Ocean Village, Southampton facts for kids
Ocean Village is a lively area in Southampton, England. It sits right where the River Itchen flows into the sea. This spot used to be one of Southampton's very first working docks, opened in 1842. But in 1986, it was transformed into a modern marina. Now, it's a popular place with homes, businesses, and lots of fun things to do.
After a tough time during the late 2000s recession, Ocean Village got a big makeover with many new projects. Today, you can find a cinema, cafes, and restaurants here.
The marina is managed by Marina Developments Limited (MDL). This area, once used by big cargo ships, now has 375 places for boats to dock. It's deep enough for large yachts and even tall ships! Famous yacht races like the Global Challenge (in 1992, 1996, and 2000) and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race (in 2011) have started from here. The Royal Southampton Yacht Club was also based here until 2018.
Many companies have offices in Ocean Village. For example, PricewaterhouseCoopers is located here. There's also an old building called Enterprise House. It used to be a dock warehouse but is now used for offices.
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History of Ocean Village
In 1987, a shopping center called Canute’s Pavilion opened here. It cost £12 million to build. However, it was hard to find shops to fill it. Because of this, the shopping center was taken down in 2008.
The Calshot Spit Lightship
From 1988 to 2010, a special old ship called the LV 78 Calshot Spit lightship was at the entrance to Ocean Village marina. This lightship was like a floating lighthouse. It helped guide ships safely into Southampton Water. It was built in 1914 in Southampton. The lightship stopped working in 1978.
On November 3, 2010, the lightship was moved to be fixed up. There were plans for it to be part of a new museum. However, those plans stopped in 2012. In December 2019, the Calshot Spit Lightship found a new home. It was moved to the Solent Sky museum, where you can see it today.
Fun Things to Do at Ocean Village
Ocean Village has many places to eat, drink, and have fun.
- Places to Eat & Drink: You can find many restaurants and bars here. Some popular ones include Banana Wharf, Pitcher & Piano, Blue Jasmine, and The Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis. There are also places like Bacaro, Ocean Grill, and Maritimo Lounge.
- Watch a Movie: The Harbour Lights Picturehouse is a cinema where you can watch films. It also has a cafe and a patio. The cinema was built between 1993 and 1994. A cafe was added between 1995 and 1997.
- Other Services: You can also find a hotel and spa, a Tesco Express, and a Co-op shop. There are boat sales companies, real estate agents, a beauty salon, and a dental clinic. For kids, there's Injoy Southampton, which is a children's activity center.
New Buildings and Plans
Ocean Car Park
The Ocean Car Park opened in 2009. It has six floors and space for 776 cars. This car park has won an award for being very safe and secure.
Splash and Innovation Centre
In 2011, a project called Splash was finished. It includes 130 new apartments. There is also an "Innovation Centre" here. This center provides office spaces for new businesses that use lots of knowledge and new ideas.
Admiral's Quay
After a pause due to money problems, work on Admiral's Quay started again. In 2011, the land for the second part of the project was sold. Plans were made for a tall 26-story building with 299 apartments. There will also be new restaurants and bars along the water. This big project is expected to cost £74 million.
Ocean Village Harbour Hotel
In late 2011, a hotel company called Harbour Hotels showed interest in building a new hotel. This hotel would also have homes and businesses. Construction started in July 2014. The Harbour Hotel at Ocean Village officially opened its doors in October 2017.
