Here’s yet another feather to add to Walthamstow’s cap as it slowly becomes one of the most exciting areas in London. Those familiar with the area will already know about such attractions as the neon paradise that is God’s Own Junkyard and the Blackhorse Beer Mile. And that’s not to mention the enormous Walthamstow Wetlands and the longest street market in Europe. Heck, the area was even recognised in 2023 as the best place to raise a family in the UK. Now, exciting new developments are set to transform a series of Walthamstow arches into a food, drink, and retail hotspot.
Specifically, the works are targetting a group of derelict arches at Courtenay Place near the St James Street Overground station. The 16 arches will be refurbished and become home to new drinking, dining, and shopping spots. One arch will even be turned into an accessible toilet as part of the renovation.
The arch improvements are being helmed by Feix&Merlin and Extended Studio. As well as new cafes, restaurants, and other businesses, the area will feature new signage, lighting, and art, as well as a pocket park connecting St James Street station to Walthamstow High Street.
The new development will add to the area’s businesses, which include the CRATE shipping container market. There, you’ll find the likes of hairdressers, specialty coffee shops, tattoo studios, vinyl record stores, and more.
Image: @cratesjs, via IG
Works in Walthamstow
The Walthamstow arches renovation/reimagination forms part of a wider program by Waltham Forest Council to enhance Walthamstow. In 2023, the council secured £17.2 million in ‘levelling up’ funding to use across the area. Walthamstow’s ‘Culture for All’ programme has also been revamping other public areas and cultural attractions, such as recent works on Vestry House and Chestnuts House.
Said Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration Councillor Ahsan Khan:
“Making Waltham Forest a better place for residents is at the heart of everything we do. We are creating a thriving and welcoming cultural destination in the St James Quarter, and we are pleased that architects Feix&Merlin and Extended Studio can come with us on this journey to help us deliver our vision through the Levelling Up programme that will provide more green spaces and attract more visitors to the town centre, bringing an important boost for the local economy.”
Elsewhere in Walthamstow, a brand new iteration of the iconic Soho Theatre is set to open soon. The Soho Theatre Walthamstow will open in a stunning Grade II* listed building this May.
