It's good to talk but even better to do it over a good meal. The revolving restaurant at the top of London's BT Tower is set to reopen again at the end of 2011 – for the first time in over thirty years.Saturday night saw a spectacular firework display, launched from the skyscraper’s 581 ft roof to mark the 1,000-day countdown to the London Olympic Games. A giant, 360-degree LED display is wrapped around the 36th and 37th floors and will count down the days until the opening ceremony
The 581ft BT Tower was first opened in 1965 by Harold Wilson having taken four years to build with the original Top of the Tower restaurant set on the monolith's 34th floor opening for business in 1966. The London Eye of its day, it was managed by that other British institution, Butlins of holiday camp fame.
The decade's cutting edge menu offered 1960's delicacies smoked salmon, beluga caviar and that height of continental chic, onion soup to start, with main courses including the house speciality, a supersize steak known as La Tour Ronde.
In addition to the restaurant's refurbishment, BT is planning on giving its menu a thorough update as well and is rumoured to be in talks with Jamie Oliver, Gary Rhodes who runs Tower 42's 24th floor restaurant and also Heston Blumenthal. The molecular gastonomist will certainly be a man in demand as is also set to open a new restaurant in Knightsbridges' five star Mandarin Oriental Hotel - opening in autumn 2010.
Having seen off an IRA bomb exploding in the loos in 1971, the original venue was finally closed in 1980, due, in part to security fears. To this day, the site remains an important part of the telecoms infrastructure, and for many years its details was covered by the Official Secrets Act. For that reason, it was even omitted from Ordnance Survey maps until 1993 when MP Kate Hoey reminded the House of Commons of its existence.
London's recent restaurant week saw wealthy diners shelling out thousands of pounds for an opportunity to dine in one of the London Eye pods – catered by Gordon Ramsay no less – but the new Top of the Tower restaurant will have well over 100 feet on the 443 foot Eye. Plus the 10ft-wide revolving floor around its perimeter will afford diners a stunning 360-degree view of the capital as it rotates at approximately 20 minutes a circuit - roughly 10 minutes less than the Eye.
Much like 40/30 atop the Gherkin in the City's St Mary's Axe which can only be booked by those who work in the building itself, BT currently uses its restaurant for corporate hospitality and events. However, just as the restaurant at Paramount members' club in Centre Point, has recently opened its doors to the masses, from Christmas 2011, the public will be able to experience the delights of BT's top echelons as well.
There'll only be space for 60–70 diners at a time though so we anticipate a monolithic waiting list.
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BT's new restaurant
