Sensitively restored shopfronts, art deco features and Edwardian architecture have brought back the Arcade’s former glory, which is located next to the Victoria bus station and mainline Victoria Station
Places for London, Transport for London’s property company, will be investing £300m to improve and enhance its retail offering across London over the next 10 years, including a focus on net zero
Places for London, Transport for London’s property company, has reopened the Victoria Station Arcade ready for customers to enjoy the restored Edwardian architecture and new retail offer.
Built in the early 1900s as part of the Metropolitan District Railway, the Victoria Station Arcade’s unique heritage features had become damaged over time. However, as part of a £1.5m restoration project, skilled craftspeople have sensitively restore heritage mouldings, stonework, plasterwork and installed sympathetic Edwardian-style shopfronts, which replicated the two original remaining shopfronts, and period-style lighting as well as the redecoration of the arcade in a historic District Railway colour scheme.
Father and son architect duo George and Frank Sherrin designed Victoria and other station arcades including Liverpool Street and South Kensington in the 1900s, which are still in use today. However, the Victoria Arcade fell into decline in the 1970s and many of the original architectural features were removed. Historic England gave the arcade Grade II listed status in 2014, with restoration work beginning a few years later.
TfL Image – Victoria Station arcade entrance
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Customers who visit the Arcade will be able to enjoy restored features such as the 1920s concrete canopy on Victoria Street and the 1930s London Transport bronze and blue enamel framed panels. Replicas of the twin armed globe luminaires on both facades were also created using examples from London Transport Museum’s collection and with the expert support of specialist railway lighting supplier Fain Redfern of Worcester and Decorlight Limited of Telford. As part of the restoration, one of the shopfronts has also retained its 1930 art deco sunburst glasswork.
Over the next 10 years, Places for London will be investing over £300m towards upgrading, expanding and working towards net zero across its retail spaces. Ninety-five per cent of retail businesses on Places for London’s retail estate are small to medium enterprises, highlighting the unique opportunity available to smaller businesses of partnering with Places for London across its busy estate. Places for London is supporting the revival of retail across the capital, helping independents and a range of small to mainstream businesses to thrive in London.
The Victoria Station Arcade will be one of two Open House London events TfL is hosting later in September. On 21 September, talks on its history will be given at the arcade every half hour, letting Londoners learn more about its history.
The Arcade has seven retail units, the first of which have new tenants who started to trade earlier in the summer, with more retailers opening their doors soon.
Samantha Bain-Mollison, Places for London’s Head of Retail, said: “We are proud to be bringing new life to the arcade and we look forward to seeing visitors enjoy this unique retail offer in the heart of Victoria.
Our work to restore heritage aspects of this historic location is testament to Places for London’s dedication to celebrate the city’s transport history and provide London’s visitors, workers and residents with authentic and thriving retail destinations which can continue to be a part of the capital’s future.”
