The BT Tower is a communications tower in Fitzrovia, London, England
The BT Tower is a grade II listed communications tower in Fitzrovia, London, England, owned by BT Group. It was also known as the GPO Tower and the Post Office Tower. It was later officially renamed the Telecom Tower. The main structure is 581 feet (177 m) high, with a further section of aerial rigging bringing the total height to 620 feet (189 m).
Upon completion in 1964, it overtook the Millbank Tower as the tallest structure in London until 1980, when it was overtaken by the NatWest Tower. It was opened in 1965 by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. A 360° colored LED screen near the top of the tower displays news across central London.
In February 2024, BT Group announced the sale of the tower to MCR Hotels, who plan to turn it into a hotel. BT will retain ownership for a few years until the tower has been vacated.
Thanks to Google Earth Studio for this amazing aerial view.
Upon completion in 1964, it overtook the Millbank Tower as the tallest structure in London until 1980, when it was overtaken by the NatWest Tower. It was opened in 1965 by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. A 360° colored LED screen near the top of the tower displays news across central London.
In February 2024, BT Group announced the sale of the tower to MCR Hotels, who plan to turn it into a hotel. BT will retain ownership for a few years until the tower has been vacated.
Thanks to Google Earth Studio for this amazing aerial view.
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00:00The BT Tower is a Grade II listed communications tower in Fitzrovia, London, England, owned
00:12by BT Group. It was also known as the GPO Tower and the Post Office Tower. It was later
00:18officially renamed the Telecom Tower. The main structure is 581 feet high, with a further
00:24section of aerial rigging bringing the total height to 620 feet. Upon completion in 1964,
00:31it overtook the Millbank Tower as the tallest structure in London until 1980, when it was
00:35overtaken by the NatWest Tower. It was opened in 1965 by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. A
00:42360 degrees coloured LED screen near the top of the tower displays news across central
00:48London. It replaced a much shorter steel lattice tower which had been built on the roof of
00:52the neighbouring Museum Telephone Exchange in the late 1940s to provide a television link between
00:57London and Birmingham. The taller structure was required to protect the radio links' line of
01:03sight against some of the tall buildings in London then in the planning stage. These links were
01:08routed via other GPO microwave stations at Harrow Weald, Bagshot, Kelvedon Hatch and
01:13Fairseat, and to places like the London Air Traffic Control Centre at West Drayton. Wide
01:18angle view of the tower and its base from Cleveland Mews in August 2012 The tower was
01:22designed by the architects of the Ministry of Public Building and Works. The chief architects
01:27were Eric Bedford and G. R. Yates. Typical for its time, the building is concrete clad
01:32in glass. The narrow cylindrical shape was chosen because of the requirements of the
01:37communications aerials. The building will shift no more than 25 centimetres in wind
01:41speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour. Initially, the first 16 floors were for technical
01:48equipment and power. Above that was a 35-metre section for the microwave aerials, and above
01:53that were six floors of suites, kitchens, technical equipment, a revolving restaurant,
01:58and finally a cantilevered steel lattice tower. To prevent heat build-up, the glass cladding
02:03was of a special tint. The construction cost was £2.5 million. Construction began in June
02:091961. Owing to the building's height and its having a tower crane jib across the top
02:14virtually throughout the whole construction period, it gradually became a very prominent
02:19landmark that could be seen from almost anywhere in London. A question was raised in Parliament
02:24in August 1963 about the crane. Reginald Bennett MP asked the Minister of Public Buildings
02:30and Works, Geoffrey Rippon, how, when the crane on the top of the new tower had fulfilled
02:34its purpose, he proposed to remove it. Rippon replied, this is a matter for the contractors.
02:40The problem does not have to be solved for about a year but there appears to be no danger
02:44of the crane having to be left in situ. Construction reached 475 feet by August 1963. The tower
02:52was topped out on 15 July 1964, by Conservative MP for Norwich South, Geoffrey Rippon. It
02:59was officially opened by the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson on 8 October 1965. The main
03:05contractor was Peter Linde & Company. The company was founded in 1915 by Danish Peter
03:10Linde, he died aged 66 in Surrey in December 1966, headquartered on Watling Street in Cannock.
03:17Queen Elizabeth II visiting the tower in May 1966 The tower was officially opened to the
03:23public on 19 May 1966, by Postmaster General Tony Benn, then known as Anthony Wedgwood Benn,
03:29and Billy Butlin. With HM Queen Elizabeth II having visited
03:34on 17 May 1966. 1971 Bombing A bomb exploded in the roof of the men's toilets at the top
03:41of the tower restaurant at 4.30 on 31 October 1971. The blast damaged buildings and cars
03:48up to 400 yards away. 21st Century The tower is still in use and is the site of a major
03:53UK communications hub. The second floor of the base of the tower contains the TV network
03:58switching centre which carries broadcasting traffic and relays signals between television
04:03broadcasters, production companies, advertisers, international satellite services and uplink
04:09companies. That is all. Subscribe and post comments for future videos.