Sociability Mapping Day: Accessible Places in Portsmouth

At Sociability, our mission is to make the world more accessible, one venue at a time. One of the most powerful ways we do this is through our Mapping Days, now known as Sociability Community Days, where our team and community volunteers head out into a city to find, tag, and photograph accessible venues.

In this guest post from our archives, Kirsten shares her first experience of a mapping day in the historic coastal city of Portsmouth.

One of my first questions when I joined Sociability was:

“Can I please join a mapping day?”

During the interview process I checked out all of Sociability’s social media (obviously!) and the mapping day posts had me intrigued. As a product designer, having the opportunity to watch people using a product in context is invaluable. People tend to use products in all sorts of different ways, so I gain a lot of insight by watching what people do in real life.

George - mid map!

I particularly enjoyed seeing how two of our community mappers, George and Jessikah, work as a team to map a venue. Jessikah takes photos and sends them to George to upload to the app while he adds the accessibility tags. I have to say though that my favourite part of the day didn’t really have anything to do with the app at all. It was the amazing community vibe, making new friends, and getting to know everyone a little bit better. And really, at the end of the day, that is what Sociability is all about! Overall, we didn’t find Portsmouth to be very accessible for our group, but we did manage to add information on 13 venues in just a few hours! Teamwork makes the dream work!

Here are a couple we’d like to mention:

NATTY’S JERK

The team in Natty’s Jerk!

One of the highlights of our day was visiting Natty’s Jerk on Commercial Road. They are located opposite Portsmouth and Southsea station and serve Jamaican street food. There is on street blue badge parking within 100 metres. Access to the venue is via a built in ramp and there is lots of seating available. The staff were fun and welcoming and through speaking with us they realised that their toilet was not accessible for wheelchair users, something they promised they would flag to the owner. Whether they do anything about it or not, who knows? But by being there and having that conversation, we made them think. We made accessibility, and the lack of it, visible.
Check out the Sociability app to see all of the accessibility info we tagged for Natty’s Jerk.

FRIES LOVE

Just up the road was Fries Love. We didn’t get a chance to eat here but the menu looked amazing! They have everything from regular chips to seasoned curly fries to sweet potato fries with all sorts of toppings including Japanese style with paprika and mayo, poutine, or grated mozzarella. There was a small bump to get into the doorway but inside there was a good amount of space, lots of seating available and an accessible toilet.
Check out the Sociability app to see all of the accessibility info we tagged for Fries Love.

The team in Starbs!

We ended the day with a well deserved hot drink and cake at Starbucks. There is nothing better than getting together with a group of like minded people and working towards a common goal. Mapping days aren’t just about adding more information to the app. They are about bringing people together and creating a space for everyone to be themselves. I count myself very lucky to have been a part of this experience.

FAQ: Exploring Accessible Places in Portsmouth

1. What are the best accessible places in Portsmouth for lunch?

Based on our mapping day, Fries Love and Natty's Jerk are excellent choices for a casual lunch, offering ramped or level entry. For a more traditional sit-down meal, the Gunwharf Quays area offers a high density of modern, accessible restaurants with step-free access and dedicated facilities.

2. Is Portsmouth city centre easy to navigate for wheelchair users?

Portsmouth is a relatively flat city, which helps with navigation. However, as Kirsten noted, older parts of the city can still present challenges like "small bumps" at shop entrances. We recommend using the Sociability app to check the specific "Entry" and "Toilet" tags for any venue before you visit.

3. How can I contribute to mapping accessible places in Portsmouth?

You do not have to wait for an official mapping day! Anyone can add a venue or update accessibility information directly through the Sociability app. Whether it is a local cafe or a favourite pub, your data helps the whole community find accessible places in Portsmouth with confidence.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this post. Planning a trip? Download the Sociability app to find accessible cafés, bars, and restaurants that meet your specific needs in seconds. You can also join our community and follow us on Instagram for the latest inclusive spots!

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