Virtual Portsmouth - Lockdown videos

The first lockdown of spring 2020 brought about a strange dichotomy. Whilst the streets, roads and attractions were empty, work was busily being done behind the scenes, to keep the city ticking over and ensuring vulnerable residents were being looked after.

The Parks and Gardens team at Portsmouth City Council were using the time to complete maintenance work, Museums took the opportunity of closure to undertake essential building works, and The Hive set up at The D-Day Story to work on ensuring none of the city's residents went without help or support.

All this was documented in two videos, shared on the Visit Portsmouth social media channels. You can watch them both below.

The first shows Portsmouth's streets and public areas looking eerily quiet, as people heeded the advice to stay at home. Areas typically thronging with people are deserted, including main roads and the popular seafront. It's a fascinating watch for anyone who knows how these areas usually look.

The second video showcased the work being undertaken by the Culture, Leisure and Regulatory Services department within Portsmouth City Council. It takes in the way people have dealt with restrictions that came about as a result of the pandemic, whilst also showcasing just some of the work taking place behind the scenes.