Footfall at Battersea Power Station in December grew by 30% compared to a year earlier, bringing its total number of visitors for the year to more than 11 million.
New openings such as table tennis bar Bounce and Indian restaurant chain Dishoom drove a big increase in visitors to the Grade II listed building, which opened to the public in October 2022 after a £5bn investment across the development to date. Seasonal features including an ice rink outside the power station and David Hockney’s ‘Bigger Christmas Trees’ exhibition also helped boost footfall.
Sales for retailers and restaurants at the iconic site surged by 52%, thanks in part to the presence of new shops from brands like Massimo Dutti, A.P.C and ME+EM.
Lift 109, which takes visitors to the top of the building’s 109-metre-high north west chimney, completed 21,500 journeys during the year.
Simon Murphy, CEO of 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.”
