Restoration the Grade II Listed railway arch frontages on Crucifix Lane, Southwark. Once home to Jacks nightclub, it’s now a vibrant space for F&B and leisure.

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) has been working with The Arch Company (landlord since 2019) & the Railway Heritage Trust to refurbish a historically significant railway arch on Crucifix Lane, (Southwark Borough) London into contemporary business space.
Designed & built 1864 - 1866 by Victorian architect Charles Henry Driver, the arch forms part of the viaduct supporting the elevated London Bridge railway & is notable for its decorative polychromatic brickwork & elaborate stone carvings. In recent times, the arch housed part of a nightclub which closed in 2015 to facilitate the London Bridge Station expansion. The arches have remained dormant until now, thanks to investment from The Arch Company.
As design architect & multidisciplinary consultant, SGP leveraged its expertise in historic buildings to create a contemporary yet heritage-sensitive space. Liaising closely with planning & conservation officers, as well as specialist contractors, brickwork to the front elevation has been repaired, cleaned & repointed, while the original window openings of the Grade II Listed arch have been recreated to match the originals. To balance security with historical integrity, the design details the frontage infills & structural support to incorporate roller shutters internally.
Inside, extensive renovation included re-lining the arches & installing insulated floors for a range of uses, as well as new drainage, ventilation, power & lighting. During excavation, original Victorian buried buttress structures & inverted arches were discovered. Working in partnership with Pick Everard, SGP’s design sought to incorporate these historic structures, requiring clever alterations to the concrete slab & drainage system.

SGP Studio Director Alan Soper: “The architecturally distinct arches at this section of Crucifix Lane have played a significant part in the commerce and culture of the city of London since Victorian times. In bringing these arches back to life, they can once again take their place in the commercial activity of this vibrant part of the capital and, through sympathetic restoration, ensure a long-term future for this important piece of railway heritage.

“The UK’s rich and diverse heritage of industrial buildings, including railway arches, is often overlooked in discussions about re-usable spaces. Many of these building types are in prime urban locations or areas of regeneration focus.

“However, by any standards, arches are not a ‘normal’ building type and each can differ considerably. They require a blend of survey, procedural, planning and design work, as well as technical proficiency, to refurbish them to modern occupancy standards. At Crucifix Lane, the discovery of historic features also highlights the complexity of working with historic buildings and the need for careful coordination with structural engineers.”

Tom Coleman, Head of Development at The Arch Company, said: “When we took over the arches portfolio in 2019 we sought to invest in bringing 1,000 spaces just like this arch into use, as part of our £200m plan Project 1000. As a restoration project, Crucifix Lane is a particularly exciting as it is such a striking space, set in an excellent location. We look forward to welcoming a new business into the local area.”