Portishead, Somerset - Definition and Overview

Portishead is a coastal town in North Somerset, England. It was once a major port, acting for a time as the main harbour of Bristol. Until the 1980s, the docks included a distinctive brick-built power station, with four tall chimneys. This has now been demolished, the harbour is used for pleasure craft and is surrounded by upmarket housing, most built in the 2000s.

Portishead is primarily a dormitory town for Bristol and its environs, but employers include the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which has its headquarters on the western edge of the town, Gordano School, and legions of care homes for the elderly. The town has a large number of supermarkets (5) compared to the small overall population.

The town suffers from poor communications links. Plans to reopen a disused train line to Bristol have not come to pass, and the main A369 road to the nearby M5 motorway is congested during rush hours. Its coastline is stony and muddy, of environmental and geological interest, but not for building sandcastles. The Lake Grounds area, built in the early 20th century around an artificial lake, is the town's main park area.

The Bristol based trip-hop group Portishead are named after the town, despite claiming to hate the place.