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BT Tower is to be turned into a HOTEL Published 21 February 2024 by By Ian Mansfield Architecture -- 32,176 Comments | The BT Tower will be open to the public again, as it has been sold for conversion into a hotel. [BT-Tower-by-ianvisits-1-1024x569] The BT Tower was opened for operations in 1965 -- as the Post Office Tower -- and the rotating restaurant at the top was open to the public until it closed in 1971. The space is now used for corporate events. As the tower is to be turned into a hotel, it will be de facto open to the public who want to stay there. The degree of how open it will be to the general public to visit for free will depend on the conversion, and it's expected that some level of free access will be required as part of the planning condition. The hotel group says that it is partnering with London-based Heatherwick Studio to consider how best to reimagine its use as a hotel. There'll be a planning application to keep a close eye on when it's submitted, likely later this year. Cat not included. [twinkle-1024x622] (c) The Goodies The BT Group says that it sold the tower for PS275 million to MCR Hotels, a group that already owns around 150 hotels. Payment for the sale will be made over multiple years, as BT Group equipment is progressively removed from the building, with final payment on completion of the purchase. BT says that a number of network operations that were traditionally provided from BT Tower are now delivered via BT Group's fixed and mobile networks. For example, the Tower's microwave aerials were removed more than a decade ago, as they were no longer needed to carry telecommunications traffic from London to the rest of the country. Brent Mathews, Property Director, BT Group said: "The BT Tower sits at the heart of London and we've been immensely proud to be the owners of this important landmark since 1984. It's played a vital role in carrying the nation's calls, messages and TV signals, but increasingly we're delivering content and communication via other means. This deal with MCR will enable BT Tower to take on a new purpose, preserving this iconic building for decades to come." And no, it wasn't a state secret until 1993 -- otherwise it wouldn't be in the map from the 1983 A-Z London. [Capture-1] NEWSLETTER Be the first to know what's on in London, and the latest news published on ianVisits. Your name[ ] Your email[ ] Monday news roundup [*] Wednesday events guide [*] HP[ ] [Subscribe] You can unsubscribe at any time from my weekly emails. < TfL announces half-price travel for vulnerable young adults leaving care services The Epping Signalling Museum reopens next week > Tagged with: BT Tower SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE This website has been running now for over a decade, and while advertising revenue contributes to funding the website, it doesn't cover the costs. That is why I have set up a facility with DonorBox where you can contribute to the costs of the website and time invested in writing and research for the news articles. It's very similar to the way The Guardian and many smaller websites are now seeking to generate an income in the face of rising costs and declining advertising. Whether it's a one-off donation or a regular giver, every additional support goes a long way to covering the running costs of this website, and keeping you regularly topped up doses of Londony news and facts. If you like what you read on here, then please support the website here. Thank you 3 comments 1. alistair t says: 21 February 2024 at 9:51 am MCR converted the iconic TWA terminal in JFK into a hotel.. so they have form Reply 2. johnb78 says: 21 February 2024 at 10:09 am I had to check the publication date to make sure this hadn't showed up from last 1 April - but very cool! Reply 3. Brian Butterworth says: 21 February 2024 at 6:13 pm Aside from the old telephone exchange on the first couple of floors, the BT Tower almost all LIFT. Even up on T32 and T33 there isn't that much room. The express lift up to those floors wasn't easily combined with access to the floors in-between. Quite how the restaurant worked when it was open to the public, I never quite worked out, but it's certainly a cool place for an evening meal. I'm guessing most of the hotel bit will be in the Howland Street Telephone Exchange? Reply Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Comment * [ ] Name *[ ] Email *[ ] [Post Comment] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] D[ ] Home >> News >> Architecture Keep up with ianVisits Social Media NEWSLETTER Be the first to know what is on in London, and the latest news published on ianVisits. 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