Blackfriars Station

[rmt4ever]

Hi

On Saturday ill be travelling from the Blackfriars London terminal. It's ages since I've been there. Looking at the "stations made easy" thing it seems like at the time of audit most of the station was under (re)construction.

Can anyone tell me what facilities do exactly exist? I will be looking for somewhere within the station to get breakfast and coffees to take aboard (I.e west Cornwall patisserie or similar would be ideal) and something like M&S simply food for drinks and sweets etc for the journey ... The NR website is surprisingly poor on giving up to date information for facilities for this busy central London terminal.

Thanks in advance

 

[DaveNewcastle]

There's a decent sandwich shop immediately next door to the station, on the way to Blackfriar's Bridge, and there is a small Tesco less than 100mtrs in the opposite direction - going north towards Fleet Street. Both do an excellent trade in serving the hungry workers of the City.

I don't recall the retail facilities within the station.

 

[maniacmartin]

I don't think there's much in the way of retail inside the new station, if at all. DaveNewcastle's suggestion of nearby shops outside the station may be your best bet

 

[tsr]

I don't think there's being much in the way of retail inside the new station, if at all. DaveNewcastle's suggestion of nearby shops outside the station may be your best bet

To the best of my knowledge, there's nothing of any significance in the main concourse/atrium/thing (if you can call it that).

 

[Tetchytyke]

No shops of any significance on the concourse.

As for shops in the vicinity, I don't know how many will be open. Shops in the City generally do not open on Saturdays or Sundays, with the exception of One New Change shopping mall, but I don't know if that would affect Blackfriars area too.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There used to be shops on Ludgate Hill, New Bridge Street and Fleet Street that opened on Saturdays, nearer City Thameslink than Blackfriars admittedly, and possibly not open that early on a Saturday, but might be worth a look.

 

[gordonthemoron]

you can get breakfast in the Blackfriar pub across the road from the station from 10am

 

[AndrewP]

Head up Blackfriars Road towards Ludgate Circus and Fleet Street and there should be plenty open

 

[W230]

There was a Hotdog stall on the concourse that lasted all of a few weeks. A WHSmith is due to open on the concourse sometime - in fact it might have already but whenever I walk past it's always closed.

That's your lot!

 

[Cletus]

You can also exit onto the south bank of the Thames as well.

 

[rdwarr]

But the best thing is the view from the platforms now that the scaffolding is down:

 

[GoByThameslink]

A WHSmith is due to open on the concourse sometime - in fact it might have already but whenever I walk past it's always closed.

That's your lot!

The WH Smith has opened (it is on the north side, opposite the FCC ticket office) and the WH Smith website says it is open on a Saturday 8am to 5pm.

There is a Costa Coffee at City Thameslink (Ludgate Hill entrance), which is only a couple of minutes away, but that is closed on a Saturday.

As other posters have said, there are plenty of coffee shops around, many of which are open on a Saturday (unless it is early in the morning). The nearest M&S Simply Food is on Ludgate Hill next to St Pauls - that opens at 8am.

 

[rmt4ever]

How disappointing. It must be the worst served central London terminal for on site retail / catering&hospitality. I didn't really want to leave the station. Just find somewhere within the complex (changing from District to FCC) to get these journey essentials. Very poor. Oh well...

 

[hwl]

How disappointing. It must be the worst served central London terminal for on site retail / catering&hospitality. I didn't really want to leave the station. Just find somewhere within the complex (changing from District to FCC) to get these journey essentials. Very poor. Oh well...

Very similar to the also recently refurbished Cannon Street with minimal facilities and maximum number of ticket gates, both are commuter focused.
Blackfriars isn't technically a Terminus as the vast majority of train are through trains.

 

[rmt4ever]

Very similar to the also recently refurbished Cannon Street with minimal facilities and maximum number of ticket gates, both are commuter focused.
Blackfriars isn't technically a Terminus as the vast majority of train are through trains.

My friend has been asking me where we can get a coffee and sweets for the kiddies... I had to admit 'erm nowhere'....

The alternative would be to get the train from London Bridge, however that would mean changing from the District line to get there from our starting point in West London. With baggage, kiddies, guide dog and such, it would be a nightmare.... the fact you can not get a coffee in Blackfriars station seems a disgrace to me !

 

[jopsuk]

Very similar to the also recently refurbished Cannon Street with minimal facilities and maximum number of ticket gates, both are commuter focused.
Blackfriars isn't technically a Terminus as the vast majority of train are through trains.

This really is it. Whilst obviously the Thameslink Brighton-Bedford services are pretty "long distance", it really isn't used at all in the way London Bridge, Waterloo, Kings Cross etc are used.

As for Cannon Street, that's essentially operated as a set of overspill platforms for London Bridge and Charing Cross.