Blackfriars lack of facilities

[telstarbox]

I was at Blackfriars (NR) station yesterday, using the north entrance, and was surprised by the lack of retail provision for a London station. The only shop appeared to be WH Smith (closed at 6pm) - is there really no market for a coffee shop for all the commuters who use the station?

 

[jon0844]

From what I can see, they got rid of the toilets too.

There's plenty of room for commuters and times of disruption but not much else.

 

[philjo]

The toilets are next to WH smith (by the escalator to platform 1)

There was a mobile coffee stall in the concourse before Christmas -

 

[gordonthemoron]

on the plus side, the Blackfriar opposite is excellent

 

[jon0844]

The toilets are next to WH smith (by the escalator to platform 1)

There was a mobile coffee stall in the concourse before Christmas -

Ah. I didn't see any signs for toilets so assumed they'd gone. I wonder how many others don't know this?

 

[table38]

I've definitely had a wee at Blackfriars, and I'm pretty sure it was in a toilet

Stratford is similar, there are virtually no signs and I'd always assumed that there were no toilets and gone over to the shopping centre, until I found the toilets hidden away behind one of the escalators in the main entrance.

 

[westcoaster]

Apart from w h smith there is also a Lola's cup cake stall opposite the underground entrance. There are a couple of retail spaces not currently used one is up behind the escalators near the lifts and one between the escalators and the stairs.
A new retail food place has opened on the south bank iirc it's called loco or similar, ope site the barriers.
The toilets are next to w h smith but people don't realise they are free to use because of the turnstile barriers on entry.

 

[anti-pacer]

I've definitely had a wee at Blackfriars, and I'm pretty sure it was in a toilet

Stratford is similar, there are virtually no signs and I'd always assumed that there were no toilets and gone over to the shopping centre, until I found the toilets hidden away behind one of the escalators in the main entrance.

I used said toilets just before toilets.

They were disgusting!

 

[westv]

The last time I was at Blackfriars I don't think I heard a single announcement about train departures. Was that unusual?

 

[blakey1152]

If it was Southeastern's services from Blackfriars you probably wouldn't have heard anything about the departures however you may well have heard something along the lines of :

We're sorry but the xx:xx service to somewhere on the Southeastern network has been cancelled. Southeastern apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

or the other all time favourite

We're sorry but the xx:xx service to somewhere on the Southeastern network has been delayed by approximately xx minutes this is due to faulty train / signal failure / escaped rhino - Southeastern apologise for this as well

Blakey

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The last time I was at Blackfriars I don't think I heard a single announcement about train departures. Was that unusual?

As a daily user , I find the announcements very good (and one of the guys in the am shift is very welcoming - they also have Thameslinks ambassador - James of St Albans there to spice it up)

A bland station though - too much grey and very cold in the winter - the old Blackfriars had many faults (dark , hopelessly cluttered LUL interface) - but had some good retail facilities - a track level W H Smith and a cobbler , to name a few) .....

 

[jon0844]

It's certainly not a station you want to hang around at, at least after you've admired the impressive views.

 

[Busaholic]

It's certainly not a station you want to hang around at, at least after you've admired the impressive views.

It would be in exceptionally bad taste to say that Roberto Calvi probably didn't want to hang around it either, but there, I've said it.

 

[Waddon]

As a daily user , I find the announcements very good .

I always wonder about those Blackfriars announcements 'All trains at this station will stop at the far end of the platform in the direction of travel'

All very well, as long as you know your direction of travel (which many passengers don't - the platforms are pretty long for a last-minute dash!)... also not so accurate on the terminating platforms, either - is that the arrivals direction of travel or the departures direction of travel?

I agree on the lack of retail though, there would be an opportunity for a great coffee shop on the North end of platform one where there is a sort of closed-off outside terrace area on the bridge, would be a lovely spot to sit and have a cuppa on a warm day

 

[Abpj17]

Oh it’s awful at the weekend. There is a coffee stall during the week I think (can’t remember); WH Smith has a coffee machine for sure. And there is a cutesy little cupcake stand too. The old blackfriars used to have AMT coffee on the southbound platform that used to open pretty late.

Loos are definitely still there - you won’t see them if you are just using the tube station, they are tucked away in a corner.

It’s common for WH Smith and the Ticket Office to both be closed for 15 minute breaks around 10.30 too.

But all of that still makes it far better than Farringdon which remains loo-less and food/drink-less. (But with shops outside marginally closer)

As ChiefPlanner says, it’s a bland station, but cleaner than the one that preceded it at least. The view across the Thames partly balances it though - definitely one of the nicer places to wait if you can get over the cold.

 

[Class377]

To be fair, it's part of the core so there are a ridiculous number of trains per hour to wherever you want to go, and so you're unlikely to be hanging about looking for a shop for any extended length of time.

