please empty your brain below
I was lucky enough to be asked to speak at a TfL workshop on the ninth floor earlier this year and spent the breaks wandering round outside on the viewing platform rather than talking to the delegates. What a view!

THC | 17.08.15 - 7:25 a.m. | #

Oooo - not only Norman Foster but a lovely big map! Thanks for that, I will make the trip.

AliE17 | 17.08.15 - 8:09 a.m. | #

In a lot of buildings, the emergency stairs are a healthy alternative to the lift.

Do not use the stairs at the London Assembly building, however, because they lock from the corridor side. Once a member of the public is on the stairs they cannot leave from another floor.

Staff members can use their passes to unlock the doors. If you do get stuck, you'll have to wait until a member of staff decides to use the stairs, as there are no emergency phones.

RayL | 17.08.15 - 8:17 a.m. | #

Thanks for the tip about the canteen. I wonder how long this will last now you have publicised it?!
Reminds of when I worked on Fleet Street and it was known you could wander into the Torygraph, bid a cheery good evening to the doorman, get the lift up to the canteen and enjoy subsidised rump steak and chips for under a quid.
It ended when one of the Oz backpacker mags publicised it and the place was over-run by Aussies!

Chris | 17.08.15 - 9:55 a.m. | #

It may have been midsummer, but from what I saw I don't think the restaurant would mind a few more customers.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 17.08.15 - 10:33 a.m. | #

@RayL
If you need a pass to get out from the emergency stairs, what do you do in an emergency?

timbo | 17.08.15 - 10:48 a.m. | #

@timbo in an emergency you continue all the way to ground floor and exit. The doors would be set to allow you into the emergency stairs so you can escape to ground floor safely, but not to gain access to a floor you aren't meant to access.

Jon | 17.08.15 - 1:07 p.m. | #

@Jon is correct when there is a true 'emergency' situation. However, a visitor who quite innocently uses the stairs will find that the ground floor exit has an alarm on it.

Present-day thinking encourages use of stairs rather than lifts (see today's headlines about obesity and diabetes). This is a relatively modern building. To have restricted stairs looks like a design flaw.

RayL | 17.08.15 - 8:41 p.m. | #

This blog is particularly interesting, although having said that I find most of your blogs humourous and fascinating. I wasn't aware you can go into this building and will certainly now do so in the next week or two, following your excellent guide throughout. Many thanks.

Mike Harris | Homepage | 18.08.15 - 6:07 p.m. | #

I visited City Hall some time ago during an Open House weekend. we were shown round in groups, one man couldn't use the lifts (presumably because of claustrophobia) and was taken down the stairs but had to wait for a personal escort, now I know why. It's an interesting building, I do recommend it.

amber | 19.08.15 - 1:06 p.m. | #











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