Spinnaker Tower Portsmouth Review
Spinnaker Tower
Portsmouth, Hampshire
Reviewed by Lorraine Knight
Soaring 170 metres above Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, the Spinnaker Tower is taller than the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Big Ben and has already established itself as a national icon for Britain.
On the day we decided to visit Spinnaker Tower it was dry and mostly clear albeit quite windy. It is very easy to find based at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth snd very well signposted from motorway M275.
On approach to Spinnaker Tower there is a queue system for prebooked/groups booking and daily admission. On the day we went the queue was very small. All staff from reception, photographer, lift operators, gift shop, staff on levels 1 and 2 were very helpful, courteous and polite. Enquiring about our day, any help we needed and directing us to the correct area. We purchased a guide book for £3.50 and took an Easter egg challenge sheet.
As you walk past reception you are offered the chance to have your photograph taken. We didn’t know what this would be like until we came back down in the lift and went by the gift shop and were asked if we would like to see our picture and purchase it either in a picture, magnets or key rings format. We opted for the picture costing £8. They had superimposed the Spinnaker Tower behind us in the picture.
We were then directed to the lift (you can walk up the stairs but this needs to be prebooked in advance as a staff member needs to accompany you), which quickly took us to level 1. This is 110 meters above ground and my ears popped going up! There is audio equipment, which reassembles old-fashioned large mobile phones, which on this level and level 3 you can press a number between 1 – 8 and you listen to history about Portsmouth and building of the Tower. Also on this level is a glass platform you can stand on and look directly below. It does feel quite scary with just glass between you and a sheer drop!
We started to find pieces for the Easter egg challenge on this level. The challenge was to find pieces with letters on the reverse, which would eventually spell out a 6-letter word. Overall we failed to find them all over the 3 levels and only managed 4 letters. You can complete your contact details on the sheet and post it in a box by the gift shop to be entered for a chance to win a seasonal treat.
On level 1 I could feel movement of the Tower so was very pleased it wasn’t overly windy day. One of the facts I learnt from the audio was the Tower can sway up to 15cms.
You climb to level 3 for an even higher view, which has an open roof, but I felt very safe because you are still surrounded by solid glass.
Level 2 has a small eating area with magnificent views and looking at the menu quite reasonably priced. You get the lift back down from this level and we didn’t have to wait very long.
After strolling through the gift shop you enter a large restaurant where members of the public who haven’t paid to climb the tower can eat.
Overall we spent 1½ hrs inside the tower and learnt a lot about the building. It isn’t somewhere I would visit twice but would recommend it especially on a clear day.
I would give 41/2 out of 5 due to the excellent helpful staff and information but it is quite an expensive experience for a family.
The Easter Egg Hunt Challenge runs from 5-21 April 2014.
Rating: 4.5/5
Open daily from 10am to 6pm.
Ticket prices are (save 15% by booking online)
Adult: £8.95 (£7.60)
Child (3-15 years): £6.95 (£5.90)
Under 3: Free
Seniors (60+) and Stundents: £7.95 (£6.75)
Portsmouth/Gosport Residents (with 2 forms of ID): Adult: £6.70, Child: £5.20, Seniors & Students: £5.95
For more information or to book tickets online visit www.spinnakertower.co.uk.
Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3TT
