Things to do in Portsmouth: I visited the Upside Down House on its opening day and I've been falling over ever since

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I tried and tested the waters of Portsmouth’s first Upside Down House and the dizzying effect of the seaside attraction left me swaying and tripping over my own feet.

With sea views, delightful decor and immaculate furnishings, the Upside Down House at Clarence Pier could easily rival some of my University dwellings, but it has one twist – everything is upside down.

The brand new attraction on the seafront which costs £5 per person is the latest ‘must-see’ in Portsmouth and, having thrown open its doors to the Portsmouth public today, I headed down to try it out for size. Stepping in, I almost immediately felt the disorientating effect of the building's slant and already find myself reaching for the wall in an attempt to stay balanced.

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As a commonly clumsy person, I was surprised to find the feeling quite out of the ordinary and a little weird. However, I’m not one to shy away from weird and wonderful experiences and this was no exception. I head further inside the ‘upstairs’ of the house and come across everything from an upside down bike, a music corner displaying overturned guitars and records, and a bathroom exhibiting a familiar pair of fluffy pink bunny slippers stuck to the ceiling.

News Reporter Elsa Waterfield testing the latest attaction at Clarence Pier. Picture: Mike Cooter (040323)News Reporter Elsa Waterfield testing the latest attaction at Clarence Pier. Picture: Mike Cooter (040323)
News Reporter Elsa Waterfield testing the latest attaction at Clarence Pier. Picture: Mike Cooter (040323)

The attention to detail at the property is impressive, down to every nailed down hair brush on the dressing table, each curtain which runs perfectly straight to the ‘floor’ and even the wellies which stand ready for action at the front door which – shockingly – is actually upstairs.

‘It’s like opposite day,’ a four-year-old Eloise Hughes could be heard laughing as she stumbles into her mum Charley Harper, both visiting from Exeter, for support.

Overall it's an entertaining affair, and I – like many others wandering around the attraction – am enjoying snapping comical pictures and chuckling away as I find myself leaning and swaying away from the windows which feel slightly too close for comfort to the crashing waves outside.

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