Residents' dismay as large portion of Southsea Common is 'blocked off' for D-Day preparations

As previously reported by The News, event organisers have begun preparing the site for the event on June 5 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings which turned the tide of the second world war.

However yesterday (May 8) visitors to the common were dismayed when they discovered large green hoarding had now been placed around the entire site from the Portsmouth Naval Memorial to the east of the common - despite the event being four weeks away.

This is in stark contrast to other larger events on the common such as Victorious where the site is closed to the public for only an additional couple of days. Many people have been expressing their frustration across social media as a result.

A spokesperson for BBC Studios, which is producing the event on behalf of the MoD, said it was keeping disruption down to a minimum with the ‘majority’ of the common still available for public use.

In a statement they said: “We always endeavour to keep disruption to local residents at a minimum while building a high profile event of this scale for local people and audiences to enjoy. “

Although exact details of what to expect at the events have yet to be revealed, both will pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery and achievements of the D-Day veterans, and the incredible work on the home front that combined to make D-Day one of the most important days of the twentieth century.

A number of Portsmouth residents have been invited by the organisers to attend the event, including members of veterans’ organisations and local groups, as well as some local schoolchildren. Around 6,000 free tickets were also made available to local residents with all of the daytime tickets snapped up this morning within ten minutes of being available. The daytime event is expected to feature recognisable famous faces, musical performances, readings, and testimonies. It is also expected that this will feature a flypast from the Red Arrows with VIPs and dignitaries, including members of the royal family, expected to attend.

Some tickets remain for the an evening event from 8.30pm-10pm which will be a community vigil to fallen Allied soldiers who fought and died during D-Day operations. It will also include a live broadcast from Bayeux War Cemetery in France. There will also be live music performances and moving testimony from those who were there. However residents and visitors have been warned that without a ticket, there is no public vantage point for you to watch the events, although you will be able to watch live coverage of both events on BBC One and iPlayer as well as see the coverage by The News.