Lift 109: First look at Battersea Power Station’s high flying new attraction

I’m often jealous of London tourists. They’re able to see my home city through joy-filled, unjaded eyes: to truly be awestruck by the grandeur of the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s; to stop on the Millennium Bridge and stare in wonder at a capital split in two by the mighty Thames; to look upon the heaving streets around Leicester Square without scorn.

If familiarity doesn’t quite breed contempt, it certainly breeds apathy. Living in London for 13 years, my relationship with it could generally be summed up thus: shrug. Sure, I know that, in theory, it’s one of the most exciting capital cities in the world. In practice, I’ve become somewhat desensitised to its charms, and spent much of the last decade treading the same well-worn routes to work/friends’ houses/my local. We’re in the long-term relationship phase where, after such a long period of knowing each other intimately, it takes a lot to jolt you out of your torpor and really see the other party.

But, having recently upped sticks and moved to the coast, it’s possible that I’ll be able to see the capital with fresh eyes. It is with this tentative hope in my heart that I rock up to Battersea Power Station, glossily redeveloped and relaunched last month after languishing for nigh-on 40 years. Surrounded by luxe apartment complexes, the Grade II listed building’s striking facade is as impressive as ever, the distinctive chimneys lit up a pleasing shade of turquoise blue as I approach from the its namesake Tube station, which opened to much fanfare last year.

Inside the refurbished structure itself, open to the public since 14 October 2022, shiny new shops, cafes, bars and restaurants jostle with a cinema and theatre, and the part I’m here to try: Lift 109.

It’s a new attraction offering that most coveted of city experiences – expansive views from on high. To ensure it really does feel like an “experience”, other elements have been created to give context before you get to the main event. It starts in the Power Station’s grand, Art Deco Turbine Hall, where various interactive digital displays give a sense of the building’s history, from…