Opened by Queen Victoria in 1869, the Joseph Cubitt-designed Blackfriars Bridge. Phase one of the Blackfriars Bridge renovation was completed in 2023, however more than half the project remained incomplete due to restrictions caused by the building of London's new 'super sewer'. During the works, managed by the City Bridge Foundation charity, more than 2,000 of the bridge's iron balusters will be 'painstakingly' repaired, or replaced in some cases, alongside a complete paint job that will 'restore' its Victorian splendour.
For example, Jake Wilkinson and his partner, Megan, liked their living room's bay window and central fireplace - but they weren't keen on the fact that the original fireplace had been replaced with a faux gas one. They also weren't in love with the "awful '80s patterned carpet" or the textured ceiling (with the exception of the lovely ceiling medallion). "It hadn't been changed since the 1980s from the previous owner," Jake says of the overall vibe of the room.