WITH thousands of people expected to flock to Bournemouth to see Cherries' open top bus parade, the town will be jam-packed with cheering fans.

Bournemouth has been decked out in red and black flags and businesses are proudly displaying posters in their windows congratulating the team.

While the bus is not going into the town centre, unlike 2013, there town will be buzzing from the elation of having a Premier League team for the first time in its history.

Here is some helpful information for visitors ahead of the AFC Bournemouth victory parade on Bank Holiday Monday.

Where is the route going?

When will this take place?

  • The parade will start at 11am.

When should we get there?

  • Fans are being encouraged to arrive early and make use of all the vantage points offered along the seafront.

What is the weather meant to be like?

  • Amazingly, despite the earlier forecasts for showers and cloud, the sun looks set to shine on Bournemouth on Monday morning.

The Met Office says there will be sun from 7am until 11am with sunny spells from lunchtime.

 

Where is the best place to see it?

  • The parade has been arranged so fans can get on the beaches to see the squad travel past between the piers.

The ideal vantage points would be on the sands or even on the cliff tops if you’re not worried about being too close.

The zig zags will be open for people to stand on, but only the beach side of the promenade will be available to spectators.

But (obviously) don't climb over the fences - they are there for your safety. 

What if I can’t get there?

  • Don’t worry if you can’t there. Live coverage of the event will take place online at bournemouthecho.co.uk, with pictures, updates, video and photo galleries throughout the day.

And don’t forget the special edition of the paper today - which will be on sale along the seafront as well as in the usual shops, with a 16-page season review on Tuesday and bumper pull-out on Thursday as well.

If you can't get to a shop for a copy, you can order them here.

Where can I park?

Parking is set to be at a premium on Monday but here are the car parks in Boscombe you might want to use...

Overstrand – you will have to be early to get a space here as it’s just up from Boscombe Pier. Further into Boscombe, there are car parks at Hawkwood Road, opposite Boscombe Library and the Sovereign Centre. It is about a 10 minute walk to the beach from here.

In Bournemouth, the nearest car parks for will be at the BIC and Bath Road, while town centre multi-storey car parks include Richmond Gardens and Glen Fern Road.

There is parking along the overcliff between Soutbourne and Boscombe as well, but again, is likely to fill up quickly, especially as the weather is due to be fine.

Alternatively, leave the car out of town and grab a bus or walk to avoid queuing and crowded car parks.

Details on bus services in Bournemouth are here and here.

Who has organised the parade?

The parade has been organised by AFC Bournemouth and Bournemouth Council.

“The reaction to the bus parade plans have been incredible,” AFC Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn said.

“We are expecting unprecedented numbers of supporters to turn out and it promises to be as memorable as any matchday this season.”