Press Release

15 January 2024

50 Years a Borough

In 2024, Fareham Borough Council will celebrate the 50th year of Fareham having Borough Status and is planning a year-long programme of events and activities for the community to come together and celebrate.

Fareham residents are the heart of the Borough, so the Council is asking for everyone to get involved and send in pictures from the Borough taken in the last 50 years. You can do this by uploading them to Facebook, tagging @FarehamBC; by emailing them to publicity@fareham.gov.uk or by bringing in physical photographs to the Civic Offices in Fareham to be scanned. There will be a post box for photographs in reception, but please be sure to include your name and contact details so we can let you know when the photos are ready to collect.  Also include details of what the photograph is showing and any other interesting information.

Once we have enough photos collected, we will create a special gallery page on our website to showcase these historic moments. 

Council organised events and activities will have a golden theme throughout 2024, so that residents and businesses can celebrate this 50-year milestone together. Information about Council events can be found at www.fareham.gov.uk/events

The Council also will be supporting its district centres through its Live Love Local campaign. New banner flags with a golden colour scheme are going up around the Borough and special 50th anniversary flags will be flying in Fareham West Street.

Since becoming a Borough, a lot has changed. Key milestones include:

• 1974 - Fareham was made a Borough
• 1975 - Construction of the Civic Offices was completed
• 1980 - Fareham Leisure Centre was opened to the public
• 1981 - Fareham Shopping Centre was completed
• 1982 - Ferneham Hall was opened to the public
• 1988 - Solent Business Park opened
• 1990 - Westbury Manor Museum opened
• 1993 - The new bus station opened in Fareham
• 1996 - HMS Daedalus was decommissioned
• 2000 - Whiteley Community Centre constructed
• 2007 - Baroness Thatcher met Falklands veterans and unveiled the Town Centre commemorative Falklands Arch
• 2011 - Quay Street Tesco in Fareham opened
• 2012 - The Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus was established
• 2012 - New Portchester Community Centre built
• 2014 - Fareham Leisure Centre was given multi-million pound refurbishment
• 2015 - Fareham Borough Council purchased Daedalus from the HCA
• 2015 - The Welborne Plan was officially adopted into the Local Plan
• 2015 - Fareham Innovation Centre was opened
• 2016 - Holly Hill Leisure Centre was opened to the public
• 2017 - Welborne granted Garden Community status by the Government
• 2020 - Ferneham Hall closed for refurbishment
• 2021 - Abbey Meadows in Titchfield was opened to the public
• 2022 - The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Park at Daedalus was opened to the public
• 2023 - Fareham Borough Council purchased Fareham Shopping Centre

Councillor Seán Woodward, Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “The inaugural annual meeting of Fareham Borough Council was held on Tuesday 9 April 1974, so 2024 represents our ‘Golden Anniversary’ as a Borough. I know residents in each of our communities across the Borough will wish to help us celebrate this milestone by sending in their photographs and getting involved with Council events, where we will be showcasing our fantastic community spirit.  There will be plenty more to come in 2024, so my final few months as Council Leader will certainly be busy and full of memorable moments of which to be proud.”

You can find out more about Fareham’s history and plans for 2024 at www.fareham.gov.uk/farehamat50

ENDS

For further information contact:

Customer Enquiries

Tel: 01329 236100
Email: customerservicecentre@fareham.gov.uk

Media Enquiries

The Communications Team
Tel: 01329 824310
Email: publicity@fareham.gov.uk
Fax: 01329 550576

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