A new monthly food festival is coming to Portsmouth city centre - here’s when it will start

Dubbed Food Friday it will take place in Commercial Road on the first Friday of the month, starting from April 5, and will run until November. 

It will be open from 9am to 5pm and passers-by will be able to grab a delicious snack on the go, or sit down and savour a freshly-prepared dish.

Customers will have the option of hot and cold food which will be available from around 15 or 20 stalls along Commercial Road. 

There will be different cuisines from around the world to sample including Greece, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Morocco, Jamaica, India, China, Thailand and Japan – as well as traditional British favourites.

Food Friday is an extension of Portsmouth's City Centre Market, held in Commercial Road every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The monthly event will ‘enhance’ Commercial Road according to Councillor Ben Dowling. 

Cllr Dowling, cabinet member for planning, regeneration and economic development, said: ‘I am really looking forward to the launch of our Food Friday. 

‘This will help to bring people to Commercial Road and give more food options for people shopping. 

‘This will really help to enhance Commercial Road moving forward.’ 

Paul Barton, the council's assistant director of city development, added: ‘This is a brilliant new event which will bring a new buzz to Commerical Road every month.

‘It will feature all kinds of street food, savoury and sweet, and I'm sure it will appeal to a lot of people out shopping or on their lunch break.

‘The market already brings extra bustle to the city centre, and this will add a whole new dimension to Fridays.’ 

Last year The News launched our Love Your High Street campaign to help support our local small shops and businesses.