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.
London is so full of little oddities, I wonder how long you could be wandering the streets before you stop noticing things – assuming you are looking around as you walk. As you walk up the street alongside the British Museum, it looks like a constant row of buildings on each side of the street. However, that isn’t the case. Halfway up the street is this gate between two buildings. The street is Montague Street, and this gate is the entrance to Montague Street Gardens. I’ve never seen it open, so I assume it is a private garden. Now I have noticed the gates, I really want to see the gardens. I guess I will have to cope with disappointment.
