BT Tower. Why is it still closed to the public?

[Aussie_Rail]

G'day everyone,

I use BT Tower as a point of reference for when I go walkabout and now that it's relatively close to work it made me wonder about going to it and sussing it out. I get there to see a well established sign saying its closed to the public, in several languages.

Wondering why on Earth it's closed, seems to be for reasons that happened 40 or more years ago. With other high rise vantage points, like the Shard, surely these days they could open it up to tourists and share the great views?

Seems weird that its so off limits.

 

[big all]

possibly cost millions to update to modern people freindly standards
and possibly secrate and sensitive communications equipment would be impossible to keep safe with close public accses ??

 

[Mag_seven]

It seems a pity that The Post Office Tower (as some of us know it as ) is closed to the public given all the other towers in the world that are open. I have been up the TV tower in Alexanderplatz Berlin and it I'm sure its even older.

 

[Aussie_Rail]

I guess upgrade expenses are inevitable and would have to be carried out, an expense that would only need to be done once and then maintained there after. The communications equipment, I don't think BT Tower is any different to Tokyo Tower, or the Eiffel Tower that also have commuications equipment mounted on them.

 

[Ianno87]

Some such towers now fall down on lack of adequate fire exits to meet modern standards. The TV tower in Hamburg being one example, an the Forton service area 'mushroom' on the M6 in Lancashire.

 

[Cowley]

I don’t really know much about it but does the building contain asbestos or have insufficient fire evacuation routes possibly?
Is it listed?

 

[snowball]

Some such towers now fall down

Unfortunate choice of phrase.

 

[507021]

I don’t really know much about it but does the building contain asbestos or have insufficient fire evacuation routes possibly?
Is it listed?

It's a Grade II listed building mate.

 

[Cowley]

It's a Grade II listed building mate.

Ah thanks for that 021.
I probably should’ve Googled it before commenting. I shall have a look in a minute.

 

[Intercity 225]

There’s a fully functioning restaurant at the top with a rotating floor so that you can see different views of London whilst you eat.

It’s still open today but only for BT staff and guests. I’ve been lucky enough to dine there a couple of times, if you want to go up just get a job in telecommunications and push for an invite

 

[yorksrob]

Some such towers now fall down on lack of adequate fire exits to meet modern standards. The TV tower in Hamburg being one example, an the Forton service area 'mushroom' on the M6 in Lancashire.

Indeed. A steak dinner in the tower at Forton services is something I would like to try (having lived in Lancaster for three years) but is unlikely to happen for the reasons mentioned by yourself

 

[Belperpete]

It seems a pity that The Post Office Tower (as some of us know it as ) is closed to the public given all the other towers in the world that are open. I have been up the TV tower in Alexanderplatz Berlin and it I'm sure its even older.

It is open on the London Open House weekend, but is so popular that there is a lottery for tickets.

 

[underbank]

Some such towers now fall down on lack of adequate fire exits to meet modern standards. The TV tower in Hamburg being one example, an the Forton service area 'mushroom' on the M6 in Lancashire.

Pretty sure Forton is an urban myth. I live near there and although the fire escape reason is often trotted out, no-one ever seems to be able to provide chapter and verse as to which fire regulations it breaches. From people who've worked there, they say it's just incredibly run down and there are lots of warning signs about asbestos. There's already plenty of space at the ground/first floor levels for eateries, seating, shops, etc., so there's probably no point in renovating the tower - it would just displace the customers of the existing outlets. Logically, you'd want it to be some kind of fine-dining experience to offer something different, but I can't see the demand from passing motorists for that - after all, there must have been a reason it closed in the first place.

 

[DarloRich]

Forton service area

is that the one with the air traffic control tower?

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I was taken to the top of the PO tower as a young boy in I think the late 1960's when it was open to the public...I was impressed, as I recall. I have a vague recollection that it was closed due to the fear of IRA attacks.

 

[Clip]

I don’t really know much about it but does the building contain asbestos or have insufficient fire evacuation routes possibly?
Is it listed?

A Big inflatable slide like they use on planes would soon sort that out

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

perhaps the government are just taking seriously it's listing as an official secret?

 

[Groningen]

Remember a BBC item from maybe 20 or 30 years ago where Tony Benn was not even allowed to go upstairs, but only by special premission was allowed to go upstairs. I am not sure whether the YT clip below is that one.

Tony Benn and BT Tower on Youtube:

 

[Ianno87]

is that the one with the air traffic control tower?

Correct - the sort of Motorway architecture those bold 1960s folk came up with!

 

[DarloRich]

Correct - the sort of Motorway architecture those bold 1960s folk came up with!

way of the future!

 

[transmanche]

I have a vague recollection that it was closed due to the fear of IRA attacks.

Not just a fear, there actually was a bomb explosion in the tower in 1971.

A bomb has exploded in the Post Office tower causing extensive damage but no injuries.

