St Johns Beacon
Sightseeing attraction | Liverpool | England | United Kingdom
St John's Beacon, often also known as the Radio City Tower, is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Liverpool and has been shaping the city skyline for decades. This impressive tower was built between 1965 and 1969 and designed by the architectural firm James A. Roberts Associates. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969 and, with a height of 138 meters – including the 10-meter antenna at the top – it is the tallest structure in Liverpool when antennas are taken into account. However, without the antenna, it remains the second tallest freestanding building in the city, surpassed only by the Beetham West Tower. Its futuristic design, reflecting the spirit of the space age era of the 1960s, led to its Grade II listing in November 2020, an acknowledgment of its historical and architectural value.
Originally, St John's Beacon had a practical function: it served as an air shaft for the underlying St. John's Shopping Centre, part of a larger urban development plan by Graham Shankland to redesign the Liverpool city center. However, the tower soon evolved into much more than a technical necessity. At its top was a luxurious revolving restaurant, known as "The Tower Restaurant," considered one of the first of its kind in the UK. The facade and floor of the restaurant rotated as a unit, while the roof served as an observation platform for visitors. This concept made the tower a popular destination in the 1970s, but a few years after opening, the bearings of the revolving mechanism jammed, and the restaurant ceased to move. A fire in the shopping center in 1977 damaged the elevator, leading to the closure of the restaurant and platform. In the 1980s, it was briefly revived as a "Buck Rogers" themed restaurant, but safety regulations – particularly the lack of a staircase – led to its final closure in 1984.
After years of vacancy and neglect, during which the tower was considered "ugly" or "useless" by many locals, St John's Beacon experienced a renaissance in the late 1990s. In 1998, the radio station Radio City, then owned by Emap Radio, expressed interest in renovating the building for use as studio and office space. The renovation began in 1999 and was completed in the summer of 2000, at a cost of millions. In August 2000, Radio City 96.7 moved in, and the tower was christened the "Radio City Tower." The former restaurant area was converted into the second floor and now serves as office space, while the observation platform was reopened to the public. Until December 2024, the tower was home to Hits Radio Liverpool and Greatest Hits Radio, but Bauer Media, the operator, decided not to renew the lease, and the final broadcasts were aired at the end of the year. The future of the tower remains uncertain for now, but plans for renovation and new use have been announced.
For visitors, St John's Beacon now offers one of the best vantage points in Liverpool. The 360-degree panoramic platform at over 120 meters height provides stunning views of the city, the Wirral Peninsula, North Wales, and on clear days even up to Snowdonia and Blackpool. The platform is accessible and features informational signs explaining visible landmarks. Visitors can also peek into the radio stations' studios – or could, at least, until Bauer Media's departure – gaining insight into the world of media. There is no time limit for the stay, making the tower particularly attractive for leisurely enjoying the view.
The tower's history is dotted with interesting moments. In the 1990s, blue, "UFO-like" neon lights were installed at the edge to enhance its appeal, but these were removed during the renovation. In 2018, an art banner titled "Liverpool 2018" hung on the tower, commemorating the city's ten-year anniversary as European Capital of Culture. In 2020, plans were made for a permanent zip line from the second floor to the roof of the Central Library, but these were ultimately rejected by the mayor due to mixed reactions and concerns about noise and the "Disneyfication" of the city.
St John's Beacon is more than just an observation tower – it is a symbol of Liverpool's transformation and resilience. From its origins as a functional structure to its glamorous days as a revolving restaurant to its role as a media hub and tourist attraction, it reflects the city's evolution. Even in its current transitional phase, it remains an essential part of Liverpool's famous skyline and a place that eloquently connects the past, present, and future of the city. For anyone visiting Liverpool, it offers a unique perspective on a city that continually reinvents itself.