Add to that the commuters will just want to get to either their office or home, is there really a case for many shops in there?

 

[andrewkeith5]

To be fair, it's part of the core so there are a ridiculous number of trains per hour to wherever you want to go, and so you're unlikely to be hanging about looking for a shop for any extended length of time.

Add to that the commuters will just want to get to either their office or home, is there really a case for many shops in there?

Assuming, of course, that trains are actually running to timetable - which recently has been a rarity!

How difficult would it really have been to extend the glass to the roof and seal it off? Why leave a foot of nothing!?

 

[Greenback]

When I first visited the refurbished Blackfriars, I was surprised at the lack of retail units and how much spare space there appeared to be. Then I thought about it and decided it was deliberate, as the station will be very busy at peak times, and given the nature of the services and passengers, it's unlikely there will be many wanting to go shopping.

 

[swt_passenger]

How difficult would it really have been to extend the glass to the roof and seal it off? Why leave a foot of nothing!?

It would have needed a decent ventilation system and presumably an additional cooling system for hot summer days, the planners wanted the glass walled style so that people away from the station could see through it.

Extra costs all round I expect.

 

[jon0844]

It would be in exceptionally bad taste to say that Roberto Calvi probably didn't want to hang around it either, but there, I've said it.

Revenue inspectors were a lot tougher then.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

One of the morning highlights - in all weathers is arriving at the station , stepping off the 319 / 377 etc and admiring the superb view , in all weathers and lights towards St Pauls , the Shard and Tower Bridge. Even hardened commuterii will stop and get their smart phones out for a snap on awesome days .....

 

[Bald Rick]

Like this?
(It only took me 4 goes to attach it the right way up!)

 

[Bald Rick]

Assuming, of course, that trains are actually running to timetable - which recently has been a rarity!

How difficult would it really have been to extend the glass to the roof and seal it off? Why leave a foot of nothing!?

My trains have been on time both ways every day since the new year. Maybe I'm lucky.

Re the glass walls, it was a planning condition imposed by the planning authorities that there was a gap left. And it's a bit more than a foot.

 

[westcoaster]

Assuming, of course, that trains are actually running to timetable - which recently has been a rarity!

How difficult would it really have been to extend the glass to the roof and seal it off? Why leave a foot of nothing!?

I asked this to an engineer while the hoarding was still up he said the gap is due to the wind that blows along the thames, if the station was fully enclosed it would cause structural problems.

 

[davetheguard]

on the plus side, the Blackfriar opposite is excellent

And rather unusually, you appear to be able to hear what sounds like occasional tube trains passing, while using the Blackfriars' pub toilets.

Waterloo & City Line perhaps?

 

[Clip]

When I first visited the refurbished Blackfriars, I was surprised at the lack of retail units and how much spare space there appeared to be. Then I thought about it and decided it was deliberate, as the station will be very busy at peak times, and given the nature of the services and passengers, it's unlikely there will be many wanting to go shopping.

And the majority of them would've already passed a multitude of shops on the way down including coffee shops and a Tesco for anything they need for the journey

 

[swt_passenger]

And rather unusually, you appear to be able to hear what sounds like occasional tube trains passing, while using the Blackfriars' pub toilets.

Waterloo & City Line perhaps?

Carto Metro's map is supposed to have the lines pretty accurately located, and has the W&C running roughly parallel and just to the north of the D&C along there, as far as Mansion House: http://carto.metro.free.fr/cartes/metro-tram-london/index.php?station=blackfriars

Proposals by 'crayonistas' to extend and upgrade the W&C (probably a monthly occurrence across all forums) generally include a station there!

 

[Class377/5]

It would have needed a decent ventilation system and presumably an additional cooling system for hot summer days, the planners wanted the glass walled style so that people away from the station could see through it.

Extra costs all round I expect.

It wasn't the planners who required glass wall but rather planning permission required it so it didn't do damage to views of St Pauls.

And the roof does alow for air flow on hot days.

 

[cjmillsnun]

It wasn't the planners who required glass wall but rather planning permission required it so it didn't do damage to views of St Pauls.

And the roof does alow for air flow on hot days.

I assume by planners, swt_passenger was referring to planning officers from the local council. As these are the people who will recommend approval/refusal to councillors for planning permissions, he may have been saying exactly the same thing as you.

 

[mr_jarhead]

I was at Blackfriars (NR) station yesterday, using the north entrance, and was surprised by the lack of retail provision for a London station. The only shop appeared to be WH Smith (closed at 6pm) - is there really no market for a coffee shop for all the commuters who use the station?

It's most probably rubbish, but heard that they were going to put a coffee shop near to be barriers by platforms 3 and 4 with a seating area overlooking the Thames but the idea was vetoed as they were worried it was a suicide risk.