News
Vibrant food and drink quarter delivered through London Bridge arch restoration
6 Mar 2025
Transforming the local area, work has completed on the refurbishment of a historically significant railway arch in the London Borough of Southwark.
Situated on Crucifix Lane, among key landmarks such as The Shard, London Bridge, City Hall, and Tower Bridge, the project has seen Grade II Listed arch frontages carefully restored, while simultaneously providing a new, contemporary space for food and drink and other leisure businesses to thrive.
Leading multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard was behind the scheme, delivering building services and structural and civil engineering services alongside Stephen George & Partners, The Arch Company and the Railway Heritage Trust.
The project on Crucifix Lane forms part of Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030. Pick Everard and SGP are working with The Arch Company on several projects, some of which are now on-site or completed.
“It’s been a real pleasure to be involved in another project with The Arch Company and collaborate with SGP. This project, rich in history, has restored the Grade II listed facades, and by repurposing spaces for restaurants, cafes, and bars, will create a vibrant community destination that supports local businesses.
Despite the challenges of a confined, busy location, we worked to minimise disruption and ensure a smooth delivery. Our teams delivered efficient structural and drainage solutions, coordinated with utility providers, and designed ventilation, power and lighting for the new spaces within the archways.”
— Santosh Patel, operations director at Pick Everard
“When we took over the portfolio in 2019, we sought to invest in bringing 1,000 spaces just like this arch into use, as part of our £200m plan Project 1000. As a restoration project, Crucifix Lane is a particularly exciting as it is such a striking space, set in an excellent location. We look forward to welcoming a new business into the local area.”
— Tom Coleman, head of development at The Arch Company
The arch restoration saw the project team liaise closely with planning and conservation officers, as well as specialist contractors, to repair, clean and repoint brickwork that had deteriorated through years of environmental exposure. Ensuring heritage remained central to the project outcomes, the original window openings of the Grade II Listed arch were also carefully recreated to match the originals.
Inside, the arches underwent extensive renovation and revitalisation works including the re-lining of all arch spaces. During excavation, buried buttress structures and inverted arches were discovered, devised by the original Victorian engineers to support the walls and distribute the load from the tracks above. The design sought to incorporate these historic structures, requiring clever alterations to the concrete slab and drainage system.
“By any standards, arches are not a ‘normal’ building type and each can differ considerably. They require a blend of survey, procedural, planning and design work, as well as technical proficiency, to refurbish them to modern occupancy standards. The discovery of these historic features also highlights the complexity of working with historic buildings and the need for careful coordination with structural engineers.”
— Alan Soper, studio director at SGP
Elsewhere in London, work has already been completed on the redevelopment of six vacant railway arches on Witan Street into high-specification commercial premises for light industrial use; while on America Street in Southwark, work has completed on the transformation of four dilapidated railway arches into spaces for restaurants, cafés, bars and other leisure businesses.
Culture and heritage
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