Between 1964 and 1980, the BT Tower was the tallest building in the whole of London. It’s since been leapfrogged a fair few times, but the lanky tower is still one of the most recognisable sights in the skyline of the city.
This morning (February 21), it’s been revealed that the giant London skyscraper is set to become a hotel, after a multi-million-pound deal was struck with MCR Hotels. BT Group confirmed the news that will mean a sale of the Grade II-listed building to the hotel group for a cost of around £275 million.
MCR Hotels boasts a $5 billion portfolio, which includes The High Line Hotel in New York City, among around 150 others in the US. They will be working on the redesign to turn the BT Tower into a hotel alongside London architecture firm Heatherwick Studio, who was at the helm for Coal Drops Yard.
Speaking about the move, property director at BT Group Brent Matthews 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.”
The BT Tower is 177m high, and took over from the Millbank Tower as London’s tallest in 1964 when it was opened by Harold Wilson. It wasn’t until 1980 that its crown was taken by the NatWest Building.
Known to many as the Post Office Tower, its primary purpose was once to provide the microwave aerials used for telecommunications between London and the rest of the UK. In 1966, it briefly opened to the public for multiple uses including a revolving restaurant and viewing platform, but was closed for security reasons in 1971. It has been used by BT to display messages since 1984.
There is no word on when the new hotel inside the BT Tower will open, but you can keep up to date with the news on our page.