What next for Liverpool’s Radio City Tower?
One of the most recognisable buildings on the city’s skyline is now vacant after Bauer Media opted not to renew its lease and the process of identifying a future use for St Johns Beacon is now underway.
Landlord Rivington Hark has appointed agents to find a new tenant for the 7,500 sq ft at the top of the tower, which sits more than 400 feet above Liverpool, boasting panoramic views across the city and beyond.
It is the first time this century that the space has become available and, like the building itself, the future of St Johns Beacon is very much up in the air.
Mark Williams, co-founder of Rivington Hark, is not ruling anything out.
“There is literally no limit as to what we can do,” he said.
“We want it to be used in a way that benefits and promotes the city, because it is an iconic Liverpool building.”
Given the nature of the building, there are relatively few precedents for Rivington Hark to draw inspiration from.
The former BT tower in London is one. The 177-metre building in Fitzrovia was sold by the Telecoms giant for a whopping £275m last year and is to be converted into a hotel by US-based by MCR Hotels.
St Johns Beacon is of a much smaller scale, offering 7,500 sq ft across two levels and – while perhaps big enough to accommodate a high-end Air BnB – is too small to be converted into a hotel.
However, there are plenty of other uses the space could lend itself to.
The tower was built in 1969. Credit: PNW
The views alone, described by Williams as “the best in the North West”, are likely to pique the interest of occupiers of all stripes approaching a lease event.
Worthington Owen, along with Avison Young, has been appointed to search for occupiers who might like to use the space as an office. Lunson Mitchenall and Barker Proudlove are charged with offering the space up to leisure and F&B operators.
It is not just the space that is up for grabs. The branding opportunities attached to such a tall and recognisable building are also likely to attract interest.
When Bauer departed, the company said in a statement that it was in talks to change the existing Radio City branding to Hits Radio signage. Williams has ruled this out and confirmed the naming rights are up for grabs.
This is good news for an incoming tenant, which might understandably want to shout about its presence within one of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings.
A restaurant or bar, for example, would surely want to emblazon its own brand on the building.
Conversion into a dining destination similar to Torre D’Alta Mar in Barcelona or Polaris in Atlanta is among the most realistic possibilities for the building is Radio City Tower.
Liverpool has welcomed national restaurant players including Hawksmoor and The Ivy in recent years and a space as outlandish as the Beacon could entice more.
There is precedent for this use; St Johns Beacon has been home to a restaurant before, a revolving one no less. The machinery that made it revolve still exists but is probably well out of commission by now.
Williams wants the building remains accessible to the public. In recent years, Bauer sublet part of the space to a company that operated a viewing platform. This deal pretty much covered the media firm’s rent and Williams suggested that the venture would return as part of a wider plan.
“We could just run it as a viewing gallery and make money on it,” he said.
Williams also insists that the building’s listed status will not be a barrier for potential occupiers.
St Johns Beacon was granted grade two-listed status in 2020 after a failed bid by developer Zip World to use it as part of a 400-metre zip wire stretching from the tower to Central Library.
It was described by Historic England at the time of its listing as an embodiment of the “technological bravura and spirit of the space age”.
Williams, open to all ideas, is not against the zip wire plan being revived in some form.
“I think having something linking to [the building] from a different location subject to the planning consent would not be a bad idea,” he said.
The naming rights are up for grabs. Credit: PNW
Perhaps the most logical reuse of the building would be as an office. Liverpool is crying out for good quality office space and in lieu of any new-build schemes coming forward, the refurb market stands poised to snap up any requirements.
While the age of the building means it will not be the most operationally efficient, there is surely a company out there that would pay a premium to be able to call St Johns Beacon its home.
Not only is it distinctive in its design and boasting an enviable vantage point out over the city, it is located within spitting distance of Lime Street Station.
Nearly 20 million passengers pass through the station every year. For those arriving in Liverpool, St Johns Beacon is one of the first things they see. As a result, it has become synonymous with the city.
The process of finding a new use for the tower feels like a step into the unknown for the landlord and the agents involved. Nobody is really sure what is possible, who might be in the market for such a space, or how long it might take to find the new custodian of this distinctively Liverpool asset.
One thing that is certain is that the scrutiny over the decision will be decidedly more intense than if Rivington Hark was simply trying to find an occupier for a unit within the adjoining shopping centre.
Williams said it is “absolutely critical” to get this right.
“[The beacon] has been standing here since 1969 but it hasn’t really been capitalised on, either by the owners or the city,” Williams said.
“Now we’ve got the opportunity to do that.”
Restoring it back to a restaurant and viewing area would be the best outcome, and please remove that metal frame at the top, or cover it with a screen.
By GetItBuilt!
Hopefully bulldozed along with the rest of St. John’s. A poster child of well-intentioned yet disastrous 60’s planning.
What’s the greater barrier to regen.? The massive car park; low quality retail & associated ASB; advertising boards facing Lime Street or the gaudy tower..
I’m always surprised by how favourably disposed people are to the whole of St. John’s
By Anonymous
Think they could make better use if the advertising opportunities as the present Radio City signage is static, so really more mobile advertising would be better and make a profit, also the top of the tower is a bit stumpy and a more attractive shape would look better plus more advertising too.
As regards the internal space some of it should be given over to a restaurant/bar type business.
By Anonymous
Just somewhere for drink, food and a view.
By Anonymous
Can it be made in a tea room??
By Mary Woolley
This has to be one of the ugliest observation towers in the world (and it’s incredibly short as well). The fact it had a radio station at the top – a business based not on anything visual or making use of the views – instead of a restaurant, says a lot about how poorly designed and utilised this building was. On the bright side, it could be worse, just look at Birmingham’s BT Tower – that one takes the cake as the world’s worst city-centre sky tower (I mean, it’s incredibly ugly and has no public use). Still, renovating the observation deck (it’s currently in terrible shape) and adding a restaurant here makes the most sense. Pity the restaurant probably can’t be revolving as you would expect in similar towers abroad.