The blast occurred at 0430GMT on the 33rd floor of the tower and shortly after police received a call from a man claiming that the "Kilburn Battalion" of the IRA was behind the attack.

A senior detective said: "The incident has all the hallmarks of the IRA. The explosives experts feel this was a professional job."

I believe the 'Angry Brigade also claimed responsibility for the bomb. The restaurant didn't actually close until 1980, when Butlins's lease to operate it ran out.

I guess that BT eventually decided that it was a too much hassle to have a public attraction on what is a working building. Keeping it as a corporate facility makes it much more 'exclusive'.

 

[underbank]

I guess that BT eventually decided that it was a too much hassle to have a public attraction on what is a working building. Keeping it as a corporate facility makes it much more 'exclusive'.

Especially as there are now other taller buildings open to the public if they wish to view London from above. The PO tower just isn't that special anymore and unlikely to draw the crowds it would need to support the costs of renovating it as a tourist attraction.

 

[Busaholic]

Not just a fear, there actually was a bomb explosion in the tower in 1971.

I believe the 'Angry Brigade also claimed responsibility for the bomb. The restaurant didn't actually close until 1980, when Butlins's lease to operate it ran out.

I guess that BT eventually decided that it was a too much hassle to have a public attraction on what is a working building. Keeping it as a corporate facility makes it much more 'exclusive'.

While working for Camden Council in the early 1970s I attended a housing meeting on the top floor: it was strange to remain in your seat and get an entirely different view every few minutes! I'm not too sure much productive work came out of it. The 'Kilburn brigade' certainly started a fire which burned down Kilburn tax office!

A little later in my shortish career with Camden I was assigned to the newly established Camden Community Law Centre where I was told, with a warning not to repeat it, that one of the staff working there was someone who had recently appeared at the Old Bailey charged with being a member of the Angry Brigade and, in common with all the others accused, had been acquitted, She had changed her surname and appearance but, as far as I know, the 'secret' never came out.

 

[jon0844]

Remember a BBC item from maybe 20 or 30 years ago where Tony Benn was not even allowed to go upstairs, but only by special premission was allowed to go upstairs. I am not sure whether the YT clip below is that one.

Tony Benn and BT Tower on Youtube:

I was denied entry once (I've been there a few times because of my work in telecoms) because I was late. Security was tight and even with an invite and all the relevant ID, they were strict enough to say 'too late'.

I did think there was talk of reopening the restaurant to the public, and with tight security it shouldn't be an issue, but there may be other commercial reasons. I doubt it would be a fire exit issue, as otherwise nobody would be eating or drinking (lots of events take place there) up there.

 

[Mag_seven]

Not just a fear, there actually was a bomb explosion in the tower in 1971.

There is also the giant kitten risk

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Mr W Pedia has told me this about the Forton Tower:

"The services is notable for an unusual hexagonal concrete tower on the northbound side, named The Pennine Tower, which originally housed an up-market restaurant and a sun deck. The tower was designed to resemble an Air Traffic Control Tower and is a prominent local landmark. The tower is 74ft across.

The tower closed to the public in 1989 due to current fire regulations (there is no means of providing an alternative exit from the restaurant deck in an emergency), and is only used for storage and occasional staff training. The tower was built to give views over Morecambe Bay to the west and the Trough of Bowland to the east. Recently, Moto has refreshed the services. The tower has been painted in a Beige colour and one of the passenger lifts have been refurbished. The Tower was listed Grade II on 15 October 2012."

and this about the Post Office Tower:

"A bomb, responsibility for which was at first blamed on the Provisional IRA, exploded in the roof of the men's toilets at the Top of the Tower restaurant at 04:30 on 31 October 1971. Responsibility for the bomb was also claimed by members of the Angry Brigade, an anarchist collective. That act left the tower largely closed to the general public after some 4,632,822 people had visited since its opening making it one of London's top tourist attractions of the time.

The restaurant was closed to the public for security reasons in 1980, the year in which Butlins' lease eventually expired. Public access to the building ceased in 1981. The tower is sometimes used for corporate events, such as a children's Christmas party in December, Children in Need, and other special events; even though it is closed, the tower retains its revolving floor, providing a full panorama over London and the surrounding area. The BT Tower was given Grade II listed building status in 2003."

 

[Journeyman]

Am I right in thinking that the tower at Canary Wharf (One Canada Square) was initially open to the public, but isn't any longer?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Back to Mr W Pedia ....

"The ground floor, foyer area and basement levels of One Canada Square are open to the general public, having an underground retail area and a transport interchange from Canary Wharf tube and Docklands Light Railway stations. Access from the basement also links to Canada Square shopping mall. The floors above the lobby are not open to the public, as they contain offices.

There is currently no public observation floor. However, there was an exception from 12 October 1992 to 15 December 1992, when bankruptcy administrators for Olympia & York Canary Wharf Limited opened the 50th floor to the public, to maintain interest in Canary Wharf. The scheme was stopped on 15 December 1992 when the IRA attempted to bomb the tower."