Purdown BT Tower, Telecommunications tower in Lockleaze, Bristol, England
Purdown BT Tower is a telecommunications tower in Lockleaze, Bristol, standing about 70 meters tall with a reinforced concrete structure. Multiple microwave dishes and antennas are mounted across its exterior, helping transmit signals throughout the city.
A temporary steel-lattice tower was built in 1961 to serve early telecommunications needs in Bristol. In 1970, it was replaced by the current concrete structure as part of Britain's expanding communications infrastructure.
Local residents affectionately call the tower 'Cups and Saucers' because of the distinctive circular dishes mounted at various heights along its structure. This nickname reflects how the community has made sense of the tower's unusual appearance as part of everyday life in Bristol.
The tower transmits FM radio stations including Kiss FM and Classic FM while providing mobile phone coverage across the city. It is visible from street level and serves as a working communications hub for the region.
In 2008, British Telecom removed all outdated microwave dishes, significantly changing the tower's visual appearance. This renovation marked the shift from microwave relay systems to modern fiber optic technology.
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