Our EIGHTEEN things to look forward to in 2018

THOUSANDS of people will again descend to King George V playing fields in Cosham for the fifth anniversary of Mutiny Festival.
Will Pompey gain promotion to the Championship?Will Pompey gain promotion to the Championship?
Will Pompey gain promotion to the Championship?

The organisers have already announced hip-hop singer and rapper Craig David as their headline act for the main stage on the Sunday night.

The two-day festival, held on May Bank Holiday Weekend, will see festival-goers enjoy top acts from a range of music genres at what the organisers are calling ‘the best Mutiny Festival’ yet.

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Last year’s event boosted Portsmouth’s economy by £2.7m with headline acts 50 Cent and Chase and Status.

Gosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron  is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitorsGosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron  is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitors
Gosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitors

IT WILL be an historic moment for the Royal Navy as the first fifth-generation fighter jet lands on the deck of Britain’s biggest-ever warship.

But that is exactly what is set to happen at the tail-end of the year as HMS Queen Elizabeth conducts her flight trials.

The tests, due to take place off the coast of America, will see pilots landing the state-of-the-art F-35B stealth fighter on the 280m aircraft carrier.

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It will be one of the final pieces in the puzzle for the £3.1bn behemoth, which is based in Portsmouth, before she is able to begin her first operational tour in 2020.

This year hearlds the fifth Mutiny FestivalThis year hearlds the fifth Mutiny Festival
This year hearlds the fifth Mutiny Festival

WITH a beer tent that covers Guildhall Square, Oktoberfest is an event that brings thousands of people into Portsmouth’s city centre.

First launched two years ago, the Bavarian-style festival has grown every year and saw 10,000 beer-lovers through its doors last year. Hailed as a great success by organisers, Oktoberfest sees people dress in the traditional lederhosen and enjoy a range of beers and ales. With the last two events going so well organisers are expecting to grow on that success and see 
even more tickets sold for this year’s festival in October.

PLANS to rejuvenate Havant’s aging town centre are set to take a step forward this year.

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In its recently-released Draft Local Plan for 2036, Havant Borough Council earmarked the destination as a key site for development.

Gosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron  is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitorsGosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron  is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitors
Gosport Borough Council's vision for the town centre and waterfron is of a more vibrant and attractive area, given new life by high-quality development, using its marine and historic assets to attract new investors and visitors

By dividing it into four parts - its retail hub, historic centre, civic campus and Market Parade - the authority hopes to devise a ‘master plan’ to breathe new life into each area and the town centre as a whole.

It is expected this plan will encourage an influx of new business, a growing evening economy, development of 750 homes and some tall buildings - including a new landmark opposite Havant Park.

COMMUNITIES across the area will be coming together to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

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The conflict cost the lives of 8,500,000 soldiers, and destroyed a generation of young men.

This year hearlds the fifth Mutiny FestivalThis year hearlds the fifth Mutiny Festival
This year hearlds the fifth Mutiny Festival

And to mark the toll of the war, Portsmouth will be opening up a new museum, packed full of tales of those who served, survived and died in the fight.

Set up by Pompey Pals Project, the new facility will be based at Fort Widley and is expected to open in Easter.

It will be the kick-start of a major series of events led by the charity, with the backing of Portsmouth City Council.

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SOME of the best comic book artists and writers will come to the city for Portsmouth Comic Con - International Festival of Comics.

Industry professionals Walter and Louise Simonson, Tommy Lee Edwards, Frank Quitely and Russell Walks are confirmed attendees for the event at Portsmouth Guildhall.

During the two-day event, visitors will be able go behind the science of comics through a range of exhibitions, displays and workshops as well as cosplay, gaming and robots.

Thousands of people are expected to buy tickets for Portsmouth Comic Con on May 5 and May 6.

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EXCITING new displays will take pride of place in the revamped D-Day Museum when the attraction reopens later this year.

The Southsea-based heritage centre has been closed for months as it undergoes a £4.9m makeover.

Expected to open in the spring, the site will host a range of never-before-seen exhibitions about the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy.

The new displays will focus on the human impact of the war, telling the story from those who took part. As part of the renovations to the history site, there will be new spaces, events and improved galleries which will tell the story of D-Day, from the planning and build up of the invasion right up the the final battle through the French countryside.

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ART-LOVERS will once again be in for a treat as the city’s premier cultural linchpin event makes its return this summer.

Portsmouth Festivities will be kicking-off on Friday, June 15 until Sunday, June 24.

Despite having not revealed the official line-up, organisers are looking to build on the festival’s growing success, making this year’s bonanza the biggest in its 19-year history.

Visitors should expect 
to see a host of stunning installations, displays, community activities and performances.

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The theme for event is Freedom. Organisers hope to have their final collection of art and events sorted by January 18.

WITH less than £200,000 left to pay, the Rocky Appeal is hoping to secure the Da Vinci robot for Queen Alexandra Hospital by June.

The surgical robot is currently leased to the Cosham hospital by American Firm Intuitive Surgical, which owns it.

However, with the hard work of appeal co-ordinator Mick Lyons, it is hoped the £2.4m for the hi-tech equipment will be paid off by June.

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Over the past few years, hundreds of organisations, businesses and individuals have fundraised for the Da Vinci robot and there is now the last push to get the remaining £196,000 raised within the next six months.

THE future of Gosport Waterfront (pictured above right) will become a lot clearer this year, as Gosport Borough Council applies the finishing touches to its Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Following a consultation last year, the council has been able to take on board the thoughts and opinions of residents across the borough.

The SPD aims to rejuvenate the waterfront and town centre, with Gosport bus station already earmarked for redevelopment.

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Gosport Borough Council has assured residents that the Falkland Gardens will not be built on.

A SCHEME that could unite Lee-on-the-Solent and the Isle of Wight has the potential to become a permanent service and a major financial boost.

Hovertravel has announced a series of excursions from a new departure point in Lee-on-the-Solent to Ryde, which will be taking place in 2018.

Councillors in the town are confident that a successful series of excursions could not only bolster tourism in the town, but also lead to a permanent service that could also be expanded to Portsmouth and Southampton, creating an efficient water link to the two cities.

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The first excursion in Lee-on-the-Solent will be taking place on February 17.

PLANS to transform Portsmouth’s skyline could become concrete in 2018.

A 500m masterplan to transform the city centre was announced in October last year by Portsmouth City Council leader Cllr Donna Jones.

The news followed the announcement of a £60m road scheme for the city centre, involving the creation of a dual carriageway and market square to change the look of Commercial Road forever.

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2,600 flats and a ‘Grade A’ business space would be built between Princess Royal Road and the Cascades Centre, creating a Manhattan-esque feel as motorists come off the M275.

A NEW bike hire scheme could make cycling a more popular mode of transport in the city.

Portsmouth City Council has started to look for an operator to bring in a shareable bike scheme for the city, in a scheme similar to that implemented in London back in 2010.

According to Cllr Simon Bosher, the council could look to tie up a deal with an operator to commence a pilot scheme as early as March or April.

Cycling hubs would be built throughout the city, with sites such as Guildhall Square and Clarence Pier already being earmarked for the scheme.