Battersea Power Station is back. After multiple failed redevelopment attempts, and almost 40 years after the power station turned off its lights, the Grade II* listed building has opened to the public after a full-on overhaul. And after we all collectively held our breaths, waiting for the impending re-opening, Battersea Power Stations finally opened to the public on Friday, October 14, 2022.
Ahead of the opening Battersea Power Station ran a promo that saw 1930’s style newspaper boys spreading the word of the opening date with a special, limited-edition, ‘Power Station Post’ newspaper. Inside a select number of those newspapers were 10 golden tickets offering access to the Power Station and the LIFT 109 Chimney Lift experience. The lucky few to find tickets were among the first members of the public to walk into the painstakingly restored, new and improved, Battersea Power Station. Anyone else getting proper Willy Wonka vibes? Golden tickets and glass lifts… That’s where the similarities stop, though, as sadly there isn’t an edible candy wonderland hidden inside.
We did, however, get a look inside Battersea Power Station ahead of it opening to the public
Inside Battersea Power Station
We’ve already written about a few of the new attractions and features that you’ll find at Battersea Power Station. Among them, a glass lift straight to the top of one of the chimneys, a swish new shopping centre, and a giant food hall. But we’ve got even more details for you now!
As far as shopping goes, it’s all about the two restored turbine halls. Now, they may be identical from the outside, but inside it’s a whole other matter. Turbine Hall A has been done up in resplendent art-deco style, paying homage to the building’s original construction in the 1930s. Meanwhile Turbine Hall B brings a more Brutalist design from the 1950s, when it was completed, with a more industrial look and feel. Inside there’s a vast array of British and international brands. As Battersea Power Station opens, the first wave of openings will be followed by plenty more in the ensuing months.
The Boiler House will be where the foodies will be flocking, come launch day in 2023 (we know, later than the building’s opening but sure to be worth it!). A 24,000 sq. ft Arcade Food Hall from JKS Restaurants will be joined by the likes of Le Bab, Where The Pancakes Are, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, and more. This, by the way, is in addition to the already open bars and restaurants in Circus West Village, among them Roti King, Vagabond Wines, and Battersea Brewery, to name just a few.
But wait, there’s more
Oh yeah, we’re not done yet! We haven’t even touched on the entertainment options! Accompanying Battersea Power Station’s opening is the opening of the two original Control Rooms, which have been turned into an events space and an all-day bar. The two spaces allow patrons to get up close to the original dials and controls that once provided power to swathes of London. And in addition to the Power Station’s variety of entertainment venues, we have to mention The Cinema at the Power Station. Hosting a private members club, it will also screen Hollywood blockbusters on state-of-the-art screens.
Outside of the Battersea Power Station itself, opening day also saw the opening of a new pedestrianised high street that connects the dining, shopping, and entertainment destination to its new titular Underground station. Electric Boulevard runs from the Power Station, between Prospect Place and the Battersea Roof Gardens straight to the Northern Line station. Along the new high street is a mix of bars, restaurants, and shops alongside office space, a new hotel from art’otel powered by Radisson Hotels, a park, and a community hub. Oh, and there’s also a delightfully festive ice skating rink set to drop down at Battersea Power Station next month!
Have you checked out the new site yet?