Section of Southsea Promenade closed for three weeks as SailGP preparations begin
Walking route behind Southsea Castle cordoned off
Barriers are currently in place on a section of the promenade in Southsea as preparations begin for a sailing event.
SailGP is returning for its second year in Portsmouth after last year 20,000 sailing fans attend the event. However, with the event taking place at Southsea Castle on July 25 and 26, preparations are already underway meaning that the promenade from Blue Reef to the Pyramids has been closed.
There was upset last year when the popular walking route was closed for two weeks to enable the “safe build” of the event site. This year it will be closed for an extra week with the route shut off from July 10 until July 31. During the closure pedestrians will need to walk via Clarence Esplanade.
Portsmouth City Council have confirmed that Southsea Castle itself will be closed from July 13 until July 31 while the D-Day Story Museum will remain open throughout but its car park will be shut from the evening of July 5 to the evening of July 12 for storage of site equipment.
During the event, there will be road closures and parking restrictions on Avenue De Caen and Clarence Esplanade.
A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said: “SailGP’s international sailing event returns to Southsea seafront on Saturday 25 and Sunday July 26. To safely set up and host the event, there will be temporary closures along parts of the promenade from Thursday, July 10 to Thursday, July 31 along with other changes for some attractions and roads in this area during this period.
“Routes are expected to be busier than usual, particularly at peak times. There will be shared use of space between pedestrians, cyclists and mobility users, so please take extra care and follow signage in place.
“Diversion routes will be clearly signed and supported on the ground to help people continue moving safely. These routes are intended to remain usable for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.”
More details on the event can be found here: https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/events/sailgp-portsmouth-25-26-july/