By EOD
Good news they’ve rejected Bauer’s idea of putting Hits Radio branding on it. If they can’t be bothered broadcasting from the Tower, or from Liverpool for more than one show a day, they shouldn’t be allowed to have their branding looming over the city centre. Some sort of led scheme that could be altered for different events/advertisers perhaps.
A wedding/events venue with part-time use as a viewing gallery seems most likely as it’s marooned in one of the grimmer bits of the pedestrian zone with not much in the way of other highish-end hospitality options. It doesn’t seem as though Flannels have gone ahead with the various things floated above their store in the old Owen Owen.
By Rotringer
I remember that Coca Cola was going to come and build head quarter office’s in Liverpool. Could it be made into head quarter office’s?!
By Mary Woolley
“Every scouser in the world would want to get married here.” No they wouldn’t.
By Anonymous
I agree with the knock it and St Johns down comments
By Jeremy Pieface
Finding another tenant will be a tall order and I hope people don’t look down on this opportunity. Hopefully they will find someone with a view on what it could become and elevate the whole area.
By Anonymous
It should remain a viewing gallery as that’s been it’s full time purpose over the last few years. Spectacular views. Restaurant is a terrible idea.
By Anonymous
Approaching this like any other to let space in the city, bar, restaurant, wedding venue et al, does a huge disservice to the city but is somehow still utterly unsurprising. Landlords gonna landlord
Devoid of imagination. As always.
By Christopher Flack
Liverpool’s highest Smokie Mo’s?
By Smokin’
I remember as a child going to revolving restaurant in the Beacon which was a real treat. It would be great if some kind of hospitality use could be brought back.
By Anonymous
Make it in to a witherspoon pub
By Anonymous
The zip wire idea is well and truly dead. A stupid idea in the first place, and would be opposed all the way. A Viewing deck and a coffee/patisserie shop would work best.
By Anonymous
Restaurants like these always end up failing once the novelty wares off
By Anonymous
Worth noting the Radio City branding forms part of the listed entry, so not quite sure naming rights are up for grabs!?
By Aerial Video TV
Oh please god not the zip wire thing again…just no.
By Anonymous
Perhaps another iconic Liverpool landmark opportunity for Philip Olivier? Suits his portfolio well, alongside the sightseeing buses and Royal Daffodil.
By Tinhead
Demolition hopefully. White elephant, suspected maintenance nightmare with limited income potential and commerciality.Yes, its part of the skyline but ugly too.As someone has commented a poster child of disastrous 60’s planning. Move on.
By Rodney Street
How about a TV news and Late night show based there?
By Liverpolitis
I’m not sure fire regs would allow for a restaurant use. One very slow and small lift – imagine God forbid if a fire were to break out the ability to get people out would be almost impossible. That is a non starter.
By Citypoolguy
Back to a bar and restaurant would be great
By Anonymous
Good option for an enterprising church. There are a few around looking for buildings.
By Anonymous
What about a hairdressers? Every scouser in the world would get their hair done there
By Anonymous
a brew with a view coffee in sky
By Anonymous
Stick some feathers on it and make it into a giant tickling stick. Zip wire to Bramley-Moore Dock.
By Gum
I worked on the precinct when it was being built, i knew then it was a mistake it’s like a giant island splitting the city center in two , bulldoze it and make a lovely city centre park out of it .
By P.collins
St John’s area is really sad and quite depressing. It needs a total overhaul and brought up to date. The tower would be a great restaurant but probably be very expensive to run. Could be a liverpool music shrine !
By Maude Kidd
The Radio Tower is fine as a piece of pop-art architecture. Keep. The rest of the St John’s Centre effectively blocks good routes from the railway station to the main commercial district and the docks. It’s very impenetrable as urbanism.
By Rye
Reopen the radio station, call it radio city again..
By Des
A consulting room for acrophobiacs?
By Anonymous
Feel going further our tower should go into public ownership. With our mps to attract us with exhibitions to. A dinning hall with a difference. To see our sights of our region. A romantic getaway for everyone..
By Andrew Woods
Please keep as open to public, it’s part of Liverpool
By Kev Harrison
It would be great if it could be an office but this is Liverpool and it will end up the tackiest thing possible.
By Anonymous
Definately should keep the tower with (hopefully) or without an immediate use…tacky or otherwise. It forms part of an iconic and instantly recognisable city skyline other cities can only aspire too.
By Anonymous
For a start, stripping off the ugly additions and restoring its original architectural form would help as it looked so much better when it was first built, as did St John’s Market before the completely unnecessary ‘improvements’. A restaurant, bar or event space of some sort would be great…especially if it could be made to revolve again. I remember visiting the similar though much larger Fernsehturm in Hamburg as a kid (chop off the larger upper platform and it’s practically the same) and absolutely loving the excitement of watching the city seemingly move beneath my feet!
By Nick
Office is the worst use I can imagine for it
By Anonymous
Maybe the chimney should be turned into a giant tickling stick with the radio city building made into a Ken Dodd museum, or create something to supplement the cities Beatles obsession or have Ferry Across the Mersey playing from it constantly from a loud speaker? Get it demolished along with the shopping centre it’s pig ugly and please can we join the 21st century!
By Anonymous
Wetherspoons at ground level , with toilets obviously at the very top as per!
By Degs
Get to Prague and check out their radio tower bar/ restaurant. You can see for miles. It would be a waste turning it into offices as nobody else would be able to have access. Offices are the most boring thing you think of for the space
By Anonymous
A cocktail bar
By Cal