STEPS are being taken to transform a neglected lane in Boscombe into a magnet for Bohemian culture.

Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts is campaigning for Roumelia Lane to become an off-beat colourful tourist attraction similar to Portobello Road and Petticoat Lane in London.

Cllr Stanley-Watts has already successfully won extra lighting for Roumelia Lane, which until recently was more famous as a hang out for drunks and criminal activity.

The lane has also been boosted by the Dave Wells shops and flats development going on there.

And on Friday the Boscombe West councillor met with Roumelia Lane traders and visitors who enthusiastically backed his vision.

But he warned that measures must be taken to end the continuing problems of fly-tipping and drivers using the narrow lane as a rat run.

Cllr Stanley-Watts said: "We want to attract new businesses and arts and craft-type people here. There is a big potential here for it to be a tourist attraction.

"It really needs to be a one-way street or maybe cobblestones to make it more olde worlde' to attract visitors. Maybe it could be pedestrianised except for traffic to deliver to shops."

Linford Dunstan, 46, who runs the Musical entertainment agency in Roumelia Lane, said: "I would like to see it cobbled and turned into more of a community-type environment.

"And I would like to see lots of places where people can sit and interact. The big problem down here is the traffic which does not really encourage people to come down," he added.

Performance artist and regular visitor Tirsha Lewis, 51, said the lane has a "unique atmosphere".

She said: "I moved to this area in October from Charminster which has a vibrant café society. I was worried I was going to miss it and then I discovered Rosie's Café. I am hooked on this place.

"The atmosphere is completely different from an average café," she added.

"What we don't have in Bournemouth is anything like in Brighton where there are lots of arty and wacky people who don't fit the mould."

Owner of Rosie's café Rosanna Bavoso said: "It would be nice if it was pedestrianised and there was a big sign at the end of the road to let people know we are here."