Battersea Power Station Gets Recharged

The Iconic London Landmark Gets spruced Up and Here’s Why to Check it Out Now

Having lived in London for most of my adult life, one of the most iconic architectural buildings on the city’s riverscape has always been the awe-inspiring, Battersea Power Station. For many years laying derelict, this disused, colossal structure sat imposingly on the south bank of the river Thames, like a neglected behemoth. The space it occupies is so vast, it could house the entire structure of St Paul’s Cathedral within its walls.

I’d visited this haunting site many times, sometimes in passing, while driving over the bridge in a black cab, or when I was invited to a rare event hosted within the grounds of the crumbling facade. But I always felt a sense of sadness, that this epic building wasn’t being used for anything more purposeful.

So, when in 2022 news of the opening of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment was confirmed, me and the rest of London were very excited to see what had become of it. It would be the first time in the buildings 90-year history that the doors would open to the public.

Battersea Power Station was one of London’s main power plants, supplying energy to important official buildings such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of parliament, from the 1930s, through to the 1980s. At the height of production, it supplied a fifth of London’s energy.

Part Art Deco, part Modernist in architectural style, it’s the perfect mix of aesthetic meets functionality. In 1929 Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, a famous architect of the time, who had designed Britain’s iconic red post boxes, became part of the team that designed and engineered the power station. The colossal chimneys towered 101m from ground level, to redirect plumes of smoke out of the station and into the ether.

They served London well for other reasons too. During WW2 RAF pilots used the smoke from the chimneys as a navigation point to guide their planes home. In 1946 Queen Elizabeth, then Princess Elizabeth, was invited to the station to thank the workers for their efforts during the war.

Battersea Power Station finally closed its doors and ceased to generate electricity in 1983. Since then, the Grade II listed building lay derelict and disused. Until now!  

In 2012 the entire site was bought by developers and over the following 10 years, converted into a regenerated cultural area. The 42-acre site has been beautifully and intelligently re-developed into a bustling hub of shops, cafes, restaurants, homes and meeting spaces. Touted as London’s ‘newest a-list address’ by The London Evening Standard.

All this said, I decided to pay the newly opened space a visit myself. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Upon exiting the tube station, you can see the entire area has been landscaped and designed with community use in mind. There are large open gardens and outdoor meeting spaces with seating and amenities, all designed with art deco and industrial elements, in keeping with the original building. As you walk up to the Power Station itself, the path has been created to frame the building, almost as though you’re walking up to an epic masterpiece.  

As the building is Grade II listed, it has been renovated inside and out with painstaking attention to detail. You can enter the building though the main turbine hall, which is filled with shops and cafes, on different levels, all surrounding a central atrium space. The walls on the inside facade are left exposed, so you can see the original structure and brickwork. Behind the giant turbine hall windows, the developers have exhibited huge pieces of original machinery as a historic reminder, alongside newly commissioned pieces of artwork. It’s all very tastefully done and in keeping with the building's original aesthetic.

Shops inside the turbine hall include high-end to high-street stores such as Nike, Aesop beauty, Reiss, All Saints and Sweaty Betty through to designer jewellery and watch boutiques. There’s a cinema on its way, as well as a posh food court, Arcade, soon to open.

To get an elevated 360-degree view of the city, take ‘Lift 109’ up through the chimney shaft to 109m above the ground level. From this viewing platform you can see breath-taking views of the city, plus access to a specially curated exhibition of original artifacts, objects and interactive installations from the Power Stations past.

In front of the building there is a festive explosion. Starting with a winter wonderland style section with various traditional rides like a giant carousel, a Ferris wheel and coconut shy, through to igloo dining with a view of the power station and river. But perhaps the piece de resistance is the ‘Glide’ ice skating rink, sponsored by perfumier, Jo Malone. It’s a beautifully constructed huge ice-skating rink, with Victorian conservatory style skate changing room on one side and hygge Xmas bar on the other, serving mulled wine and snacks. All centred around a ginormous, glittering, Christmas tree in the middle of the rink. So let the festivities begin.

I’m so pleased that Battersea Power Station has, after all these years, found a purpose again and is finally being used to its potential. It has been very elegantly re-purposed and re-developed into a buzzing area, which serves its community and breathes life into one of London’s most iconic historical buildings.

Battersea Power Station is now open. It’s free to enter and makes for a lovely day out with family and friends. It’s easily accessible by bus, taxi, tube on the Northern Line or by boat on the river Thames.

For more info on Battersea Power Station, the shops, cafes, and businesses in the surrounding area and more of its history, check out www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk

Have you got an iconic place in mind to visit? Why not make a trip and share your experience with us at info@tripr.travel

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