What Is Battersea Power Station Now

So, you remember that giant, white, four-chimneyed building that loomed over London for decades, looking like a forgotten temple to industry? Yeah, that one. The one that inspired album covers and post-apocalyptic movie scenes. Well, spoiler alert: it’s not a ghost anymore.

Battersea Power Station is now a living, breathing neighborhood. A weird, wonderful, and wildly expensive neighborhood, but a neighborhood nonetheless. And honestly? It’s kind of a blast.

Let’s start with the obvious: the building itself. They didn’t just knock it down, thank goodness. Instead, they turned the turbine hall into a mall. Fancy, right? You can now buy a £500 coffee table book right where they used to generate electricity for half of London.

The Mall of the Future (or the Past?)

Walking inside is a trip. The art deco details are intact, but now there’s an Apple Store, a Nike town, and a bunch of restaurants serving overpriced avocado toast. Very on-brand for 2024. But the architecture is so stunning you almost don't mind the price tag on a flat white.

And the chimneys? You can go inside them. One of them has a glass elevator. You ride up 109 meters, and suddenly you’re staring at the London skyline from a 1930s industrial icon. It’s a bit like your super-cool, eccentric uncle redecorated a power plant for a dinner party.

Don’t worry, though. It’s not all shopping. They kept the original control room. It’s a museum now, and it looks exactly like a Bond villain’s lair. Seriously. Is that a button for a laser? I’m not sure, but I didn’t touch it.

But What About the Rest of It?

Beyond the main building, the whole area is a new town. They built this giant, curving street called Electric Boulevard. It connects the tube station (yes, they finally got one) to the river. It’s pedestrian-friendly, which is a fancy way of saying “you can walk without fearing for your life.”

There are hundreds of new apartments here. Some are in the actual power station. Imagine telling your guests, “Oh, I live in the boiler room. No, the nice boiler room.” The prices are laugh-out-loud high, but people are buying them. I guess having a chimney as a neighbor is a status symbol now.

You’ll also find a huge park right on the river. It’s perfect for picnics, dogs, and people-watching. And a performance venue that’s basically a giant glowing orb. It’s called the “Turbine Theatre” and it’s tucked under one of the chimneys. Very dramatic.

So, Is It Just for Rich People?

Look, I’m not going to lie to you. A coffee here will cost you the same as a small mortgage payment. But you don’t have to live there to enjoy it. You can take the tube, wander through the free spaces, and feel like you’ve stepped into a sci-fi film set. It’s a great day out.

The best part? It’s alive. It’s not a dead museum you visit once. People live, work, and shop inside a building that was once a symbol of grimy industrialization. It’s the ultimate glow-up. From coal to couture. From soot to smoothies.

There’s even a community center and a school. So it’s not a total playground for the 1%. Kids learn their ABCs with a view of brickwork that powered the London Underground. How cool is that?

The Verdict: Should You Go?

Absolutely. Go on a sunny day. Walk along the river. Ride the chimney lift. Eat a ridiculously good burger in a food hall that smells faintly of old metal and new money. It’s a very London experience now.

Just don’t go expecting an abandoned industrial ruin. Battersea Power Station is fully grown up. It swapped its overalls for a tailored suit. And honestly? It rocks it. It’s a weird, wonderful Frankenstein of a place—part history, part luxury mall, part public square. And it’s here to stay.

So, next time someone asks you what that big building is, don’t just say “an old power station.” Say, “It’s the coolest accidental mall in London. And you can go inside the chimney. Bring your wallet.”