Station overlooking Liverpool hosted most pop stars coming through the city – except those with a fear of heights. It is known across Liverpool as the Radio City tower but that moniker might not be around much longer as the iconic structure hosts its final live broadcast on Christmas eve.
![[Workers fitting windows in the revolving restaurant in St Johns Beacon. 30th January 1969.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e8bee269bb87f6707c3c5e3511145cbbc621b7bc/0_186_5122_3074/master/5122.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Microphone cables are being bundled up and heaving contacts books packed into boxes. leaving empty what is arguably the most famous building of the city’s skyline – St Johns Beacon, to use its proper name. Built in 1969, originally as a luxury revolving restaurant, one visited by Queen Elizabeth II, the tower was listed Grade II in 2020, with Historic England describing it as “embodying the technological bravura and spirit of the space age”.
![[Radio City late night radio presenter Peter Price in his studio during his show]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6aeb21cb0aee755e1fc09af558432961c9d0d8ae/0_146_4368_2621/master/4368.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
From the mid-80s it was mostly empty after it became apparent that a kitchen more than 100m in the air with two lift shafts and 558 stairs posed a fire hazard. In 2000, it was saved from dereliction when it become home to Radio City and emblazoned with the words “Radio City 96.7” large enough to be seen across Liverpool.
“It was great excitement when we actually moved to the tower,” said Molly Marshall, who effectively managed the station’s office in a number of different roles throughout the years. “A helicopter came flying around and took a picture of us all waving from the top of the tower.”.
