It was run by Billy Butlin and known as The Top of The Tower and ran on nylon bearings and rollers with a two brake horsepower motor. The BT Tower is a tall cylindrical building in London, England. The main contractor was Peter Lind & Co Ltd. Wikipedia. Here are two pages from the menu, taken from the excellent Butlins Memories website.. It was the most famous places to dine in the swinging sixties when Billy Butlin (the famous entrepreneur behind Butlin’s British holiday camps) transformed the tower’s observation deck into a rotating restaurant with panoramic views and called it “Top of the Tower”. and only that. A complete revolution took 22 minutes. Lost your password? A giant, 360-degree LED display is wrapped around the 36th and 37th floors, was also installed to count the days until the opening ceremony. Once one of the most famous restaurants in the world, it closed in 1980 due to concerns it could be an IRA target. When the 620-foot Post Office Tower in London (now the Telecom Tower) opened to the public in May 1966, the revolving restaurant on its thirty-fourth floor, the Top of the Tower, instantly became one of London’s most popular tourist attractions. A full rotation took 22.5 minutes. The restaurant takes half an hour to fully rotate Photograph: Alamy The revolving restaurant at the top of the BT Tower has exclusively been used for corporate events in recent years, with the likes of Joe Public kept firmly at bay. As for its top secret status– well the secret was outed in 1993 at parliament when an MP, Kate Hoey stood up and said: Hon. The comments below have been moderated in advance. 8 October 1965: The Post Office Tower opens By far the tallest building in London at the time, the Post Office Tower was officially opened by Harold Wilson on this day in 1965. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Maria Jane Rawlings seen for last time where she was found, Queen's Speech: Her Majesty's journey from Buckingham Palace, Abbott demands Starmer returns to 'popular' hard-Left policies, 150 rotting bodies of 'Covid patients' wash up on banks of Ganges, Chris Whitty discusses the mutant Indian variant prevalent in London, Diane Abbott: Keir's reshuffle hasn't been fantastically successful, Shocking knife brawl inside Selfridges' flagship Oxford Street store, Victory Day: 12,000 military personnel parade on Red Square, Prime Minister confirms easing of Covid lockdown restrictions, Emergency services rescue pupils after shooting in Russian school, Charles' tribute to Philip as he talks of 'empty seat at the table', Russia marks anniversary of victory in WWII with Victory Day Parade. For years it has stood unvisited and was considered an unfashionable 1960s monolith with an uncertain future. It’s believe the device was planted in the gentleman’s toilets by the IRA, but no one ever claimed responsibility for it and no one was ever caught. The tower was commissioned by the General Post Office (GPO). Because of security fears it was omitted from Ordinance Survey maps until 1993 when MP Kate Hoey ‘revealed’ its presence to the House of Commons. The novelty of eating dinner as the panoramic views of London changed around you attracted stars from The Beatles to Muhammad Ali when it first opened in 1966. Even taking photographs of it was technically illegal, which seems rather strange considering the restaurant opened it up to the public just a year later in 1965. At 191 metres or 627 feet, it was the tallest building in London when it was built in 1964. The skyscraper, which was previously known as the Post Office Tower, has not had an eatery since 1980 when the the Top of the Tower venue closed after 14 years. The Post Office Tower was opened by The Right Honourable Harold Wilson OBE MP Prime Minister on the 8th October 1965. Guests ascended to their sky-high tables in what were then the fastest lifts in Europe and once seated, completed a full rotation of London’s skyline every 22.5 minutes. Ironically, the unmissable structure was designated an “official secret” upon its completion in 1964, protected by an official act that forbade it to appear on any map. The Post Office Tower, as it was then … Queen performs her first public duty since Philip's death: Her Majesty sits alone at Covid-secure State... Boris vows to 'turbo-charge the Covid recovery' as Queen unveils his plans to bolster 'Blue Wall' with jobs... Tory war on 'cancel culture': People denied a platform by universities will be able to seek compensation in... Queen's Speech: Immigration overhaul will block asylum for people who have travelled through 'safe'... Queen's Speech: Ministers WILL introduce a 1960s-style deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans... Boris's nanny state? One chapter of the book is dedicated to what was originally called the Museum Radio Tower (referring to the nearby British Museum). Members have given examples of seemingly trivial information that remains officially secret. Biggest news of the week without doubt is the Times story that the Post Office Tower restaurant is to re-open. Chefs in the kitchen on the 36th floor of the Post Office Tower. And in 1966, its revolving restaurant featured in one of Look At Life‘s fabulous films. