Forton

A busy, diverse neighbourhood along Forton Road, with Victorian terraces, independent shops, and the further education campus of St Vincent College.

Forton is the area west of the town centre, centred on Forton Road, one of Gosport's longest and most varied streets. Forton Road runs from the junction with the High Street westward towards Brockhurst and HMS Sultan, and its character changes along its length. The eastern end, closer to the town centre, has a dense mix of terraced housing, small shops, takeaways, and pubs. Further west, the street passes through more residential sections before reaching the military land around HMS Sultan. Forton has historically been one of the more working-class parts of Gosport, with tight Victorian terraces built to house dockyard workers and their families. The housing is compact and functional, with bay-fronted terraces on streets such as Queens Road, Parham Road, and Toronto Place. The neighbourhood has a diverse population, with a broader ethnic mix than some other parts of the borough, reflected in the range of food shops and restaurants along Forton Road. St Vincent College, a further education college on Mill Lane, provides post-16 education and vocational training and is a significant local institution. The Royal Arms pub and the India Arms are established Forton drinking spots. Forton Lake, a tidal inlet on the western side, separates Forton from the Brockhurst and Elson areas and provides a distinctive landscape feature. The neighbourhood has a lived-in, unpretentious character, more urban than the leafier southern parts of Gosport but with a vitality and variety that gives it its own identity. Property prices are among the lower end for the borough, making it accessible for buyers on tighter budgets.