The 170m (574ft) Spinnaker Tower – the centrepiece of the £38m regeneration of Portsmouth Harbour – is finally set to open this October.

Councillors at Portsmouth City Council agreed last week that to delay the opening of the Tower – which was originally scheduled for mid-2004 – until the spring 2006 tourism season would have serious financial implications.

The attraction features three glass encapsulated decks with views across the harbour and out towards the Isle of Wight, across a distance of up to 23 miles.

View Deck I has a glass floor, the second deck offers multi-media stations showing the history of the harbour, while the top deck – the Crow’s Nest – is open to the elements.

The Tower also has a panoramic outside lift and a high-speed internal lift. Details: www.spinnakertower.co.uk