The experience The £1.5 billion renovation of Battersea Power Station has transformed this once-tired pocket of South London, and one of the four giant chimneys even houses an elevator that takes you up 109 metres – hence its name, Lift 109 (below). The experience starts with interactive displays detailing the history of the power station, before you enter the glass lift to experience a thrilling Charlie Bucket moment, shooting up towards the clouds (from £17, lift109.co.uk).
The culture fix In a handsome building that was once Battersea Town Hall you’ll find a hub of dance, music and theatre. The Battersea Arts Centre has been open since 1974 but was nearly destroyed by fire a decade ago; the architecture cleverly marks this so you can see where the original bricks end and the new ones begin. Upcoming shows include singer-songwriter Tom Odell (bac.org.uk) and if that’s not enough, The Clapham Grand nearby has a brilliant line-up of live comedy (claphamgrand.com).
The hotel Art’otel is the place to stay if you’re visiting Battersea. Not only does it have wonderful views over the historic power station next door, but elements of that building’s heritage were woven into the hotel’s interior design by artist Jaime Hayon, whose works hang in the public areas and spacious bedrooms. Its crowning glory is the heated infinity pool, hot tub and bar on the rooftop, while 15th-floor Portuguese restaurant Joia is a worthy destination in itself (rooms from £259, artotellondonbattersea.com).
The market A 6am start might not sound appealing, but early birds will be rewarded with the New Covent Garden Flower Market (it could be worse, the florists have to arrive at 4am). Tracing its roots back to the 17th century, the market is now in the newly revitalised Nine Elms district, where a huge warehouse is filled with flowers and plants from around the world. Breathe in the scents, listen to the market traders’ banter and grab yourself a revitalising coffee from the Garden Café.
The restaurant Ploussard, on St John’s Road, serves Parisian-inspired small plates (below) from a menu that changes biweekly, overseen by chef Matt Harris. It’s all buzzy ambience and reasonable prices – our £38 set-lunch menu included beef tempura, dry aged trout and courgette with black garlic croustade (ploussardlondon.co.uk). For a brunch fix, bustling Parker Café (parkerlondon.co.uk) is the way to go, while Mahali Bakery’s banana bread (£6, mahaliandco.com) is worth queuing for. Both are near Battersea Park.
The shop Back at the power station complex, The Battersea General Store initially looks like an upmarket convenience store but has been dubbed ‘Britain’s most expensive corner shop’ for its staggering array of bougie produce. This includes ‘the most insane wine selection’, according to YOU’s wine expert Charlotte Kristensen, featuring ‘£500+ bottles of wine alongside iconic labels, such as a Calvet Sancerre for £26.99.’ The store made headlines for stocking a bottle of 1979 Petrus – priced £4,250.
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