There's an unknown use for St Johns Beacon that will surprise not just people today, but also those who were around soon after it was built.
Construction of the beacon, or tower as it's sometimes known, started in 1965 and took nearly five years to complete.
Its striking design often divides opinion, but back in 2020, St Johns Beacon was awarded Grade-two listed status.
READ MORE: Rare photos of life on the Welsh Streets of Liverpool in the 1960s
Historic England said the tower’s design "embodies the technological bravura and spirit of the space age".
Whatever you think, it's definitely hard to miss - standing 138 metres tall. Offering unrivalled views of the city, it's the second tallest free-standing building in Liverpool and the 32nd tallest in the UK.
Originally it contained a revolving restaurant, but one of its original functions was as a chimney for the waste incinerator of St Johns Precinct and Market.
And it was this function, just a few years after it was built, that prompted many people to call 999 requesting the then Merseyside Fire Brigade, believing it was on fire.
Back on February 8, 1973, the Liverpool Echo had to put out a notice from the service asking people not to call telling them St Johns Beacon was on fire.
The headline was 'Thank you, but the Beacon is not on fire' and it read: "Liverpool fire brigade have been receiving calls from members of the public telling them that St. John's Beacon is on fire.
"People seeing smoke from the top of the Beacon have rung in to warn the brigade.
"The fire brigade point out, however, that the Beacon is in fact a chimney from St. John's Market and that the smoke is from the heating system there."
After the original restaurant closed in 1979 for health and safety reasons, it was re-opened with extra fire prevention measures as a Buck Rogers space-themed restaurant in 1983. It didn't prove popular and was soon closed again.
The beacon lay empty and derelict for years and was considered to be an eyesore. In 1999, the tower underwent an extensive £5m refurbishment and reopened as the home of Radio City in 2000.
Since the refurbishment, it's certainly become an instantly recognisable fixture on the city's iconic skyline, especially at night, when it can be attractively spotlit and illuminated for special occasions and events.
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