Battersea Before the Evolution: A Brief History
Evolution London: an iconic venue with a rich history. Find out more about the venue and its beautiful surroundings here.
Early Beginnings
Believe it or not, Evolution London, London’s most versatile and dynamic venue, has not always been there!
Originally built to revolutionise London’s event industry, Evolution London was erected for the first time in 2001, taking centre stage in the heart of Battersea Park and bringing a whole new lease of life to the SW8 area.
So, is that the story over?
Was this monumental event space built in 2001 and that’s that? Definitely not.
In 2016, Evolution London was given a whole new look, not just in terms of décor but construction too. After a long summer spent deconstructing, reconstructing and refreshing the venue, Evolution London was reopened in September, revealing a brand new look and the ability to host events in a whole new way.
The aesthetics of the venue created back in 2016 are the same ones we enjoy today, but seeing as this venue will be celebrating its big 18th birthday this year, that got us thinking, what was Battersea Park like before the evolution took place?
Battersea Fields, as it was known way back in 1846, officially became the 200 acre park it is today in 1858 when a commission to make it a royal park was passed. Over the years, the whole of Battersea Park has been revamped and renovated to bring a range of different sights, scenes and activities for visitors to enjoy.
In 1951 the Pleasure Gardens were created, which included a water garden with foundations, a tree walk and the now the infamous Guinness Clock! If you visited Battersea Park before 1974, you also would’ve seen the Fun Fair, however due to one of the biggest accidents in roller coaster history, the whole fun fair was shut in the mid-70’s and has never been reconstructed.
From Past to Present
So, what is the fun fair site being used for now? Well, it’s actually the exact location of our very own Battersea Evolution. The ground was levelled out after the closure of the fair and was used for temporary/pop up fairs and exhibitions for a period of time before becoming the Battersea Park Events Arena.
Something bigger and better was needed for hosting events in the park, so the creation of Battersea Evolution was commissioned and the doors were opened in 2001. However, this wasn’t the last of the big renovations to take place in the area; the whole park underwent a £11 million refurbishment in 2002 before being reopened fully in 2004 by Prince Phillip.
The park is now home to all kinds of monumental figures and structures for visitors to enjoy, as well as playing host to a range of events such as concerts and food festivals.
We couldn’t think of a more vibrant and characteristic location for London’s most versatile and dynamic venue to have been constructed than Battersea Park, and with its rich heritage and exciting future ahead, there’s no doubt that this location is set to stay a hot destination for visitors to the city for a long time to come.
