OPENING DOORS AND MARKETS
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lthough there may not be enough ‘live’ events to constitute our Southsea Lifestyle ‘What’s On Guide’ there is a gradual re-opening of our larger public venues. Expect a restriction on indoor visitor numbers and other measures to be in place. The D-Day Story has re-opened (daily) 10am 5pm and with manoeuvres taking place to float the enormous landing craft tank 7074, across the water, from Portsmouth Naval base, it can only be a matter of time before it is installed in the brand new, wavy building, standing alongside the museum. The Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery has also opened its doors, with Portsmouth Revisited II, the second part of an ambitious, permanent show of over 100 works of art, exploring Portsmouth’s history and inhabitants. (Tue - Sun)10am - 5.30pm.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s attractions have also returned, but pre-booking is essential www.historicdockyard.co.uk Aspex Gallery along with its cafe and shop has returned with a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to build a large bronze statue, to celebrate the ‘Luna Park’ Southsea Dinosaur, which made a visit to Southsea Common in the summer of 2010, see www.aspex.org.uk for details. The Love Southsea Markets continue in Palmerston Road: Sat 5th, Sun 6th and Sat 19th September. And Sat 3rd, Sun 4th and 24th October. Look out for abundant stalls of fresh, local produce when Hampshire Farmers Market comes to town on Sun 20 th September and Sun 18th October, also in Palmerston Road. 42
Empty Debenhams. Photo: Ming Wu
Southsea’s empty Debenhams Store, now known as Handley’s Corner, (after the original store, Handley’s, which was eventually merged with Debenhams in the 1970s)... is to be the venue for a series of pop- up indoor markets. Called the ‘We Create Market’ it offers local creatives the opportunity to show and sell their work in a large, affordable space, following government guidelines. The new market replaces the Crafts in the Tower, makers markets, which cannot open due to the limited space at the Square Tower. Various collaborators are supporting the venture, including; Portsmouth Creates, The Maker’s Guild, The University of Portsmouth and Victorious Festival, who are managing the markets. Launching on 12th & 13th September and then the second weekend of each month until the end of Dec. See https://wecreatemarket.co.uk to book a stall.
