Battersea Power Station welcomed 30% more visitors in December 2023 than December 2022, as local residents, Londoners and visitors from further afield visited the riverside neighbourhood for Christmas shopping, to make the most of the seasonal offers and to enjoy the unique festive activities available.
In total, over 11.2 million people visited Battersea Power Station in 2023, driven by the opening of over 40 new shops, bars, restaurants and leisure experiences since October 2022 when the Grade II listed building opened its doors for the first time in history. The riverside neighbourhood’s packed calendar of events and cultural activities has also been key to attracting visitors with highlights including The Battersea Games, which paved the way for Battersea Power Station being announced as the official London fan zone for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, and the annual Light Festival, which will be returning from 25th January – 25th February 2024.
Battersea Power Station also welcomed several successful brand pop-ups throughout 2023 as it established itself as one of London’s most experiential destinations including the Aperol Spritz® Aperidisco, Jaeger-LeCoultre Golden Ratio Musical Show with TØKIO M¥ERS and the NFL London Experience.
The opening of Arcade Food Hall in July 2023, which is home to 13 different cuisines, two bars and three standalone restaurants, alongside Bounce, the home of ping pong, Searcys Champagne Bar, Dishoom and the first tashas to open in the UK, helped drive a 25% increase in visitors during the evenings, reflecting the destination’s offering as a place to meet with friends and family after work.
Simon Murphy, CEO at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), said: “The strong footfall over the Christmas period is further testament to the unique and constantly evolving offering at Battersea Power Station, and provides a fitting conclusion to a successful 2023. The unique mix of shops, bars, restaurants, leisure venues and engaging cultural activities have attracted groups of all ages, whilst the homes and offices within and around the Power Station bring a continuous buzz to the estate.
“It has been amazing to witness the Battersea Power Station estate transform into a thriving riverside destination which welcomes thousands of visitors a day, and to have seen our shareholder’s vision for this once derelict area become a reality.”
Cokey Sulkin, chief operating officer at Arcade Food Hall, said: “We’re proud to report a remarkable December at Arcade Battersea. We regularly had the pleasure of serving over 5000 guests a day and our food hall brands were received extremely well across the board. We took our smash burger brand Manna to the next level, evolving it from a food hall kitchen into a standalone restaurant at Battersea Power Station in 2023. In just four months our newest opening at Arcade Battersea, Solis, went viral on social and hit target-breaking revenues for the last quarter of the year. BAO, a vital component of the Food Hall, emerged as a top performer for the estate too. We are looking forward to continuing this momentum in 2024 with many more innovative brands in the pipeline.”
During the Christmas period, Battersea Power Station was transformed into London’s ultimate festive destination with the capital’s only riverside ice rink Jo Malone presents Glide at Battersea Power Station, as well as family-friendly activities, live performances including carols from the Battersea Power Station Community Choir and Christmas markets championing independent businesses within the historic turbine halls.
Additionally, one of the world’s greatest living artists, David Hockney, partnered with Battersea Power Station and Apple to unveil his latest work of art, ‘Bigger Christmas Trees’, which saw two digitally animated Christmas trees light up the Power Station’s washtowers and two of the building’s iconic chimneys between 1st – 25th December 2023.
Looking ahead to 2024, further retail, leisure, food and beverage brands will open at the riverside neighbourhood including Mexican restaurant, El Pastor, So.Shell Nail & Brow Bar, the latest luxury health club from Third Space, LIPS Pharmacy and LIPS Healthcare Clinic and Diagnostic Centre.
Battersea Power Station’s office offering will continue to evolve and expand with the launch of 50 Electric Boulevard, a new 200,000 sq ft state-of-the-art office building designed by Foster + Partners, and the residential community will grow further with the completion of Koa at Electric Boulevard, a new collection of 204 apartments.
With its own Zone 1 London Underground station, Battersea Power Station is within 15 minutes of the West End and the City and draws visitors from across the capital and the globe, becoming one of London’s most visited destinations. Battersea Power Station is also easily accessible via the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service, bike, train and on foot.
