The OXO Tower is located towards the eastern end of London's South Bank cultural area, and is within the London Borough of Southwark. A continuous river-side walkway, actually part of the Thames Path, passes in front of and below the building, and links it with other river-side attractions such as the Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre.

The OXO Tower is located towards the eastern end of London's South Bank cultural area, and is within the London Borough of Southwark. A continuous river-side walkway, actually part of the Thames Path, passes in front of and below the building, and links it with other river-side attractions such as the Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre. To get there turn right at the riverside then walk for 15 minutes, just past City Hall.
 

The building was originally constructed as a power station for the Post Office, built towards the end of the 19th century. It was subsequently acquired by the Liebig Extract of Meat Company, manufacturers of Oxo beef stock cubes, for conversion into a cold store.

In the late 1970s and into the 1980s there were several proposals to demolish the building and develop it and the adjacent Coin Street site, but these were met with strong local opposition and two planning inquiries were held. Although permission for redevelopment was granted, the support of the Greater London Council (GLC) finally resulted in the tower and adjoining land being sold to the GLC in 1984 for £2.7m — who sold the entire 13-acre (5.3 ha) site to the non-profit Coin Street Community Builders for just £750,000.