London’s BT Tower, originally the Post Office Tower, was completed in 1964. Moreover, it was opened in 1965 by the then UK prime minister, Harold Wilson. At 177 m (580 ft) the tower was the tallest building in England’s capital city. The tower, designed by Eric Bedford, nestles in Fitzrovia, south of Regent’s Park, and relayed microwave signals. This is about to change as the iconic tower is to be transformed into a hotel.

History of London’s BT Tower

When the Post Office Tower opened, it included viewing galleries, offering sweeping views over London, and a souvenir shop. It also hosted a rotating restaurant on its 34th floor, dubbed the Top of the Tower, which made one revolution every 23 minutes and was perfect for England’s capital in the 1960s.

However, on October 31, 1971, a bomb exploded in the men’s toilets at the Top of the Tower restaurant. Meanwhile, the explosion also damaged buildings and cars in the area around the tower. A far-left anarchist collective named The Angry Brigade took responsibility for the bomb. It was also claimed by a person said to be part of the Kilburn Battalion of the Irish Republic Army.

Following the explosion, the majority of the tower was closed to the public, including the revolving restaurant, for security reasons. Following this in 1980, the restaurant’s lease expired and the following year, public access to the building was halted.

Meanwhile, in 1984, the BT Group acquired the tower and renamed it BT Tower. Moreover, the tower gained Grade II building status in 2003 and in 2011, the last of the antennae was removed.

BT Tower to be reimagined as a hotel

While the tower has stood silently since 2011, it was acquired by the US hotel group, MCR Hotels on February 21, 2024, for $533 million (£275 million). Now, the group plans to reimagine the iconic tower as a new hotel. Moreover, the hotel will be designed by a local firm, Heatherwick Studio.

Meanwhile, MCR Hotels is known for reimagining iconic buildings into luxury accommodations. One previous project was the TWA Hotel at New York’s JFK Airport, while another was the Highline Hotel on 10th Avenue in the Big Apple.

Moreover, Tyler Morse, the owner of MCR Hotels, noted that they saw many parallels between the TWA Hotel and the BT Tower, saying:

Both are world-renowned, ground-breaking pieces of architecture. It’s been a privilege to adapt the TWA Flight Centre into new use for future generations, as it will be the BT Tower.

Moreover, Archilovers quotes BT Tower’s new owner as saying:

We are proud to become owners and custodians of the iconic BT Tower. We will take our time to carefully develop proposals that respect the London landmark’s rich history and open the building for everyone to enjoy.

When the architect’s plans are done and the tower is transformed into a luxury hotel, it will still be a major landmark on London’s skyline. Meanwhile, it is sure to offer rooms with a sweeping view on each of its floors. It is to be hoped that the revolving restaurant will be retained in the new hotel.