King’s Cross is an awe-inspiring new neighbourhood that has undergone radical transformation over the last sixteen years. A place that was once revered for its colourful, underground music scene [and a smattering of none too salubrious late-night fast-food joints] is today the most ambitious and impressive regeneration project of its time. A vibrant, buzzing, creative, spectacularly, and sensitively restored canal-side destination where anything and everything is on offer. This is a place that has the best marketing team, the best asset managers, the best ESG team and the best retail directors. This is an exemplar.
Packed with some of London’s best restaurants, concept stores and boutiques and with a tireless stream of events, an activation programme showcasing arts, culture, music, fashion and all that’s in between - giving visitors [and Londoners like me] something new, something exciting and something to try every single time you visit. And so much of what’s on offer is also free – something that the team have always been adamant is crucial to the fabric of this place. The famous fountains on Granary Square provide children across the capital with a wide-open space to splash and cool down for free throughout the summer months, with nearby picnic tables and poplar trees providing welcome shade. The completely free 10-day music festival ‘Summer Sounds’ is a must visit in August with community music alongside well-known artists in jazz, classical and inde music. All summer long there are pop up outdoor salsa classes in Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square, free screenings by Everyman cinema on the canal steps, free Petanque and this summer an Olympic fan zone. There is something to do for free every single minute of every day.
The challenge is trying to always maintain a new, exciting point of view. How do we continue to be inclusive and to keep the character of the destination authentically alive? Last Christmas we brought in Londoner and ex King’s Cross 90s DJ Fat Tony to launch Xmas with a secret gig in Coal Drops Yard. We knew the 90s was trending and we invited a host of Fat Tony fans and friends of KX from Portia Freeman to Daisy Lowe to dance through his banging 90s inspired set creating a trending moment on socials. We know we have to keep reinventing and invigorating what we do whilst remaining true to our inclusive credentials. In 2023 we launched two fashion pop-ups - House of Ski (dedicated to the new trend for wearing retro ski wear and working with existing retailer Beyond Retro) and House of Punk (dedicated to showcasing and demystifying the new AW23 punk trend with an edit of best punk looks from Coal Drops Yard). The purpose of these was not to sell directly from the pop up itself but rather to create an edit, a piece of art in its own right using product from the stores. If they wanted to buy, we would send shoppers to the stores themselves, enabling fashion lovers to understand how to shop these trends.
King’s Cross has over the years also been home to inspiring street art projects and mega installations from the likes of Andy Leek, Lucy Orta, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Eva Rothschild and Tess Jaray, Rana Begum, and Rashid Araeen and this summer saw the launch of a first of its kind Riviera focussed ‘Souvenir Shop’ in partnership with Carol Maxwell, Real Hackney Dave, Lucy Loves This, Rachel Joy and Rob Flowers which was inspired by the trend for memento buying and launched just ahead of the Olympic Team GB fan zone to capture the visitors coming to enjoy the fun and games. The response has already been overwhelming with more souvenirs ordered within days to provide for demand.
Another landlord who does incredible work to deliver inclusive, memorable and captivating experiences for visitors is Grosvenor whose consumer facing destinations include Mayfair and Belgravia. The Belgravia offshoot of the Chelsea Flower Show, Belgravia in Bloom, has been going for a decade and has become a feature in calendars far and wide, built by a consistent and innovative marketing strategy. A free walking tour of floral installations with a different theme each year, reinventing the festival and keeping it fresh for visitors, always tapping into the most relevant trends to make sure we have currency. In addition, the now 6 year old Belgravia wellness and lifestyle hub Eccleston Yards also provides entertainment all summer long with wellness festivals and free screenings.
What is commendable and hugely important about King’s Cross, Grosvenor’s Mayfair and Belgravia and so many other London destinations we get to work with, is the ambition to create spaces that are inclusive for all. Almost all consumer-facing destinations in London invest heavily in events and arts programming that everyone can enjoy – whatever their means. The capital can be a very expensive place for families, costing up to £150 for a paid for ‘experience’. This is just not attainable for all and as a mother and a Londoner I am personally grateful for all the wonderful free activity across the city throughout the year – we are very lucky to be a part of this extraordinary city.