When there are restless children to entertain on the Southsea seafront, the answer is usually Clarence Pier. This cheerfully old-fashioned funfair has been thrilling families for generations, with rides, arcades and chips all in one place.
A pier that runs the wrong way
The original Clarence Pier opened in 1861 and has always been a bit of an oddity, running along the shore rather than striding out to sea like most Victorian piers. The seafront pavilion you see today, with its little observation tower, went up between 1959 and 1961 after wartime damage.
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The funfair itself dates back to around 1945 and is still a family affair, run by the Manning family business founded by the showman Billy Manning and carried on by his descendants, the Normans. Film fans may recognise it, too: a 1994 episode of Mr Bean was shot here, which is about the most Southsea claim to fame imaginable.
The rides, and everything around them
At the heart of it are the fairground rides, from spinning roller coasters and a log flume to dodgems, a waltzer and a carousel, plus a good run of gentler rides for smaller children. The line-up is refreshed from time to time, so there is usually something new to queue for.
Around the rides sits a whole wet-weather backup plan. Three arcades cover everything from nostalgic penny-pusher machines to modern shooters and dance mats, and there is a bowling alley, a pool hall, the Upside Down House photo spot, and Putt Hutt, a themed indoor crazy-golf centre that opened in 2023. You can quite happily spend a drizzly afternoon here without going outside at all.
What it costs
Entry is free, which is the good news. You then pay as you go, with individual rides from around £1.60 and indoor crazy golf from roughly £7.50 a head. If the children intend to ride everything twice, a Day Rider wristband or a discounted bag of tokens works out far cheaper than paying ride by ride. Prices shift, so check the current rates before you set a budget.
| Admission | Free (pay per ride) |
| Rides from | Around £1.60 each |
| Best value | Day Rider wristband or token bag |
| Indoor options | Arcades, bowling, crazy golf, open year-round |
Getting there and what is nearby
Clarence Pier sits on Clarence Esplanade in Southsea, about a 15 to 20 minute walk from Portsmouth & Southsea station, with seafront buses dropping close by and pay-and-display parking nearby. The Hovertravel terminal to the Isle of Wight is right next door, which makes a neat two-in-one day out.
It is also well placed for the rest of Southsea seafront: Southsea Common, Southsea Castle, the D-Day Story and the Blue Reef Aquarium are all within a short stroll, so the funfair can be the finale rather than the whole day.
Rain or shine
What keeps Clarence Pier going while grander attractions come and go is that it never pretends to be anything other than a seaside funfair, and it is very good at that one job.
“It is loud, it is a bit chaotic, and the children never want to leave,” one of our writers reported after a half-term visit. “In other words, it does exactly what a seafront funfair is supposed to do.”
For a cheap and cheerful few hours by the sea, it is still hard to beat.