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. The 34th Floor was built to incorporate a revolving restaurant that could complete a full rotation every 22.5 minutes. The 581ft BT Tower was opened in 1965 by Harold Wilson after taking four years to build. Apparently BT are already on the hunt for a household name to take on the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower. The revolving restaurant in the BT Tower was the city’s coolest place to eat for 25 years. Once a glitzy destination for dinner and cocktails in the 1960s and 1970s, the revolving restaurant at the top of the Post Office Tower was closed to diners in 1980 when it was taken over by BT. And now it seems the rotating restaurant – its crowning glory until it was closed 30 years ago – will reopen to the public. Vaccine passport will be on the NHS app from NEXT WEEK so tourists can prove they have received two jabs on... Caribbean islands 'likely to be added to Green List next month' - as travel bosses say Greece, Italy and... Every region of England saw ZERO Covid deaths at least once during the final week of April as weekly virus... Wetherspoon will reopen 860 pubs with full menus and will bring back steak and curry clubs once Covid... Bouncing back after lockdown: One small business owner on how she's making up for lost time. Room with a View: The 900 year-old Tower that can be your Private Hotel Suite, Ode to the Lost Blue Train, an Iconic NYC Rooftop Restaurant. It closed in 1980 amid security fears. On the 19th floor, there is a post office. Take a whirlwind tour of the restaurant in this video dug up from the British Pathé Archives: Before it was known as the BT Tower, the building was originally called “Post Office Tower” and its primary function was for relaying microwave communication signals around the country. It was the most famous places to dine in the swinging sixties when Billy Butlin (the famous entrepreneur behind Butlin’s British holiday camps) transformed the tower’s observation deck into a rotating restaurant with panoramic views and called it “Top of the Tower”. Patients given party drug before counselling are TWICE as likely to be... Hovis baker who claimed he was left brain-damaged in fall at Kent factory is hit with £40,000 legal bill... Artefacts with links to slavery and colonialism could be removed from churches in the wake of the Black... Man, 20, appears in court charged with murdering mother-of-two, 45, who was found strangled and 'beaten to... Queen's personal treasures: Monarch wears pair of aquamarine brooches given to her by King George VI and the... Government launches consultation on banning 'abhorrent and coercive' conversion therapy that aims to 'cure'... Where is social care plan? A leaflet detailing the different floors of the BT Tower and opening hours of the cocktail bar and restaurant, Diners were presented with a 'certificate of orbit' once they had eaten at the restaurant. Ascend 81 levels above Sydney for a unique culinary journey amongst the clouds. Saturday night’s amazing firework display, launched from the skyscraper’s roof at 581ft above ground, marked the 1,000-day countdown to the London Olympics. Travel Essentials. A threat had been phoned in earlier that morning, but routine checks found nothing. Parasite which bites off a fish's tongue and then REPLACES it is... Campaigners call on Priti Patel to intervene in case of mechanic serving 38 months in jail for attempted... Heartbroken pharmacy worker, 20, took her own life after suspecting her boyfriend was cheating on her with... Forests the size of FRANCE have regrown around the world since 2000, storing the equivalent of 5.9billion... Apple faces £1.5billion legal battle after being accused of 'overcharging' millions of UK customers for apps... Neighbour from hell 'Dave the drain' is banned from talking to cul-de-sac residents after threatening to... RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: Oi Angie, pass the Duchy from the left-hand side... Max Headroom obviously decided his... Confusion as Tory candidate who withdrew from Wiltshire police commissioner race AFTER the vote when he... Angela Rayner slams Labour for 'talking down' to working class voters and allies warn she would BEAT Keir... SIR ANDREW DILNOT: Boris Johnson promised he would fix our care cost crisis. and love of course! In 1971 a small bomb left in the men’s toilets on the 31st floor. Rhodes currently runs a restaurant on the 24th floor of Tower 42, formerly the NatWest building, in the City. My book “Don’t be a Tourist in Paris” has a, Tracing the Real Betty Boop back to a Notorious Bootlegger’s Club in 1920s Harlem. Countdown begins: Fireworks and an LED display at the BT Tower mark 1,000 days until the 2012 Olympics. Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Gary Rhodes are among those reported as being approached by the telecoms giant. The official name was the General Post Office Tower (G.P.O. The menu offered favourites including smoked salmon, beluga caviar and onion soup as starters, while main courses included the house speciality, an extra large steak known as La Tour Ronde. In the same year there was a failed campaign to reopen the tower in order to boost local businesses. Visitors can send postcards with the special seals. Tables at the revolving restaurant in the BT Tower - formerly the Post Office Tower - … I’ve always wished to be granted entry, walk its corridors and ante rooms, sit in the revolving restaurant – take in the views. This is a video made in what used to be the revolving restaurant at the top of the old Post Office Tower, now The BT Tower. British Telecom still uses the space for around 600 events a year and on special occasions, such as the tower’s 50th anniversary in 2015, the restaurant re-opened to the public for two weeks. Filmed in … It was shut amid security fears after an IRA bomb exploded in the lavatories in 1971. Due to subsequent chang… Repairs took two years before the restaurant could reopen, and amazingly, diner came back, at least until the lease expired in 1980 and closed to the public for good. BT has recently begun searching for celebrity chefs to oversee the restaurant, situated on the 34th floor of the skyscraper. Stunned police find two machine guns and hundreds of bullets hidden behind false wall in raid on drug... 