ECHO readers had plenty of suggestions for the future of St Johns Beacon
A Wetherspoon pub, a new revolving restaurant and studios for a new station were among the suggestions as the ECHO asked for readers’ views about the future of St Johns Beacon, known as the Radio City tower. The ECHO reported on Monday that Bauer Media will not be renewing its lease on the city centre landmark and the final shows from the tower will air on December 24.
Radio City moved to the tower from its Stanley Street studios at the turn of the Millennium, broadcasting its first show from the new location on July 18, 2000. However, Bauer Media renamed Radio City to Hits Radio Liverpool in April of this year and on Monday (October 28), the company announced that it will leave the tower at the end of 2024.
Currently, the tower is home to the Hits Radio Liverpool and Greatest Hits Radio Breakfast shows. Confirming that radio staff will move out of the tower in December, a Bauer spokesperson told the ECHO: “We are incredibly proud to have been part of the vibrant history of the Grade II listed St Johns Beacon. This next step allows us to invest in facilities that better support our vision and evolving needs.
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“The final shows from St Johns Beacon will air on December 24. Following this date, Greatest Hits Radio Breakfast will broadcast nationally from Bauer’s North West hub, whilst Hits Radio Liverpool Breakfast will continue to broadcast from the city.”
Though Bauer has chosen not to renew its lease on the tower, it will continue to lease the Radio City 96.7 signage that adorns it. The company confirmed it is currently working to change that sign to say Hits Radio.
It has not yet been confirmed what the tower will primarily be used for in the future. A survey published on the Liverpool ECHO website asking what readers think it should be used for on Tuesday (October 29) was met with plenty of responses.
The tower – which was built between 1966 and 1969 – had previously been home to a revolving restaurant and the vast majority of responses would like to see that happen again. One person wrote: “Turn it back into a restaurant, would be boss to have a meal up there for Valentine’s Day.”
Another said: “Make it back into a restaurant or a viewing site to see all around the city views – that would be awesome.” Another commenter said: “I had the pleasure of dining in the Tower when it was a revolving restaurant and it was amazing. I would love to see it become a restaurant with or without the revolving part as the views are amazing just like the Panoramic.
“It would be a fantastic addition to the city. I would certainly visit for a meal like I’m sure many others would.” There was also a suggestion of something less formal, as one person suggested: “Café, lookout point, gift shop etc.”
Using the beacon as a view point or attraction would follow success seen in Germany with a similar building. Berlin’s Fernsehturm, which was completed in the same year as St Johns Beacon, was built as a broadcasting facility in East Germany. It is now one of Berlin’s defining features and draws more than 1m visitors a year, who can ascend to the top of the tower for views over the capital city.
In a different move, others suggested that another radio station could take over St Johns Beacon. One person wrote: “Let In Demand radio take over.”
On Monday, as Bauer revealed it was moving out of the tower, In Demand announced it will launch new Liverpool station In Demand Decades. The station will broadcast shows from former Radio City staff including Jay Hynd, Lee Butler and Claire Simmo – as well as 1980s pop icon Kim Wilde.
A light-hearted suggestion had a very unconventional future use for the beacon, saying: “Used as a lookout in case the Vikings invade again.” Another person simply said: “Spoons”, which presumably is a suggestion to turn it into a Wetherspoon pub. It would certainly have enough space for the long walk between the bar and the toilets that is a feature of many Wetherspoons.
