Food festival brought in more than £1.5m - survey

The festival is in its 17th year and has grown into one of the largest food events in the south, organisers said

A food festival has generated £1.52m for the local economy, a study has suggested.

Southsea Food Festival 2025 was a two-day event organised by Portsmouth City Council and drew a record-breaking 63,400 visitors in July.

About half of those surveyed said they came "specifically for the festival", and 38% reported plans to "return to support local businesses" following their visit.

Leader of Portsmouth City Council Steve Pitt said: "We're proud to see Southsea shine as a destination for food lovers from across the region."

This year's event featured a new Kitchen Stage with chefs and restaurateurs from local businesses.

These included Smoke and Mirrors, The Briny, and Natty's, who put on live cooking demonstrations.

In total 80 businesses took part in the event, which was held across Palmerston Road precinct, Avenue De Caen, and surrounding high streets.

The feedback from traders and visitors was "overwhelmingly positive", the survey said, with 92% of traders and 94% of visitors rating the festival as good or excellent.

Mr Pitt said: "The £1.5m boost to our economy shows just how valuable events like this are—not just for traders, but for the wider business community."