'Smirking' Army trooper grabbed the bottoms of two female colleagues while they were on parade to 'lighten... What's the matter, louse got your tongue? You will receive mail with link to set new password. It has been previously known as the Post Office Tower and the British Telecom Tower. The 34 th floor of the tower was home to a revolving restaurant called “The Top of the Tower” run by Billy Butlin (he of the holiday camp fame). Geek's Guide to Britain The Post Office Tower in London, ... but the shutters on that underground bunker were brought down after a half-arsed bomb attack on the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower in 1971. A taste of Australia. 2019 - 13 THINGS LTD. All rights reserved. Tower in short as some sources do cite) so its was simply a means of … completed a full rotation of London’s skyline every 22.5 minutes. The revolving restaurant in the upper sphere of the main tower was reopened in 2016 after a five-year renovation. 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 General Post Office microwave network. BT currently uses the restaurant for corporate events. As well as the microwave relays, technical equipment and offices, the tower was also famous for its revolving restaurant on the 34 th floor. These pages are for historical reference only. Infinity at Sydney Tower embodies the quintessential Australian dining experience, set amongst an unmistakably stylish setting, with incredible revolving views of the city skyline and harbour. It is likely to have seating for 60-70 diners. Besides, there is a 20-power automatic telescope for visitors. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. And all the while, the restaurant rotates, making a complete revolution every 23 … The skyscraper, which was previously known as the Post Office Tower, has not had an eatery since 1980 when the the Top of the Tower venue closed after 14 … Mum & Dad named me Vanessa, but you can call me Nessy. Visiting the tower: from 08:30 a.m. to 22:00 p.m. And here’s another reason why I was born too late: I’ve only just discovered that there was once an awesome 150 meter-high revolving restaurant and cocktail bar at the top of London’s iconic British Telecom Tower. ... on the 36th floor, was a revolving restaurant which from the start was leased and managed by Butlins and known as the 'topofthetower'. And lookie here the BT Tower are reviving their revolving restaurant, opening to the public for the first time in 35 years for just two weeks only! The restaurant boasted that you could balance a penny on the floor as it made its three-times-an-hour revolution. The tower was topped out on 15 July 1964, and officially opened by the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson on 8 October 1965. But with the flick of a switch, launching fireworks and a new 500ft-high Olympics countdown screen, central London’s BT Tower has been given a new burst of life. There will be just 1,400 seats up for grabs across lunch and dinner in a special ballot. Just nine words devoted to key issue in Queen's Speech as Matt Hancock comes... Queen's Speech: Boris Johnson to take back power to call general elections amid rampant speculation he will... Queen's Speech: Ministers promise 'lifetime skills guarantee' to get people into well-paid jobs after hammer... A bit of all white! Opening time. RARE footage gives a glimpse inside Britain’s restaurant in the clouds – where diners in the swinging sixties enjoyed panoramic views of London. The revolving restaurant at the top of the 180-metre tower opened last night to the lucky winners of a competition, held in honour of the tower’s golden anniversary. The 'Top of the Tower' restaurant, leased to Butlins, could seat 120 diners on the 11 feet wide revolving section which formed part of the 34th floor. The Post Office Tower, London, with the revolving restaurant Find this Pin and more on Shape of Thingsby Elsa von Sixx. It provides detailed descriptions of the decisions that led to the construction of the tower, and reveals that at least one floor is stillfilled with the original 1960s-era communications technology. Alas so far – no! Enter your email and I’ll send you my latest stories. The restaurant boasted that you could balance a penny on the floor as it made its three-times-an-hour revolution. The Post Office Tower was bombed in 1971 (often attributed to Irish nationalists but more likely the work of the Angry Brigade) and even survived an attack by a giant kitten in the 1970s. Girlfriend of property developer, 53, heard a bang and found him dead from shotgun wound to head with... Grandson, 18, denies murder of 69-year-old millionaire owner of Brighton restaurants loved by celebrities... New dig for Fred West 'victim': Police search cafe basement for remains of Mary Bastholm who went missing,... Britain's ex-ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray is sentenced to EIGHT MONTHS in jail for contempt of... Could ECSTASY help cure PTSD? ... Disclaimer: The Post Office Tower is CLOSED to the public. Revolving Restaurant. I’m currently reading the book Concretopia, by John Grindrod, which provides a fascinating history of Britain’s postwar architectural projects, both public and private. Unbeknownst to dinner guests however, the tower’s microwave aerials didn’t just transmit TV and radio signals, but also military signals. Please enter your email address. It remained the tallest until the NatWest Tower in 1981. Costing just £2million to construct, the tower is made from 13,000 tons of concrete, steel and glass, and at the time of opening was the tallest building in London. Phoned in earlier that morning, but routine checks found nothing excellent Butlins Memories..! 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