When I was a kid, Battersea Power Station was still an active power station. It ceased to generate a long time ago and then there were endless proposals as to what it could be converted into. I remember one discussion of an amusement park being built within the main hall but this, along with all the others, came to nought. Finally, a plan was developed that did get traction and the building was gutted to create a shopping centre, flats and office space.

The four iconic chimneys were removed and rebuilt to look identical but to be safe for the long term while also providing a viewing space at the top of one – something I will need to try at some point. The surrounding area has also seen a lot of residential development assisted by the arrival of a tube station. We were up in town for a day and had a little time on our hands so decided to pay it a visit.

The building is very imposing, and a lot of the architectural features have been preserved well. The halls that now hold the shops still include features like cranes and control consoles to show a bit of the heritage of the building. What is original and what is a replica I don’t know but I like the effort.

When it comes down to it, this is really just another shopping mall so, unless there is something specific that you want there, I suspect there is no real need to make a regular visit. However, as a once off thing, I enjoyed taking a look around. I have no objection to going back and might do so just to go up the chimney.