Historic seafront shelters return to promenade

The shelters form part a phase of the seafront defence work due to be completed in the spring

Two seafront shelters have been put in place after being restored as part of a long-running coastal defence scheme.

The structures on Southsea promenade in Portsmouth were dismantled and removed before construction of new sea defences began in summer 2023.

The Grade II listed features have been part of the promenade since the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The yellow and blue benches and shelters have been installed on part of the seafront near Southsea Common which is due to reopen in spring 2026.

Three other shelters- two yellow and one black - have been installed between the Pyramids and Speakers' Corner which opened in December.

The Southsea Coastal Scheme, which started in September 2020, aims to reduce the risk of severe flooding and is due to be completed in 2028.

The shelters were restored as part of the Southsea Coastal Scheme

After being removed, the structures were inspected and repaired by conservation and ironwork specialists.

Work on the shelters included replacing decayed timber, recasting corroded iron decorations and replacing lanterns on lamp columns.

The next stage of the £180m Southsea Coastal Scheme involves bringing in shingle near South Parade Pier to widen the beach so it serves as the primary sea defence in the area.

As one of the UK's lowest lying cities, Portsmouth is particularly vulnerable to flooding as sea levels rise.

The project has involved building walls, raising land and widening beaches along a 2.8-mile (4.5km) stretch of coastline.