Kayla Bibby, 41, from Bromborough, has submitted a 30-page application to the owners of St Johns Beacon, aiming to transform the former chimney, revolving restaurant, and radio station into a New York-style digital advertising board and sky bar, which she calls "the beacon that never sleeps."
Background and Interest
The ECHO reported last week that so many proposals have been submitted for the tower that representatives had to extend the deadline for submissions. It has been more than 18 months since London-based landlords Rivington Hark (RH) launched a formal Expression of Interest (EOI) process to find new operators for St Johns Beacon, a Grade II listed structure. RH stated it would listen to "all ideas" for the beacon, "however wacky" they may be.
Kayla Bibby's Vision
Bibby, who has a 20-year career in civil engineering, has held a fascination with the tower for two decades. In 2021, she formed a company with the goal of turning the structure into a "digital lighthouse." She told the ECHO: "I've been getting off at James Street station for 20 years, and the first thing I see when I walk up is the tower. I always thought, 'They need to do something more with that.'"
Bibby envisions the top of the tower, which once carried a banner for Liverpool's 2008 Capital of Culture, becoming a huge digital advertising board running 24/7. She submitted several renderings with her application. "Other major cities around the world are doing the exact same thing. I think this is precisely what Liverpool should be doing," she said. "I might not have the money to fund it all myself, obviously I don't, because it's going to cost an enormous amount, but hopefully my idea gets shortlisted."
Ranelagh Circus and Sky Bar
As part of the project, Bibby proposes filling the junction of Ranelagh Street, Lime Street, and Renshaw Street with digital advertisements in a project called "Ranelagh Circus," inspired by New York's Times Square and London's Piccadilly Circus. The concept would see digital screens around the Adelphi and Lewis's areas. Additionally, she would strip out the radio station studios and replace them with a "sky bar." She added: "Leaving a building like that empty for that length of time is an absolute waste. We need to do something productive with it very soon, but it has to be something special."
History and Current Status
The landmark, known to many as the Radio City Tower, has been vacant since the station moved out in late 2024. The 138-metre building was completed in 1969, with the revolving Tower Restaurant opening in 1971. For the last quarter-century, the tower was occupied by Radio City, which rebranded as Hits Radio and made its last broadcast from the tower on Christmas Eve 2024. St Johns, the management company for the tower, market, and car park, said the building needed remedial work after the last tenants, Bauer Media, moved out after almost 25 years. These works are now nearing completion, and multiple offers and "strong expressions of interest" have been made by companies hoping to occupy the tower.
St Johns Centre director Neil Ashcroft previously told the ECHO the firm would "take the time to ensure we secure the right use for the Beacon's long-term future." The deadline for expressions of interest was originally scheduled to expire on Friday, June 5, but due to the scale of interest, a spokesperson confirmed they had extended the deadline by a few days.
