Mobile app set up to provide a 'one-stop shop' for all things Portsmouth

Island City Living is the brainchild of Peter Hopkinson, who has also taken over the long-standing AboutMyArea Portsmouth website.

Educational consultant and business coach Peter took over AboutMyArea Portsmouth from previous owner Haley Storey last September; inspired by past desires to work in journalism and to grow a connected digital community across the city.

Since September, he has been running the site from his desk at home, with the help of his daughter Hope, a recent university graduate.

Peter said he set up the app in order to diversify the website’s content and reach a wider audience across the city.

He said: ‘We borrowed its name from Portsmouth’s unique identity as the UK’s only island city, so the app became Island City Living – with a mission to provide news and events information and to connect people and businesses from Cosham to Southsea, and all points in between.

‘We are aiming for it to be a one-stop shop for all things Portsmouth.’

Since November, the Island City Living brand has been operating via Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as Facebook, sharing information via the AboutMyArea Portsmouth website, as well as original lifestyle and features content.

Introducing new sections for students in addition to user-submitted monthly photo galleries, the platform is community-driven, its aim to provide something for every demographic in the city.

Peter said: ‘We hope that by spreading the word of local events in one, free-to-access place, the app will help the city and its local businesses move out of the past year of lockdown, and allow individuals to interact with the city in a brand new way.

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‘The app also has a powerful business directory, with listings from over 650 local services and traders.

‘As well as the events and business sections, the app provides a local news feed via the AboutMyArea Portsmouth Website, offers and loyalty programmes from businesses and traders, as well as an interactive photo gallery with contributors from all around the city.

‘We are keen to work with all sorts of local businesses, especially as we enter this transitional phase out of lockdown - to get involved, email [email protected].’

The Island City Living mobile app launched on iOS and Android at the end of March.

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