Click on the thumbnails below to expand cuttings from The News and other items describing the construction of the Millenium Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays, formerly HMS Vernon. Items from The News of Portsmouth are reproduced by kind permission of David Brown.
USEFUL LINKS
BBC Southampton Spinnaker Tower webcam
CJB Photography (for stunning aerial photographs of the Spinnaker Tower during its construction)
Portsmouth City Council Spinnaker Tower website
Nov 1998 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower Questions & Answers
16 May 2003 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower starts to take shape
29 May 2003 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower reaches 377 feet
3 Jun 2003 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower inquiry
25 Jun 2003 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower reaches 407 feet
28 Jun 2003 - View from the top of Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower including part of old HMS Vernon (N.B. Vulcan Building).
24 Jul 2003 - Selection of operator for Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower
28 Jul 2003 - Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower reaches 460 feet
20 Aug 2003 - More Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower controversy. N.B. They've started to paint it white, its eventual colour.
8 Sep 2003 - The Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower saga continues
16 Sep 2003 - 572 steps completed inside Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower
26 Sep 2003 - Picture of veteran paddle steamer Waverley passing Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower
14 Oct 2003 - View from the top of Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower
7 Nov 2003 - Key Stage of Spinnaker Tower on way
13 Nov 2003 - Spinnaker Tower inquiry nears its end
18 Nov 2003 - Arrival of crucial component for Spinnaker Tower
19 Nov 2003 - Aerial View of Gunwharf Quays & Spinnaker Tower
29 Nov 2003 - New Portsmouth CEO's bewilderment at Spinnaker Tower
8 Dec 2003 - Paint peeling off Spinnaker Tower
11 Dec 2003 - Image rights for Spinnaker Tower not owned by City Council
22 Jan 2004 - Sail of Spinnaker Tower starts to take shape
21 Feb 2004 - Photo showing Spinnaker Tower's resemblance to Navigation Mark
28 Feb 2004 - Spinnaker Tower gets Smiley Face
3 Mar 2004 - Base of sail being hoisted into place
2 Apr 2004 - Further delay to opening of Tower
17 Apr 2004 - Crack discovered in Spinnaker Tower
31 May 2004 - World's largest single-masted yacht Mirabella V beside Spinnaker Tower
19 Jun 2004 - More controversy over Spinnaker Tower's structure
31 Jul 2004 - Spinnaker Tower concrete 'safe once repairs finished'
23 Aug 2004 - Finish of Spinnaker Tower delayed further
25 Aug 2004 - Hollows discovered in Spinnaker Tower concrete
7 Sep 2004 - Author of damning report on Spinnaker Tower speaks out
27 Nov 2004 - Stunning View from top of Spinnaker Tower
15 Jan 2005 - Spinnaker Tower may not be ready for Trafalgar 200
17 Jan 2005 - Spire lifted onto Spinnaker Tower
22 Feb 2005 - Further Delay to Opening of Spinnaker Tower
24 Feb 2005 - More Trouble for Spinnaker Tower
22 Apr 2005 - Things Finally Looking Up for Spinnaker Tower
16 Jun 2005 - Spinnaker Tower Lights Up
2 Jul 2005 - Provisional Date Set for Opening of Spinnaker Tower (28 July 2005)
19 Jul 2005 - Lift Problems Cause Further Delay to Opening of Spinnaker Tower
16 Aug 2005 - Still No Opening Date for Spinnaker Tower
3 Sep 2005 - Spinnaker Tower Likely to Stay Closed over Winter
14 Sep 2005 - Spinnaker Tower may open in October
24 Sep 2005 - No Guarantees for October Opening of Spinnaker Tower
30 Sep 2005 - Spinnaker Tower should open within next two weeks...
6 Oct 2005 - ...and then again, perhaps not. Passengers become stuck in Spinnaker Tower lift.
12 Oct 2005 - Builders hand Spinnaker Tower over to operators. Tower could open 20 October.
13 Oct 2005 - Spinnaker Tower to open at 1000 on Tuesday 18 October (2005)
18 Oct 2005 - Lift hitch as Spinnaker Tower finally opens
7 Dec 2005 - Bill for Spinnaker Tower could reach £28 million
9 Oct 2005 - Spinnaker Tower panoramic lift to be operational soon
24 Apr 2006 - Spinnaker Tower glass lift to 'open within days'
29 Apr 2006 - Spinnaker Tower panoramic lift 'must stay closed'
4 Jul 2006 - Spinnaker Tower could close owing to continuing failure of panoramic lift
7 Jul 2006 - Manufacturers of Spinnaker Tower's panoramic lift dismissed
14 Oct 2006 - Panoramic lift may not be ready 'until next year'
8 Jan 2007 - Panoramic lift ready for action
16 Mar 2007 - New delay for panoramic lift
8 Feb 2008 - Panoramic lift open but you can't use it
29 Aug 2008 - Panoramic lift stays stalled
20 Feb 2010 - Engineers believe they can finally fix the Spinnaker Tower's external glass lift
Scenic lift at the Spinnaker could finally be on the move
25 Mar 2010 - Spinnaker Tower listed as member of World Federation of Great Towers
Spinnaker Tower stands tall as one of world's best
4 May 2010 - Spinnaker Tower shortlisted for the Best Attraction for Group Visits
Spinnaker Tower up against London Eye for award
22 Jun 2010 - Further controversy about (still) broken panoramic lift
Council's secret payment for Spinnaker Tower's broken lift
1 Oct 2010 - Spinnaker Tower's fifth birthday
Spinnaker Tower to hold 5th birthday celebrations
13 Oct 2010 - Spinnaker Tower celebrates fifth birthday (Still no panoramic lift, though)
Spinnaker Tower shows off its candle power
20 Jul 2011 - Councillors agree that Spinnaker Tower lift will not be repaired
BBC News: Portsmouth Spinnaker Tower lift to be left in position
4 Feb 2012 - Panoramic lift to be removed
Broken Spinnaker Tower lift set to be finally removed later this year
23 Jan 2015 - Final operation to remove panoramic lift
Spinnaker Tower abseilers remove outside lift that never worked
10 Jul 2015 - More controversy
Fresh fiasco over Emirates Spinnaker Tower deal as plan has yet to be given approval