Southsea seafront struggled with litter and camping during last summer’s heatwave
Southsea seafront saw “significant amounts of waste left for teams to manage” during last summer’s heatwave, as visitor numbers surged.
Councillors are to discuss how Portsmouth’s most popular seafront coped with last year’s prolonged heatwave.
A recent Portsmouth City Council cabinet report has reflected on the pressures of summer 2025 and plans for the season ahead.
The report outlines how council staff had to change their working habits in response to last summer’s heatwave which had a direct “impact” on how the public used the seafront.
Open spaces, particularly Canoe Lake, were at times “very densely populated”, especially during events elsewhere on the seafront.
Increased barbecues and amplified music created challenges, although “in the main when visitors were spoken to, they were willing to move their BBQ to an alternative BBQ permitted area or turn down the noise from their speakers”.
Camping incidents also rose, with hotspots including north of the skate park, near the Waterfront Garden Centre and around Lumps Fort and Long Curtain.
The report notes frustration from residents, but states: “In almost all instances the individuals using the tents were spoken to by the appropriate teams swiftly however on occasions it did take time for them to be relocated.”
An unusual “incidence of mass camping overnight at Canoe Lake” by visitors from London was resolved “shortly after officer engagement”.
Higher footfall brought more litter. Officers observed that “the public increasingly do not take their rubbish home with them but leave it for PCC to manage,” with overflowing bins attracting seagulls.
“Whilst additional bins are deployed across key areas of high footfall this is a challenging area to support and keep to the high standards of cleanliness expected by the public despite the teams working extremely long hours in very hot conditions.”
Fire service callouts were also triggered by hot coals placed in standard bins. Looking ahead to this year’s summer, the report suggests the possibility of electric BBQs around Canoe Lake and Southsea Common.
The stretch of Clarence Esplanade between Blue Reef and Hovertravel remains closed until spring, with its reopening, initially east to west only, expected to ease pressure ahead of summer 2026.