Coal Drops Yard

Industrial history reimagined in a modern age.

Location: Kings Cross, N1C 4DQ

Description: Coal Drops Yard is a modern boutique shopping destination and food and drink hotspot just a few minutes from King's Cross St Pancras stations.

Architect Thomas Heatherwick reimagined historic industrial buildings and Victorian heritage into contemporary architecture beside the Regent's Canal.

In the 19th century coal was the only form of energy available to heat and light the buildings of London (either directly or after being converted to gas). Here two Victorian coal drops sheds received 8m tonnes of coal a year from the South Yorkshire coalfields and transferred it to narrowboats and horse-drawn carts.

Electricity eventually pushed coal to redundancy and the coal drops fell into decay. They became warehouse units, one was gutted by fire in 1985 while another became a nightclub, closing in 2007.

Work was completed on the redevelopment on 26th October 2018.

Themes: Retail Retail Theme