It sits within the area of Fitzrovia, and has been a feature of the London skyline since 1965. Yes, we are talking about the BT Tower. It was built for the Post Office, then the one and only provider of telecommunication services, which is why you may still hear it referred to as the Post Office Tower by those old enough to remember. Its purpose was to support microwave aerials carrying telecoms transmissions (television channels and phone calls) from London to the rest of the country.
At ground level are several floors of offices, taking up a small block of Fitzrovia just south of the beautiful Georgian Fitzroy Square. But it is when you look up that you appreciate the building best. It soars gracefully 189 metres into the air. The cylindrical design was to prevent the building moving more than 20cm (or one third of a degree) in high winds, minimising disruption to radio waves. It’s built from 13,000 tonnes of steel and 4,600 square metres of glass. Because its foundations are on London clay, a concrete raft 8 metres underground reinforced with steel cables stabilises it. The architects were Eric Bedford and G. R Yeat, and this is definitely the crowning glory of their careers.
For the first eight years the public were admitted to the viewing gallery and the revolving restaurant on the 33rd and 34th floors of the tower respectively, to marvel at the view when London was still a low-rise city, and 50 storey roof gardens and viewing platforms were but a futuristic dream. The contract for the Top of the Tower restaurant was held by Sir Billy Butlin – better known for his holiday camps – and a seat at the window was a must-have. Sadly that era came to an end when the IRA planted a bomb in 1971 which ripped a hole in the side of the building, though fortunately no-one was hurt. Architect Bedford had been tasked to make the tower able to withstand nuclear attack!
For many years the Tower was an official secret, and so did not appear on Ordnance Survey maps. This lasted until after it was officially ‘revealed’ in 1993 in the Houses of Parliament. Which frankly is daft, as for over 20 years any Londoner could have just looked across the city and pointed it out.
Up until the 1980s it was the tallest building in both London and the UK, but the recent frenzy of skyscraper construction has relegated it so far down the list it doesn’t even make the top 20 any more. However its iconic design has passed the test of time, and it is still immediately recognisable around the world. It was declared a national monument in 2001, and two years later, it was given Grade II listed building status. At the top of the tower is an infoband – the largest of its kind in the world. It is used for messages of national interest – such as the countdown to the 2012 Olympics.
For those of us lucky enough to have visited the top – it has always been used for corporate and charity events, even if not open to the general public – the ever-changing view of London as the 34th floor makes its stately rotation, has always been captivating. In 2024 the MCR Hotel group purchased the tower for £275 million to add to its global portfolio. It will take several years to decommission the technology so there have been no obvious changes yet. But watch this space to see how this much-loved tower is repurposed for the 21st century.
The view over Bloomsbury:
The view towards the City of London:
