business activity, the Westbourne Business Association raised £650 for a local park project through raffle ticket sales.

Sporting Bears, a local charity, also collected funds to support its work with Victoria School.

Plans for next year’s event are already in motion, with Bournemouth Coastal BID and Westbourne looking to build on this year’s success.

• Bournemouth Coastal BID News.