For more than 50 years this 1960s complex was the epicentre of the BBC's national programmes. When the broadcaster shifted its headquarters to Portland Place in 2013, the cluster of buildings around a central ring, were reinvented as flats, restaurants, a cinema, hotel and members club Soho House. The Broadcaster's name is a nod to the centre's great and glorious past, but is a gleaming modern addition, over three floors with a buzzing roof terrace offering panoramic views over London.
The contemporary gastropub is run by the same people behind The Lighterman in King's Cross and is conveniently located opposite White City tube station, a hop and a skip from Westfield. On a Friday night after work we headed up to the busy terrace for dinner where we settled into low slung lounge chairs gazed across to the huge shopping mall. Heated with glass roof and sides, it's an all year round light filled space with DJs on Thursdays and Saturdays, a private dining area, and cocktails like the lip smacking smoked and spiced margarita.
Also light and refreshing is their Orchard Collins, a twist on the usual gin-based cocktail with a pear liqueur, apple, guava and lime soda. Weekdays there's an all day menu of crowd pleasers like gin cured trout with pickled cucumber and fennel, or ham hock sausage roll with home made piccalilli. Be sure to order the knock-out St Ives monkfish 'scampi,' crispy balls of meaty fish dipped into a mild curry flavoured mayo - on our night there was also a tasty t.
