VR thrills and fine dining among ideas for Spinnaker Tower revamp
VR headsets, fine dining and thrill experiences have been floated for the Spinnaker Tower, as a new operator is sought for the attraction.
Portsmouth City Council has tendered a contract for a company to operate the Spinnaker Tower.
Officially opened in October 2005, the 170m tower provides unparalleled views across Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of Wight.
Since then, it has been operated by Continuum, which manages other attractions across the country.
The tower has hosted various attractions including abseiling experiences, High Tea in the Clouds, a Sky Bar, alongside events such as weddings and comedy nights.
It is estimated the operator could generate about £90m over 25 years based on current income, but this could rise to £110m or more with investment and expanded activities such as food, sponsorship and advertising.
Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of the council, thanked Continuum for “20 years of commitment in maintaining the tower as an important visitor attraction in the city”.
However, he thinks “it’s time for some new ideas, either from them if they choose to bid or someone else”.
The tender states a new contract would retain the Spinnaker’s core function as a public viewing tower but consider supplementary attractions that are historically or culturally relevant to the city.
It goes on to suggest a café, fine dining, comedy and cocktail evenings, virtual reality thrill experiences and private functions.
It adds that other proposals “will be considered”, including suggestions for the overall space and investment, such as the “opportunity for development of the underused podium deck” located at the base of the tower.
Cllr Pitt added that during market testing someone suggested a button that would make the glass floor panels appear to “crack”.
“I’m not sure I would want to stand on it but people are after those thrill experiences,” he added.
He also hinted at a virtual reality experience that would allow visitors to see how Portsmouth’s landscape has changed throughout history.
He encouraged opportunities for fine dining, describing it as a “premier location” with “Fantastic views over the harbour”, with weddings and comedy nights continuing.