The St Thomas Ward (Old Portsmouth, Somerstown & Gunwharf Quays)

Old Portsmouth is the South-Western section of the neighbourhood area, an area covered by the original town of Portsmouth as planned by Jean de Gisors. It comprises of private housing, and a working fishing port (Camber Docks). Areas and buildings within Old Portsmouth include: Portsmouth Cathedral, Royal Garrison Church/Domus Dei, The John Pounds Memorial Church (Unitarian), the Square Tower and Round Tower and Point Barracks, with the Saluting Platform, Portsmouth Point and the entrance to the Harbour. This area is bordered by the Norman sea fortifications, and is a popular tourist attraction all year round. The Camber Docks is also home to the BAR headquarters (Ben Ainslie Racing) which is the UK''''s ''''America''''s Cup'''' entry.

Somerstown is a residential area of the city of Portsmouth in the English county of Hampshire. The area was known for being one of the most deprived wards in the city, but over the past 20 years it has been the subject of a major regeneration initiative.

The area was developed during the 1820s, on land owned by Mr Somers, and was heavily bombed during World War II. After the war, the majority of what remained of the area was demolished to make way for social housing.

Somerstown is a very run down area of the city, undergoing a programme of redevelopment. This inner city neighbourhood has relatively high levels of deprivation while much of its physical fabric is in need of renewal/refurbishment. It is one of the poorest areas in the South of England and has one of the highest rates of unemployment. The area is an integral part of the ''''Heart of Portsmouth'''' bid for SRB funding and a Joint Project Board has been established to oversee the preparation of a new physical regeneration plan through continued community involvement. Somerstown is situated to the northern centre of the neighbourhood area. This area comprises a high amount of social housing in a comparatively small area. This includes 4 high-rise tower blocks – specifically Edgbaston House, Tipton House, Leamington House and Horatia House. This area creates the bulk of the demand for both the Response & Patrol Teams and the St Thomas Neighbourhood Police officers alike, and accounts for the majority of recorded crime in the ward.

Gunwharf Quays is an outlet retail destination with 90 outlet stores and 30 restaurants, bars and cafés (14-screen Vue cinema, 26-lane Bowlplex Bowling Alley, Aspex art gallery, Grosvenor casino, a Holiday Inn Express and a Tiger Tiger nightclub). The waterfront overlooks Gunwharf Quays Marina which can accommodate all types of craft including luxury yachts up to 80 metres and has often played host to national and international sailing events. It was constructed in the early 21st century on the site of what had once been HM Gunwharf, Portsmouth. This was one of several such facilities which were established around Britain and the Empire by the Board of Ordnance, where cannons, ammunition and other armaments were stored, repaired and serviced ready for use on land or at sea. Later known as HMS Vernon, the military site closed in 1995, and opened to the public as Gunwharf Quays after six years of reconstruction (which included the restoration of some of the surviving 18th and 19th-century Gun Wharf buildings). The landmark Spinnaker Tower, which also stands on the site, was opened a few years later

If you have any information about crime in this neighbourhood, please call us via 101, or anonymously Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111