BT turns tables on revolving restaurant on top of Tower
BT has confirmed it will not re-open the revolving restaurant at the top of the BT Tower in the immediate future.
The Evening Standard revealed that Gary Rhodes was among of number of chefs keen to mastermind the project, which would have been up and running to capitalise on visitors to London during the Olympics.
A spokesman for BT said it had taken a "serious look" at re-opening the restaurant — closed to the public on safety grounds in 1980 — but had decided not to make it a priority.
Sources suggested that BT decided it could not justify the time and money being spent on the project during a period of national belt tightening.
A spokeswoman for Rhodes, who already runs another high level restaurant at Tower 42 in the City and declared a year ago he would love to take on the job, said today that he was "disappointed" the idea had not come to fruition.
The original 620ft-high Top of the Tower venue opened in 1966. The tables take about 20 minutes to make a full circuit, taking in 360-degree views of the skyline.
It closed in 1980 after 14 years, partly becasue of security fears — in 1971 an IRA bomb exploded in the tower.
