Launch Date: Monday 27th July 2026                        

Cost: £10.00 Annual Fee

A new residents’ card has launched across BCP, giving residents across access to a growing range of discounts, offers and benefits from local businesses and council services. 

Called BCP LIFE, the scheme is open to all BCP residences 16 years and over whose main home is with Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch. Membership costs £10 per year, and applicants simply need to provide proof of address. Photo ID is not required, students, lodgers and people living in shared accommodation can also apply provided they meet the requirements. 

 So, what exactly do you get for your £10?

Parking

One of the most useful benefits is parking. BCP Life members can receive an extra hour of parking when they pay for their parking session through the Ringo App. The offer applies in selected council run car parks across BCP.

There are a few conditions: the parking session must start after 9:30AM, the car park must be included in the scheme, and the additional hour cannot take you over the car parks max stay. Once your BCP Life and Ringo accounts are linked, the extra hour is added automatically.

I believe that this additional hour can be useful little saving if you are using these car parks regularly.

Swimming

A free swim once a month at participating BCP leisure res. Currently participating centres include; Poole Dolphin Leisure Centre, Rossmore Leisure Centre and Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre. Members need to book and elidable public swim or lane swim session in advance.

This is a relatively simple benefit; out over the course of a year it could add up to a decent saving for anyone who already swims regularly

Food, Drink and Days Out

Discounts from participating seaside cafes and restaurants. The exact discount is decided by each participating business so offers will vary.  This scheme is still growing, but currently one example I can give you is The PierView Kitchen offers a10% discount currently and Bournemouth Pier discounts also available. 

Local Businesses Precipitation Benefits?

For some local businesses is it may be beneficial; to join this scheme as a business is currently free and your business also chooses the discount you offer to your customers and on which days. That could make the scheme partially appealing to independent businesses looking for ways to attract customers. 

The potential benefits are fairly straightforward: increased footfall, off peak customers, potential incentives proposed by the council and the business controls the discounts offered. 

Is BCP LIFE worth £10?

For residence who regularly park and swim, I would say that there is a potential saving that over a year could pay for the card and make a saving. However, if a residence is not using these services regularly then it may not have any financial benefits.

For business owners, it’s clear to me that with no financial cost and control of the discounts available it’s a no brainer that there will be benefits to joining this scheme, however the bigger question, to me, is whether enough residents sign up to make those discounts worthwhile participating as a business, and whether enough businesses join to make the card genuinely useful to residents. 

Currently the scheme is small, but it is designed to grow. 

Local Businesses and Residents looking to join the scheme can apply here: Home | BCP Life

Article Published: August 2026