Consumer

Does your broadband contract come with a hidden catch?

Explainer Why broadband bills can rise even when you’re in contract

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Almost 200,000 Hampshire homes to miss out on energy payment

Flip Out is Portsmouth's trampoline park and the right place to let off some steam on a rainy day.

Enjoy weekend of Flip Out fun and save £5 with this deal

Unmissable discount code gives you 30 per cent off next ASOS shop

The compact SumUp card reader helps market traders, craft sellers and small businesses accept contactless and card payments without expensive equipment.

Cash is king? This £30 gadget gives customers a much easier option

BT, EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone have been named Britain's most complained-about broadband providers in new Ofcom figures, as campaigners call for an end to mid-contract price rises that can add £48 a year to household bills.

Four broadband giants top Ofcom complaints list

Millions of UK households face another broadband bill increase in April 2027, even if they are locked into an existing contract, prompting fresh calls for a ban on mid-contract price rises.

Broadband customers face fresh £48 bill warning

The Government recommends households gradually build an emergency kit with practical essentials such as a torch, first aid kit, emergency radio and portable power bank.

Explainer What you need in a Government 3-day emergency kit

M&S Sparks customers can earn up to £15 in festive rewards this Christmas by shopping for eligible drinks, flowers and café treats. Photos by Marks and Spencer.

M&S Sparks shoppers can earn £15 in rewards when Christmas shopping

Green Posts general manager George Skeates during the World Cup

Portsmouth pub manager is named one of the country's best

The compact SumUp card reader helps market traders, craft sellers and small businesses accept contactless and card payments without expensive equipment.

7 side hustles to make extra money before Christmas

M&S has introduced its 2026 Christmas sandwich range alongside seasonal snacks and sweet treats.

M&S Christmas sandwiches and there's plenty of festive favourites

A moulded alien mask which was stopped from going on sale in the UK after being tested by Hampshire trading standards. It was found to present a risk of suffocation. October 2026

Halloween alien mask and vampire teeth banned from going on sale

Vue Cinema at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

Get two cinema tickets for £9.50 with Groupon deal

The supermarket says it wants to help customers be well prepared for groceries as the festive season approaches

Asda Christmas delivery slots open today – how to book

Kelly Miles, 33, begins saving up for Christmas presents for her two kids, 12 and 10, in the summertime. // A mum has revealed how she’s saved £1,000 for Christmas with “low effort” side hustles that take just seconds to complete. Kelly Miles, 33, begins saving up for Christmas presents for her two kids, 12 and 10, in the summertime, to save herself the financial burden when the festive period rolls around. As she works full time as a service manager, Kelly from Portsmouth is “time poor”, so only has the capacity for side hustles that require minimal effort. Her main money maker is using cashback sites, and so far, she has made over £500, just from making regular day to day purchases. She also makes cash from scanning her weekly shop to send for market research, and predicts that by Christmas she will have saved £1,000 to put towards Christmas presents.

Thrifty Portsmouth mum explains how she saves £1,000 for Christmas
Kelly has shared her tips and tricks for squirrelling away money for the festive season
Tom Morton

High street retailer Boots is expected to launch an AI personal shopper which will give beauty product recommendations to customers, including make-up and gifts. Stock image by Adobe Photos.

High street giant to be sold in multi-billion pound deal

Swap the Christmas chaos for a 16-night cruise

Tiers Greengrocer in Emsworth are celebrating their 60th anniversary on Monday 5th October 2026

Pictured: Staff Ally Exton, Owners - Victoria Edwards and Sarah Long, Tracey Flynn and Emma Webb

Picture: Habibur Rahman

Family-run greengrocer celebrates six decades in the business

Southampton Airport

Cabin crew to hold strike ballot over pay dispute

We've listed the top 10 highest-rated items in the Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range - and there are definitely some surprises

These are the 10 items Sainsbury's poshest shoppers love the most

This code adds three months to qualifying Instant Ink trials, but customers need to meet HP's eligibility rules.

The HP printer code worth knowing before you pay for more ink

Tommy Hoare and Trina Wheeler behind the bar at The Old Oyster House Picture: Alec Chapman

Comment: It's great to see pubs reopening - we must show our support

Havant Garden Centre Xmas Area in Havant. David Craighead, Santa and Primrose Edwards. Picture: Alec Chapman

11 pictures from Santa's visit to Havant Garden Centre - on October 3

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This Hampshire city is the most affordable in the south east

Diesel

Cheapest petrol stations to get diesel as prices hit all-time high

Highbury Cafe in Portsmouth Road, Cosham, is hugely popular among our readers.

