Spectacular views help Cube hit the heights

From the Clent Hills to universities and three major football grounds, few buildings in Birmingham city centre can match The Cube for spectacular panoramic views.

Visitors to the 25th floor of the iconic business, leisure and housing complex, near Broad Street, can see as far as 20 miles in all directions on clear days.

Click on the image on the right to see more pictures from The Cube.

And bosses say this has been one of the driving forces behind the success of the ever-expanding building, which also contains a 52-room hotel, 110,000 sq ft of office space and an office hub for the Highways Agency as well as shops, a spa and a gym.

Edgbaston's revamped cricket ground, Birmingham University's famous clock tower and the new Birmingham Library are also among the city's landmarks which can be enjoyed from The Cube's summit approximately 230 ft (70 metres) up in the air.

The top floor is currently home to the 140-seater Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse Bar & Grill restaurant.

The Cube spokesman Jon Perks said the unique views have been a factor in the success of the eaterie as well as the building's 244 apartments, of which about 80 per cent are occupied.

"On a clear day you can see for 20 miles to the Lickey Hills and the Clent Hills," he said. "You can see the best of Birmingham from up here. Everybody who comes up here to eat remembers it. Marco Pierre White's is doing phenomenally well. On Fridays and Saturdays they are booked up for several weeks in advance."

The exterior of the £100 million building is made from aluminium and glass in reference to the city's industrial heritage, while the interior is in the shape of a jewellery box, in a nod to the Jewellery Quarter.