WATCH: I visited The Fratton Bridge Centre as renovation continues and new tenants take up units

The News was invited down to The Bridge Centre in Fratton to have a look at the works that are ongoing to better utilise the space. Portsmouth City Council bought the shopping centre in September last year and continue to work on plans to turn it into a multi-purpose community space.

At the end of July it was announced three new tenants would be taking over units in the centre. The Parenting Network have opened a Baby Bank while a Fratton Together Pantry and Electric Dreamz’ Tech Museum are set to open soon.

Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Steve Pitts, has been delighted with the project’s progress. He said:  “It’s been a really exciting project this one. When we got the centre we knew we wanted bring the units back into use. A lot of the community had complained for years that units within the Bridge Centre had sat empty. We knew we wanted to do that and had some ideas about how that might work and engaged with some community groups, organisations and outreach, but this has massively exceeded our expectations.

“We have already seen Fratton Together take occupation of the new community pantry and make a space outside the Bridge Centre. We also have The Parenting Network and The Baby Hub relocating here right into the heart of a community that really needs that support and that engagement.”

Watch the video embedded in this article to see a walk through of The Fratton Bridge Centre.