Nine things to do at Battersea Power Station (and the surrounding areas!)
If you’ve spent any time in London at all, you’ll know the iconic shape of the Battersea Power Station. Positioned right alongside the Thames, its four proud chimneys make up a memorable part of the city skyline, and (apart from maybe the Shard) it’s easily the most recognisable building in South London. It’s been on record covers. It’s been in films. It’s been part of the backdrop of millions of Londoner’s lives. It’s an absolute all-round icon.
Nearly 100 years old, building work for it began back in 1929, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, one of the most prominent architects of the day who was responsible for Britain’s red telephone boxes, was part of the project. Original proposals were for the chimneys to be square rather than circular which would have made it look very different! Maybe a bit sci fi!? By 1955 the fourth chimney, and second stage of the Power Station was complete, with the Power Station at peak capacity and it generated a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognisable landmarks including the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace!
After operating for 30 years, it finally came to a close in 1983. After decades of uncertainty, the station was purchased in 2012 and plans were developed to find this iconic building a new purpose. So London could continue enjoying it! Works begin the following year to redevelop the 42-acre site surrounding the Power Station to create a new cultural venue and an open space for London. Last year it finally reopened! And now Salad Days Market will be popping up there! A small footnote in the history of the city’s most prominent and revered buildings.
So what’s actually going on at Battersea Power Station now? It’s turned into a hub of activity, including flats, restaurants, bars, shops, art installations, green spaces, a playground and offices. The front right chimney, positioned right in front of the water and with the best vista, has also been turned into a giant glass lift which is actually mind-boggling when you think about it. The glass box peeps out at the top of the chimney, giving you the chance to enjoy a 360 degree view all across London. You can see so far you can even glimpse Crystal Palace’s two towers!
We’ve spent quite a few days there in the run-up to our pop-up and think it’s such a nice place to spend a few hours whether its with friends, family or your beloved pup - as lots of the station is dog friendly it’s even perfect for them too. Here are our suggestions of a way to spend a day at Battersea Power Station.
Shop a curated edit of small brands at the Salad Days Market pop-up. This award-winning market pops up regularly in Battersea Power Station with some of the UK’s most exciting small brands spanning everything from handmade art, to jewellery, to ceramics and more, much of which has been made right here in the city.
Enjoy spectacular views of London in Lift 109. The front right hand chimney has cleverly been transformed into a glass lift!? Which pokes its head out the top of the chimney to give you spectacular 360 degree views around London. It’s truly a feat of engineering genius that they were able to do this, and we loved our trip up there. It’s also a really fun thing to do if you’ve got family visiting as you can see lots of London landmarks, plus they have a mini exhibition detailing the building’s history before you go in which we found super interesting. I would definitely recommend booking ahead of time, especially if you’re going as a group, as it often gets busy.
Head to Control Room B for a few fancy cocktails. Our market is dog friendly, so if you’re bringing a furry friend you’ll be pleased to know loads more dog friendly things to do there including Control Room B. A stylish cocktail bar built in the original control room of the power station; enjoy a few hours drinking something delicious amongst the old infrastructure. You can see all the original control boards with its hundreds of buttons, right behind where you sit which is cool! I recommend the Gas Wash for something fresh, sweet and zingy. Defo recommend booking as it gets busy!
Get a picnic and sit on deck chairs out the front. They’ve left the space in front of the Power Station as a lovely green space, which often has deck chairs and benches on. It’s a lovely place to walk your dog, or sit and relax with friends and a picnic. There’s an incredible Marks & Spencers food in the Power Station which has loads of cool things in, including a station for their homemade garlic bread (made using day old bread that would have otherwise been thrown away) and a hot food area including the world’s best rotisserie chicken. Grab a selection of yummy bits, then head out to the front to soak up some sun, eat and drink with the backdrop of this incredible building
Hop on a boat down the Thames! Uber boats go from the dock right outside the front of station, so you can hop on and off boats right there. Even if you live in London, if you’ve never travelled the river by boat I 100% recommend it! It’s such a fun way to get a new view of the city, plus you can hop off at places like Greenwich which is also a beautiful and historic place to spend a few hours. You don’t need to pre-book tickets, you can just tap on with your Oyster or contactless card. They come every 15 minutes throughout the day.
Browse around Battersea Park. Built from 1854 and right next to the station, Battersea Park houses so many wonderful attractions, including a riverside promenade, lake you can rent boats on, the beautiful Old English Garden and a Buddhist Stūpa. Known as The Peace Pagoda, this iconic landmark is designed as a place to promote peace and unity for people of all races and backgrounds.
Eat authentic homemade pasta for dinner at Noci. Islington’s favourite, Noci Pasta has now opened a second restaurant inside the Power Station! Try modern pasta dishes right in the heart of BPS as recommended by basically everyone we know who’s been to the original venue. The slow cooked beef shin looks DIVINE but it’s their pasta with walnuts that’s apparently THE dish to have. I can’t wait to try it!
Rummage around a local carboot sale at Battersea Boot. London’s best and most raved about car boot sale just happens to be moments away from the Power Station and it’s open every single Sunday! Just 20 min stroll away and absolutely buzzing with bargains, vintage and antique treasures, it’s ripe for a good rummage. Buyers enter from 1.30pm so you don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn either which makes it much more enjoyable on a lazy Sunday and means you can head to see us first!
Take a trip over Chelsea Bridge at night. If you’re in the area at night, don’t miss your chance to finish the evening by driving over Chelsea Bridge. It’s lit up with thousands of fairy lights that shine so brightly and beautifully at night and is arguably London’s prettiest bridge. There’s always something special about driving over it, as it twinkles in the darkness. As you cross over the river, make sure you look back to get a view of Battersea Power Station lit up!