9 of the best Portsmouth cafes for a Full English cooked breakfast
We asked our readers for their favourite places to go for breakfast and they’ve come up with some fine choices.
Steve Deeks

Here are 13 restaurants recommended by our readers.

Here are 13 of the best restaurants in Portsmouth - according to our readers

Households are being urged to check their broadband bills, as staying on the same deal too long could cost hundreds of pounds a year.

Broadband mistake could cost you £452 a year

The Fragrance Shop has opened in Whiteley

New perfume store opens at shopping centre

Friends cheering with beer glasses sitting around cafe bar table - Group of multiracial people toasting and clinking drinks at each others health inside pub - Vintage nostalgic old times filter look

Pub where mouse droppings were found in kitchen scores new rating

Pictures from Portsmouth City Council food hygiene inspectors from 2026 - several businesses have been handed temporary closure orders by magistrates after mice infestations

Nine Portsmouth businesses which have been shut this year due to mice

Mouse droppings found at Portsmouth restaurant

Portsmouth food hygiene among lowest in country

Bar + Block Whiteley

Closure date for restaurant chain as part of parent company's changes

An animal rights protest outside Brittany Ferries offices in Portsmouth, demonstrating against live animal exports

Brittany Ferries ends animal exports after year of Portsmouth protests

Aldi is set to become the highest-paying major supermarket from April (Peter Byrne/PA)

Aldi reveals areas of Hampshire in which it wants to open new stores

The Jolly Sailor in Clarence Parade, is well positioned close to Southsea Common providing a good location to watch the world go by. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

9 great Southsea pubs perfect for a pint

The Gunwharf development 10th February 2001, viewed from Old Portsmouth. Picture: Malcolm Wells. 010784-3

19 photos showing how Gunwharf Quays was built

Anchored in Gosport monthly market

Gosport market ends after agreement can't be reached with council

An animal rights protest outside Brittany Ferries offices in Portsmouth, demonstrating against live animal exports

Inflatable cow leads protest in Portsmouth against live animal exports

Rise by Cornish Bakery at Gunwharf Quays

Inside Portsmouth's newest bakery/coffee shop - and dining destination

EV charging firm Instavolt has been refused permission for a giant 'non-functioning' wind turbine in the Hampshire countryside

Firm furious after being denied permission to build huge wind turbine

2007. Market traders now placed in Commercial Road Portsmouth. Three of the four generations ¬ (Centre) George Warren (73), with (left) his son Michael (46) and (right) his grandson James (25. Picture: Mallcolm Wells (070151-120)

Portsmouth traders who have been a mainstay of markets in the city

Firefighter were seen tackling a blaze at The Bridge Tavern in Old Portsmouth on Saturday, July 11.

9 great pubs perfect for a pint in and around Portsmouth when the sun is shining

Can you remember the Water Margin? The Chinese restaurant was a fixture at Gunwharf Quays for years!

17 Gunwharf Quays haunts we've lost

A shopper carrying red sale bags marked with a bold percentage sign, symbolising seasonal discounts and bargain hunting

Free Top Buys email finds the best UK deals this February

Nestled away in Cromwell Road, this pub is a hidden gem and has a lot of food on offer including the British classic.

In pictures: Portsmouth the booze capital of the UK with the most pubs

Here are 13 restaurants recommended by our readers.

Here are 13 of the best restaurants in Portsmouth - according to our readers

This simple tweak can make rooms feel warmer almost instantly (Photo: Pexels)

Warm your home fast this winter with this easy radiator tweak

The UK is experiencing a major cold snap, causing school closures, power cuts, and hazardous roads (Photo: Richard Ponter)

Cold Weather Payments may be triggered soon - how fast you’ll get cash

Five pubs in a row on The Hard circa 1910. When you could go on a pub crawl along the hard and not walk one-hundred yards.

17 great retro photos of Portsmouth's historic pubs

Winter Fuel Payments don't legally need to be spent on energy or heating bills (Photo: Pexels)

You don’t have to spend Winter Fuel Payments on energy - smarter uses

Millions in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed each year because winners don’t realise they’ve won

Millions in life-changing National Lottery prizes remain unclaimed

Ofgem has confirmed a surprise 0.2% rise to the energy price cap from January 1, 2026 (Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Your energy bill is going up unexpectedly in January 2026

A customer looks at some goods at an Asda supermarket. The supermarket is selling 24 stores and a distribution depot in a £568m deal to boost finances (Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Major UK supermarket chain selling 24 stores in £568m deal

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