Following hot on the heels of a similar scheme at Coal Drops Yard and looking to build on the incredible popularity of Borough Market, Borough Yards will offer an exciting mix of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues when it opens in 2020.
The site, which will look to “restore and reinvent” the medieval layout of streets in the area, will see long lost roads such as Dirty Lane, Clink Yard and Soap Yard restored.
Sitting on the site of former wine merchants Vinopolis, the new development by award winning architects SPPARC will look to add to Southwark’s winning mix of cultural attractions and foodie destinations by adding a bit of both.
Principal architect at SPPARC, Trevor Morriss had this to say about the development: “Borough Yards will become a new cultural destination that reflects the work/play balance of modern London.
“Located next to the historic Borough Market, the development of new streets, cultural galleries and flexible workspace will be a lively addition to the area which currently lacks any fashion led retail.”
A key component of the new scheme is the opening up of the Victorian railway arches on the plot. The site has a breathtaking 8,500sqm of such arches and these will be repurposed for retail and leisure units.
As at Coal Drops Yard, the project will look to work with the existing buildings while adding new architecture and structures that complement the existing design and layout. In total, the development will feature five mixed use buildings with both retail, office and leisure spaces.
The Borough Yards is the latest addition to the of Southwark, which has historically been known as a centre for entertainment and the arts in London.
Once notorious for prostitution and bear baiting, in the middle ages Southwark was also home to several theatres connected to William Shakespeare, including the Rose and the Globe.
The latter was famously recreated over 300 hundred years after it burnt down by the American actor and playwright Sam Wanamaker. Shakespeare’s Globe, alongside nearby Tate Modern, proved the catalyst for the renaissance of the area, with visitor numbers climbing year on year since the duo opened. Borough Yards is just the latest part of this renaissance.
More information about the scheme can be found here.
Information about other exciting shopping venues in London can be found here.
