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BT Tower, Compass Group

4.4· 405 reviews
Average ratingGreat
4.4/ 5

Based on 405 reviews

571%
412%
38%
23%
16%
Mark Andrew Wootton
Reviews 1

This tower used to be the G.P.O. Tower and there is a public restaurant at the top which used to rotate but following terrorism in London the restaurant was closed down.
B.T, Royal.Mail, Post Office Counters and Parcel Force were all part of one single company called the G.P.O. but following the election of Margaret Thatcher's government, BT was sold off and shares were offered to the public. The Post Office was opened up to competition to compete against rival delivery companies like Post Mangold, the Dutch equivalent of the Post Office so it beefed up its efficiency to maintain its share of the market.

Kevin Lo
Reviews 1

Spectacular panoramic views of London, and wait until you feel it rotating!

Managed to come here with the Google City Experts crew recently, and it was a unique experience to enjoy food in what was for a long while the tallest structure in London.

Lots o' history, and very calming to be up so high.

Remix Cocktails
Reviews 1

BT Tower
Record height
Tallest in the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1980
Preceded by
Millbank Tower
Surpassed by
Tower 42
General information
Type
Offices
Location
London, W1T
United Kingdom
Coordinates

Construction started
1961
Completed
1964
Height
Antenna spire
189.0 metres (620.1 ft)
Roof
177.0 metres (580.7 ft)
Technical details
Floor count
37
Lifts/elevators
2
Design and construction
Architect
Eric Bedford
Main contractor
Peter Lind & Company

Will Watson
Reviews 1

Currently closed to the public (long preceding London shuttering itself during the coronavirus pandemic) if you get the opportunity to go inside and up the BT Tower, grab it with both hands and don't let go!

The tower opened in 1964 and was the tallest in the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1980. It formerly hosted a restaurant at the top but this has been closed to the public since 1980. It isn't easy to get inside but I was able to visit during the annual Open House London event and the views are breathtaking. I've been to many spots where you can great views of London skyline. But this is the only one where you can get it in busy central London. In that way, it's quite unique.

If you do get the chance to visit expect enhanced airport-style security (installed after a terrorist attack in 1971) but once you're through, you'll be guided past the mini BT Tower exhibition that explains all about its history and then to lifts to the top.

Colin Jones
Reviews 1

What a place,
The BT Tower is NOT generally open to the public but there are special function and corporate events throughout the year.
The revolving restaurant turns once every 22 minutes and gives panoramic views of London from 155 metres on the 34 floor.
The lifts travel at 1400 feet per minute and when installed were the fastest in Europe.
Someone asked where the green slate at the entrance comes from and I can tell you after I checked it out online that it comes from only one mine in the lake district.
When the rotation stops the sway on the tower is aproximatly 13 inches and you can feel it.

Otto Pettitt
Reviews 1

The BT Tower, despite being somehow outdated from the architectural standpoint, remains iconic within the London landmark. Despite its resolving restaurant and impressive height, I feel compelled to highlight the tower display or the infoband, for its social role, not just for announcing the births of princes and princess. Rather, it is for other more important messages displayed across the City such as those of encouragement and gratitude, dedicated to NHS frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Well done! Now, the infoband occupies the 36th and 37th floors and is made up of 529,750 LEDs (that s right!) that are arranged in 177 vertical strips!

Jackson Mahr
Reviews 1

BT Tower. It's another one of those wasted opportunities. When it was built it was a source of pride, it was sophisticated, it was the future. Families, courting couples, international oil executives, all would dress in a suit, walk walk into the foyer, zip up the lifts and have a prawn cocktail in the modern, stylish revolving restaurant.

Now it's just a scar, simply due to poor planning and a lack of social responsibility.

The IRA bombed the building and the restaurant closed temporarily...five decades ago. Since then things have gotten worse. That area is tired, the building entrance is shabby and imposing, they hoisted an obnoxious, cheap looking digital sign on the roof and since it got listed status, the receiving equipment (what it was built for) has been removed due to poor maintenance. The equipment hasn't been replaced with replicas, it's just an ugly, poorly proportioned skeleton.

I'm not sure how having building listed work when you hard an unholy societal sign and remove the substance of the building, but someone terribly British in some forgotten heritage department will know the answer. You should call and ask.

So, it was once very cool and exciting and actually a real treat interns of contrasting with surrounding 19th century fitzrovia and Marylebone, but like everything else in this city, this country, it's been neglected, made uglier and the polublic can bloody-well deal with it.

Interesting from a distance, makes for some great photos if youre north of Oxford Street, but don't bother visiting. It's a shame.

(Sigh)

Rob Ceuppens
Reviews 1

Came here for a function. The lift zooms you up 34 floors to the revolving restaurant in double quick time. The view is incredible and once the restaurant starts moving it gives a great all round panorama of London without getting out of your seat. The food was small plates, but lots of them. Very nice, would love to visit again.

Will Watson
Reviews 1

Currently closed to the public (long preceding London shuttering itself during the coronavirus pandemic) if you get the opportunity to go inside and up the BT Tower, grab it with both hands and don't let go!

The tower opened in 1964 and was the tallest in the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1980. It formerly hosted a restaurant at the top but this has been closed to the public since 1980. It isn't easy to get inside but I was able to visit during the annual Open House London event and the views are breathtaking. I've been to many spots where you can great views of London skyline. But this is the only one where you can get it in busy central London. In that way, it's quite unique.

If you do get the chance to visit expect enhanced airport-style security (installed after a terrorist attack in 1971) but once you're through, you'll be guided past the mini BT Tower exhibition that explains all about its history and then to lifts to the top.

Sam Downie
Reviews 1

Well what can I say?
Great views from the top, but first you have to get there by a fast lift that goes at 80mph. A few thousand feet up and you arrive at the old revolving restaurant deck. You now need to revolve around to see the views of London, and what sight's they bring! You get to see everything in London, and you notice buildings and old railway and tube stations.

Alas though, BT doesn't many tours of the BT Tower anymore. But let me tell you, oh what an experience it is to be up in the clouds over London.

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