Do you like the Centre Point Tower?

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Yesterday at work I got slapped down for publishing an article referring to the Centre Point Tower (you know, that monstrosity on the corner of Oxford St, Charing Cross Rd and Tottenham Court Road, ie the ugliest corner in London) as "the much-disliked Centre Point Tower". Much disliked by me, obviously, but almost certainly lots of other people as well. The usual reasons "blah blah its opinion not fact etc". I think it is a fact. Possibly time to try and vindicate myself by PROVING this by SCIENCE.

Umm... so do you like the Centre Point Tower? Yes or no?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I like it very much indeed.

I wish it was a bit further east, closer to Central London. People seem to find its name confusing.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

st giles has always been a skanky area. the centrepoint towers not all that either, but the skankyness has been there a hell of a lot longer than that tower

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Well much-disliked can be a fact yes, though one made up of lots of opinions :)

I don't like it. It serves a useful purpose obviously, marking out the centre of London as it does.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I love it when the sun's shining down on it, and the sky's deep blue, it looks stunning.

In any other weather it looks dreary and horrible.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

there's a terrific wind-tunnel on new oxford street, by the bus stops, caused by it (i once got physically blown off my feet)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I wish it was a bit further east, closer to Central London. People seem to find its name confusing.

this sentence makes no sense! Centre Point IS Central London!

its okay, i don't see how you can like or dislike it that much - I'm indifferent, I still want to know who works in there though

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The other day I came upon a brilliant view of the Centrepoint. From the corner of Margery St and Amwell St. The tower stands solitary over central London. Its a perfect Ivory Tower. Its not the greates pice of architecture but I still can find somehtin in it I like.

(anyone else spot that dionysus across the was gutted by fire sunday morning?)

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I adore it.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I like it. I remember Xentos Jones/L. Voag telling me c.1986 that part of it was used by the British secret services. Is/was there any truth in that, does anyone know?

― David (David), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I really like it, and having been to the top can confirm its fantastic views. They should sort out having the letters always lit though. Its concrete with windows design gives it a more robust feel that the all glass jobbies over Canary Wharf way, and I like the way it doesn't seem to cast a huge shadow over anything important.

Design by Justine Frischmann's Dad I believe (before Suzy jumps in - though I could be very, very wrong on that).

Yep, fat fire at Dionysus in the early hours of Sunday, TCR was shut for quite some time. Time for yet another rebuilding of this chippie...

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd heard the thing about Justine's dad as well...

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Architect was Richard Seifert

― David (David), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Centre Point features prominently in the video for Blur's 'Bang' - a consequence of the Justine connection perhaps? (Damon trying to curry her father's favour!)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.coventgarden.org.uk/images/centpint.jpg

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

WHO is on that top floor with all the lights on?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The is a management consultancy firm on the top floor.

Frischmann snr was an engineer who work on Centre Pint.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

It's part of the landscape, I couldn't imagine London without it. They need new chairs in that Point 101 bar though, I've never sat on anything more uncomfortable.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Looking at stevem's picture I am suddenly drawn to it.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Centre Pot also amuses the more STEWWWDENTly inclined...

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

have you tried the gastrobar at its base? i'm not sure how long its been there - it mustve crept open while i was at university 5 years ago because there never used to be anything at the foot of Centre Point other than legions of steenking rats and petrol puddles

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that's the point(!) of the chairs in Point 101 (last time I was in there I fell off the damn thing). Point 101: "the Spanish Bar its not alright to go to".

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

From: Will Jackson (wjackson@metronetworks.co.uk)
Subject: Travel information editors required

View this article only
Newsgroups: uk.transport.london
Date: 2000-10-26 08:53:29 PST

Metro Networks provides travel news to over 150 radio stations across
the UK, including Virgin Radio, talkSPORT, BBC local radio, and the
Capital Radio and GWR Groups.
Metro operates from headquarters at the top of London?s Centre Point,
and regional offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Middlesbrough,
and Edinburgh. The company continues to expand, and is therefore always
keen to receive applications for each office.
Editors compile travel news information for broadcast. You will need a
knowledge of, and interest in, the road and public transport systems of
a particular region; plus ideally a knowledge of emergency services and
ability to deal with their staff. You will also need experience of
operating a computer database and good attention to detail.
Full time and part-time flexible posts are available. All applications
should be addressed to Paul Hutton, Information Manager, Metro Networks,

29th floor, Centre Point, 103 New Oxford Street, LONDON, WC1A 1RH.

― David (David), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh i could go for that job...but i'm not sure i fancy working on the 30th floor of Centre Point (shudders)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

wait, you can go to the top?

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

You can if you know someone who works up there.

Actually you can if you tell them you've got a meeting with them at front desk.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

The article in question was ~~copied~~ abstracted from a piece in the Times that said they were proposing to put a big external glass lift up the side of the tower, so in a couple of years you'll be able to get up there that way.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

It's okay, when I'm walking down Oxford Street, it's a good marker as to how much further I have to walk to get to Forbidden Planet.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it's pretty horrible but that may just be the setting. For years I thought it was something to do with homeless people.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

It is, there is a charity or homeless centre with the same name.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/main.asp?cid=23&sid=50&pid=1593

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, that's why I was confused.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I've always thought it very unattractive, but I'm with Tom and not Tim on its value as a marker.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I also adore it, but find that the Post Office Tower is A) a more useful marker, and B) more beautiful.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

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