Man arrested after suspected arson attack on empty Southsea shop - as locals bemoan decline of Palmerston Road

A shopping trolley was set ablaze outside Clinton Cards in Palmerston Road around 4.40am resulting in damage to the shop. Earlier today charred items were seen on the street where the incident took place.

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Emergency crews attended the scene with police arresting a 33-year-old man. Fire crews from Cosham and Southsea put out the fire by 5.45am. No injuries were reported.

A police spokesman said: “We’re investigating a suspected arson at a shop in Palmerston Road, Southsea. The incident occurred at around 4.40am this morning (16 September) - it’s reported that the contents of a shopping trolley were set alight outside Clinton Cards. The fire subsequently caused damage to the shop.

“A 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and remains in custody at this time.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire’s fire service said: “Crews from Cosham and Southsea were called to a fire in Palmerston Road at shortly before 5am this morning. The fire was in a shop frontage and spread to a small amount of the interior of the shop.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one hose reel jet and one main jet to put out the fire. The incident was handed over to the police. The stop message came in at 5.45am.”

Community group page Love Southsea has confirmed the market is still going ahead today. A post on social media said: “So market is still on today - but someone didn't respect the empty shops last night on Palmerston road.

“For years I have thought that the shop landlords should board up the shop fronts to make them look a bit better and obviously safer.”

The post thread sparked a flurry of angry messages about rent prices and boarded-up shops. One person wrote: “Maybe if the landlords weren’t such greedy so and so’s constantly putting rents up, then businesses would stay in the area, or independents could set up, and the shops wouldn’t be empty.”

Another said: “With prices from £9,000 to £24,000 a year just on rent. How can any business survive?”

A third posted: “Used to be such a classy place to shop, so many nice outlets, what the hell is wrong with people. This is so sad.”

A fourth added: “I work in palmy road and I couldn't agree more about the shops being boarded up. This is just disgraceful.”