Why 93-year-old Battersea Power Station is set to be London’s hottest attraction

Complex ‘will now breathe new life into this part of London,’ says Sadiq Khan

London’s iconic Battersea Power Station building officially opens to the public today following a transformational eight-year restoration, stacked with exciting restaurants, bars and shops.

The Power Station, the earliest part of which was built in 1929, has been revamped as a leisure complex, with shops, restaurants and bars, as well as access to its control rooms for history and science buffs.

The world-famous building is on the south bank of the Thames, close to Vauxhall station and the Nine Elms residential area, which has been highly developed in recent years. The site closed fully as an operational power station in 1983.

The new-look building opened at 10am this morning, with a long weekend of festivities ahead.

The restored building’s Control Room A (James Parsons)

A free, five-day “Festival of Power” will run over two opening weekends: Friday 14–Sunday 16 October and Saturday 22–Sunday 23 October.

New shop Curated Works will stock products made by 40 small, local businesses, and boutiques from Aesop, Space NK, Jo Malone London, Uniqlo and Mango will open in the first phase, with more to join during 2023.

Meanwhile, restaurants opening this weekend include Le Bab, Where The Pancakes Are, Poke House, Clean Kitchen Club and Paris Baguette; an Arcade Food Hall will open in the building’s Boiler House in 2023.

The 1929 power station has been reincarnated as a shopping and dining complex (Battersea Power Station)

Another new feature of the area is a pedestrianised high street, Electric Boulevard, with further shops outside of the building itself.

“Visitors will be able todiscoverthe Power Station’sTurbine Halls, which have been meticulously restored back to their former glory,” says the team behind the revamp.

A hotel - the UK’s first outpost of the art’otel brand, with a restaurant by Michelin starred chef Henrique Sa Pessoa - will “follow shortly” in the coming months.

Tonight (Friday 14) will also see a light show named “Arcadia’s Lords of Lightning”, where multi-million volt bolts will be fired between two costumed “Lords”.

Fashion boutiques are topped by a bar spotlighting the building’s Control Room B (John Sturrock)

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As a lifelong South Londoner, I am particularly delighted to see the iconic Battersea Power Station opening its doors for the first time in forty years as a new addition to London’s thriving shopping and entertainment landscape.

“This redevelopment of a 20th century London landmark has already helped to deliver new investment, vital transport links and jobs for local people. Battersea Power Station will now breathe new life into this part of London – attracting more investment and boosting our economy as we build a better London for everyone.”

Simon Murphy, chief executive officer at Battersea Power Station Development Company, said: “We are truly thrilled to welcome the local community, Londoners and visitors from across the globe to come and explore this Grade II* listed landmark that many have marvelled at from afar for years.

“Now, for the first time, everybody can walk inside, interact with the magnificent architecture and experience all that the reborn Battersea Power Station has to offer.”