Coal Drops Yard

The story

The site has lived through three distinct eras, beginning as part of the coal distribution network that powered Victorian London. Its 19th-century industrial structures have since been reworked, with new buildings woven into the existing red-brick site, and the yard is laid out with generous room to walk and look out over the canal from multiple levels. Today it mixes independent shops with chains alongside plenty of places to eat and drink, and Google has an office here. There is a water fountain play area for children and a free cinema. The yard makes an easy stop on a walk along Regent's Canal, or a way to fill a couple of hours nearby when a train out of King's Cross runs late.