BT Tower

The BT Communication Tower, more commonly known as the BT Tower, is a Grade II listed communications tower in Fitzrovia, London, England, owned by MCR Hotels. It has also been known as the GPO Tower, the Post Office Tower, and the Telecom Tower. The main structure is 177 metres (581 ft) high, with aerial rigging bringing the total height to 189 metres (620 ft).

Upon completion in 1964, it was the tallest structure in London and remained so until 1980. Butlins managed a revolving restaurant in the tower from 1966 until 1980. A 360° LED screen displays news across central London.

The BT Tower was sold to MCR Hotels in 2024.

History

Design and construction

The tower was commissioned by the GPO. Its primary purpose was to support the microwave aerials then used to carry telecommunications traffic from London to the rest of the country, as part of the GPO microwave network.

It replaced a shorter, 1940s steel lattice tower on the roof of the neighbouring Museum Telephone Exchange. The taller structure was required to protect the radio links' line of sight against tall buildings then planned in London. Links were routed via GPO microwave stations Harrow Weald, Bagshot, Kelvedon Hatch and Fairseat, and locations including the London Air Traffic Control Centre.

The tower was designed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works, under chief architects Eric Bedford and G R Yeats. Typical for its time, the building is concrete clad in glass. The narrow cylindrical shape was chosen as a stable platform for microwave aerials. It shifts no more than 25 centimetres (10 in) in wind speeds of up to 150 km/h (95 mph). To prevent overheating, the glass cladding had to be tinted.