Battersea Power Station to open ice rink ahead of Christmas

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

Battersea Power Station has revealed plans for a Christmas ice rink ahead of the iconic site’s opening.

The company behind the long-awaited redevelopment has applied for booze and entertainment licences from Wandsworth council for smaller events, too, including brand pop-ups and an outdoor cinema.

The council’s licensing committee heard on Wednesday that the licence would mainly be used for small events, and prior warning would still be given for larger events, such as the one-off launch in October.

The application from Battersea Power Station Estate Management Limited would allow booze to be sold from 10am until 11pm on Mondays to Saturdays and until 10.30pm on Sundays in the power station’s park and open spaces. It would also allow entertainment from 9am to 11pm on Mondays to Sundays.

The £9billion redevelopment project in Battersea aims to create a new riverside neighbourhood with homes, shops, bars, restaurants, cafés, offices and more than 19 acres of public space.

The scheme has seen the revamp of the Grade II listed power station, which will open its doors to the public on October 14.

Caroline Sharkey, licensing manager, told councillors the Met Police and trading standards had withdrawn their initial concerns after extra conditions were agreed. These include keeping an incident log and creating a management document for each event.

Solicitor Jack Spiegler, speaking on behalf of the company, said events at the power station could include a Christmas ice rink, children’s runs and brand pop-ups where shoppers could have a glass of champagne.

The committee was told the ice rink would open from the end of November until the start of January and would be run by a reputable operator which has managed similar sites in London.

Pictured top: Battersea Power Station (Picture: Charlie Round-Turner)