A friend who has lived in London for over 20 years remarked that the area around King's Cross has undergone a dramatic transformation.

King's Cross is a terminal station in London where domestic and international trains and numerous subway lines intersect. It's also famous as the departure station for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. Following the 2012 London Olympics, King's Cross, previously considered a poor and unsafe neighborhood, underwent redevelopment, and continues to evolve even after the Olympics.

King's Cross Station, reminiscent of the Harry Potter films
The reason why King's Cross was once considered a dangerous area seems to be due to its history. This is not unique to the UK, but in Europe, where rail transport is well developed across land, poor people with low labor productivity began to gather around terminal stations as their workplaces and living areas, due to the fact that goods transport workers and market and factory workers were hired on a day-to-day basis. This has not yet improved, and areas around terminal stations, such as King's Cross, tend to be unsafe due to easy access from poor suburban areas and the high number of pickpockets targeting tourists. In Japan, the areas around Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station are often thought of as convenient locations with business districts and high-rise apartment buildings, but in Europe it's the exact opposite. If you have the opportunity to visit these areas on a trip, you may want to be careful.

Around King's Cross

Office buildings housing Google and YouTube
London's King's Cross used to have a quiet, deserted image, with no shops or cafes, but now it's lined with office buildings housing Google and YouTube, and many other buildings are under construction. Further north along the promenade, I arrived at Coal Drops Yard, which opened at the end of last year. This large building, formerly used as a coal storage facility, has been renovated into a commercial building where you can enjoy dining, art appreciation, and shopping.



Coal Drops Yard
Photo by John Sturrock
Housing in a 19th-century Victorian-era building, Coal Drops Yard is home to around 50 unique shops and restaurants. For example, British furniture and lighting designer Tom Dixton has opened a shop, workshop, and gallery at Coal Drops Yard. Coal Office, a restaurant created in collaboration with Jerusalem-born chef Assaf Granit, is also attracting attention, serving mellow Middle Eastern cuisine based on Israeli home cooking. Coal Office, a restaurant created in collaboration between Tom Dixon and a chef from Jerusalem.

Coal Office, a restaurant created in collaboration between Tom Dixon and a chef from Jerusalem.


While it is home to world-famous brands such as Paul Smith and Fred Perry, there are also many general goods stores that can only be found at Coal Drops Yard. Shops include Wolf & Badger, which sells only unique products that are ethical and sustainable, The Paper Smith, a stationery shop that is also popular in Japan, and Bonds, which offers home fragrance items handmade in its in-store workshop, where you can also participate in candle-making workshops.

Tom Dixon's workshop space
Photo by John Sturrock
With renovations around the terminal station and the emergence of large commercial buildings, there is no trace of the poor security situation. It's a popular new spot attracting a diverse range of locals, from families playing with their children in the open, green outdoor space, to couples enjoying shopping, to young creatives who use the co-working space inside the building as their office.

Until now, I've rarely ventured to the King's Cross area other than to use the station, but it looks like it's going to become an area worth making a point of visiting in the future. There are many buildings currently under construction, and it looks like it will continue to develop in the future!


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