London’s iconic Battersea Power Station has emerged as a major tourist draw for visitors from the Gulf region, with the revitalised landmark welcoming over 22 million people since opening to the public less than two years ago.
The mixed-use riverside neighbourhood saw footfall jump 17 per cent year-on-year from mid-July through August, powered in part by rising numbers of tourists and investors from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and other GCC nations.
Battersea Power Station thrives
They have been drawn to Battersea’s transformation into a bustling retail, dining and entertainment destination housing over 150 shops, restaurants, bars and leisure venues within the historic power plant’s reimagined spaces.
“Battersea Power Station has gone from strength-to-strength since its opening in 2022. We’re consistently growing our footfall and continuing to attract world-class brands to our ever-expanding offering, which draws thousands of people of all ages every day to shop, eat, live, work and play,” said Sam Cotton, Head of Leasing and Asset Management at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC).
The summer months were particularly lively, with a series of events and pop-ups catering to the Gulf visitor market. Large crowds turned out to watch live sports action on big screens, while experiential brand activations by Aperol, IWC Schaffhausen and others added to the festive atmosphere.
“This summer has really demonstrated the strength of having such a diverse mixed-use offering,” Cotton added.
“Every aspect of the development has seen brilliant growth over the past few months.”
Fashion brands within the Grade II* listed power station performed especially well, recording a 21 per cent sales spike compared to summer 2023 as they captured pent-up retail demand from Gulf tourists.
Battersea’s appeal extends far beyond just retail therapy. The neighbourhood’s diverse tenant mix, from hot new restaurants like Mexican eatery El Pastor and Portuguese pastel de nata café Santa Nata, to luxury fitness club Third Space, has made it a domestic and international dining and leisure hotspot.
Keen Gulf investor interest has mirrored the consumer enthusiasm. Around £65 million ($82 million) in new residential sales were recorded in July and August alone as buyers seized remaining units inside the power station’s repurposed central boiler house. Contributing to this broad-based success, over 42,500 square feet of new office space was leased out during the summer 2024 to tenants like home technology firm SharkNinja and global marketing agency TEAM LEWIS.
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