Battersea Power Station – a crematorium?

This from Charles of  The Good Funeral Guide – Blog  on an interesting suggestion as to a possible use for our iconic Battersea Building.

I visited with Alf Dubs, our MP then, just before it closed. It was beautiful – glistening with shining brass- like I imagine the engine room of one of the majestic liners would look. Then in the mid 80s I became a member of the committee of  The Battersea Power Station Community Space Group.       We dreamt up all sorts of schemes as to how we thought the area allocated for the local community could be used. Then it was visited by Thatcher giving her blessing to her mate Broome and giving it the kiss of death.

Battersea reborn

Since it went offline in 1983 a number of developers have strategised and sunk under the burden of putting Battersea Power Station to profitable use. It can’t be knocked down because it’s Grade 2 listed. Given its rapid rate of deterioration it’ll fall down of its own accord soon anyway.

A robust proposal for life after leccy was proposed by reader John Buckingham in a letter published in this week’s Spectator magazine:

“… The Victorians would have had no such scruples, had the opportunity been presented to them. With its four wonderful chimneys, it is splendidly set up as a central crematorium. The walls would provide ample storage space for urns, and the customers could be brought in by barge, obviating the wasteful need for travel to Golders Green and other distant parts.”

We like it.