St Pancras is stunning – no doubt about it. But I thought it worth recording some second impressions now i have walked through it a few times and tried some of the shops. How does it work as a building on a human scale?
impressions:
cold, very cold, bloody freezing. I am generously insulated by nature, but it really is cold in there. They are right to heat the seats in the Champagne bar. They should provide reindeer skins parkas and huskies on entrance.
busy and rather crowded. It is surprisingly busy during the day at the weekend – the huge space actually feels quite crowded – not as bad as Victoria or Waterloo but it doesn’t feel like there is much room for the future. The pedestrian flows don’t work at all – too many pinchpoints and corners to turn with large crowds of people. But can’t be certain how this will turn out until all the undergound ticket halls etc are open.
unfinished. Lots of not finished shops and stuff. If you watched the documentary you will know they had to prioritise the travelators over the retail. Quite a bit of improvising over unfinished bits. The shops are slowly coming, but the current ones are a bit busy. There is no market yet. But there is the world’s least busy M&S with a billynomates of a location at the far end under the train platform next to Thameslink. Great selection too if you like M&S food
great chocolate – the Neuhaus choclatier is some of the best I have ever bought, ever. Worth £800m to get this within ten minutes of my front door.
great baker – Peyton and Byrne have now opened – really really good artisan baked stuf, albeit refreshingly expensive. Try the sausage roll.
statues mixed – the Betjeman one is great, the kiss/meeting place is a monstrosity. We should back the Flying Scotsman into the station, attach a chain, stoke the boiler and pull the daft smooching couple down like the Saddam statue in Baghdad, but with steam power.
little signage – the designers deliberately suppressed the OTT signage of most stations – it makes a huge difference – your eyes are drawn to the amazing space, not the un-necessary signs cautioning you not to bring wildebeest into the station nor to leave your yak unattended.
hideous advent calendar – allegedly world’s largest but is a poorly disguised billboard which spoils the view of the clock. With any luck will be gone by 12th night and won’t be replaced by a Hello magazine billboard.
nice try at activities for kids – they are trying with a Santa post box (letters, remember them) people in costume, Santa’s grotto etc
loads of apparent tourists – people with cameras everywhere. It might be more popular than Madame Taussauds.
If you haven’t been in, then shame on you – go and have a look and do some retail therapy.
Kings Cross Environment 
