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Sting visits fully restored Control Room B at Battersea Power Station

Control Room B at Battersea Power Station

At its peak, Battersea Power Station produced a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognisable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Working in tandem with Control Room A, Control Room B managed the distribution of power generated by the Power Station’s turbines. Functionally Control Room B can be divided into two sets of controls. The control desk and freestanding controls synchronised the 66kV output of the station to match the standards of the grid, while the switchgear racks at the rear of the room controlled the power supplies to a range of auxiliary equipment across the power station.

Control Room B opens directly onto Turbine Hall B, in contrast to the 1930s Control Room A which was a separate room – this maybe evidence of developments in the management methods at that time. As it was built after the Second World War, it is more brutalist in design. It has faience tiling throughout and retains its original human scale stainless-steel control panels arranged in an arc. The original control room fittings, desks and switchgear complex are defining features of the space and have been fully restored as part of the wider regeneration of Battersea Power Station.

Once open to the public late next summer, Control Room B will be an all-day hospitality concept, transforming into an intimate bar in the evening – it will have a modern and contemporary feel with a respectful nod to its 1950s industrial character. The restored control panels will be on display creating a unique backdrop, photo opportunity and conversation starter.

Simon Murphy, CEO of Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), said:

“We are creating one of the most unique all-day bar experiences in London which will naturally become a centrepiece for Turbine Hall B. For the very first time in history, guests will be able to see the historic Control Room B in all its glory, sit back with a coffee or cocktail and soak up the breath-taking views of this heritage landmark that has finally been restored after years of lying derelict. When it opens late next Summer, it will not only be a great venue for socialising with friends and family or an impressive date night setting, it will also make the perfect backdrop for ‘that’ photo opportunity.”

Battersea Power Station Overview

Once completed, Battersea Power Station will be one of the most exciting retail and leisure destinations in London, having recently announced that major international brands such as Ray-Ban, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, The Kooples, Aēsop and Calvin Klein will be opening inside the iconic building. The Power Station will be home to over 100 shops, bars and restaurants, 254 apartments, office space as well as unique events and leisure offering, including the Chimney Lift Experience. There will also be a new six-acre riverfront park that is open to the public.

The retail and leisure retail experience within the Power Station will be housed in the two newly restored, historic Turbine Halls, which although identical when viewed from the building’s exterior, are completely unique in their interior design. Turbine Hall A reflects the lavish Art Deco glamour of the 1930s when the Power Station was built and Turbine Hall B, where Control Room B is located, was completed in the 1950s and has more of a brutalist, industrial look and feel.

The retail and leisure experience will continue on a new high street, Electric Boulevard, which runs from the south of the Power Station, between the stunning Frank Gehry designed Prospect Place and Foster + Partners’ Battersea Roof Gardens. Electric Boulevard will offer a mix of office space, shops, bars and restaurants, a park, community centre and an exciting new 164 room hotel from art’otel®, the brand’s first hotel to open in London.

 Residents currently living at Battersea Power Station can enjoy a great mix of cafés, bars, and restaurants where they can sample cuisines from all over the world. This includes modern Indian at Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Kitchen, authentic Italian at Francesco Mazzei’s Fiume, bottomless pizza at celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza and delicious Japanese patisseries and bubble tea at the recently opened Kova, the first of the Power Station’s retailers to open. A variety of entertainment and fitness venues can also be found beneath the railway arches on Arches Lane, including Battersea Brewery, which has its own microbrewery on site, spin studio Boom Cycle, DNA VR, London’s biggest virtual reality arcade, Birdies Crazy Golf, The Cinema in the Arches and The Turbine Theatre.

Battersea Power Station also hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the year with highlights including  the Light Festival, Summer Showtime on The Coaling Jetty, London’s first open-air cinema and theatre experience and festive fun at The Winter Village which will be launching on 2nd December this year.

With the Northern Line extended to give this new riverside neighbourhood its very own Zone 1 London Underground station, Battersea Power Station is now within 15 minutes of the West End and the City and is expected to draw visitors from across the capital and the globe, becoming one of London’s most visited destinations, boosting the local economy and creating over 20,000 jobs.

Follow @BatterseaPwrStn to keep up with the latest news and events at Battersea Power Station and visit www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk to find out more.