Bankside Property & Area Guide
Bankside is a lively central London riverside location stretching from Blackfriars Bridge to London Bridge, directly opposite St Paul's Cathedral. The area is part of the London Borough of Southwark and is seen as South London's alternative to the West End. It is steeped in history and features iconic landmarks, unique architecture, a vibrant art scene, food markets and award-winning restaurants, bars, and shops.
Properties in Bankside
Bankside Property Market
Bankside is a sought-after residential area of London and one of the more expensive places to buy property in the capital. Across the London Borough of Southwark, the average property price was GBP 572,000 in April 2026, against a London average of GBP 553,000 (ONS and HM Land Registry UK House Price Index). Central location, excellent transport links, world-class cultural attractions and new development all keep values at the upper end of that range.
Bankside offers residents good transport connections, making it a particularly attractive place to live for those who work in the city. The area also offers easy access to well-known attractions, such as the Tate Modern, the London Eye, and Shakespeare's Globe.
Recent years have seen major improvements to Bankside's infrastructure, making it more appealing to both residents and businesses. Together with the area's central location and popular local attractions, this helps keep demand for Bankside property steady, though prices across Southwark and London have both edged down over the past year.
Bankside is a convenient place to live, with great transport links, multiple Tube stations and bus routes, it's easy to get around London from here. There are also lots of local amenities, like shops, bars, and restaurants.
Bankside also has open space nearby. Bankside Open Spaces Trust looks after a number of small parks and gardens across the area, and the Thames Path runs the length of the riverside. These are good places to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Bankside is a great place to live and has a strong property market because it has everything you need: culture, transport, amenities, and green space.
Property Types in Bankside
Bankside's property scene is a mix of historic and modern architecture, reflecting its varied past and present. The iconic Shakespeare's Globe theatre represents Elizabethan architecture, while traces of Bankside's industrial past can be found in older buildings with warehouse-style charm. Newer developments feature modern design, creating a varied architectural mix.
Bankside has grown and developed as a residential area for over 25 years, with the redevelopment of warehouses and historic properties around Clink Street, Bermondsey Street, and Shad Thames. This mix of old and new is reflected in the housing options that are available, including warehouse conversions, period properties, and new apartments.
Bermondsey Street, Shad Thames and Clink Street were among the first to benefit from regeneration, and Bankside's property market has grown ever since. Upcoming large-scale developments near Elephant & Castle, less than a mile south of London Bridge, are set to bring more change to the area.
Other notable places include Benbow House, New Globe Walk, with views of the river and St. Paul's Cathedral, and the award-winning contemporary lofts at The Jam Factory on Green Walk.
Buying Property in Bankside
Bankside offers luxury living and a vibrant lifestyle, making it a popular choice for buyers and investors.
Bankside's location on the south bank of the river Thames offers residents great views and easy access to riverside walks and parks. Being close to these outdoor spaces adds to the area's appeal and attracts people who enjoy spending time outdoors.
Bankside also draws investors. The area's central location means rental properties here are in high demand, which supports steady rental income. One notable development popular with investors is Neo Bankside, a high-end, award-winning residential building completed in 2012.
Bankside's popularity among tourists also makes it a good location for short-term rentals. This additional income stream can appeal to investors looking to diversify their portfolios.
Renting Property in Bankside
Bankside is a popular area to rent in London because of its proximity to the city and excellent transport links for commuters. It also has a riverside location along the Thames, offering good views and a quieter setting. Bankside offers a variety of housing options, from apartments to houses, to suit different budgets.
Bankside is also home to a vibrant creative scene and a strong sense of community. Residents support local businesses and enjoy the short walk to famous attractions. Bankside's diverse international community make it a culturally rich place to live which appeals to those who are new to London.
Buildings of Significance in Bankside
The Tate Modern in Bankside ranks among the world's largest museums of modern and contemporary art, showing work drawn from the Tate collection. What sets this museum apart is its location within the former Bankside Power Station, a structure designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and built in stages between 1947 and 1963. In 2000, Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron converted the power station into the museum it is today.
Tate Modern recorded 4,514,266 visits in 2025, making it the fourth most-visited attraction in the UK. The Tate Modern's collection covers the period from 1900 to the present day, including works by well-known artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Damien Hirst. The museum also has other facilities, including a library, restaurant, and bookshop.
For anyone interested in modern and contemporary art, Tate Modern is well worth visiting. It is a world-class museum with a wide range of modern and contemporary art.
Bankside Schools
City of London School is an independent day school for boys aged 10 to 18, funded and managed by the City of London Corporation. It has a strong focus on the arts and sciences, and its alumni include many successful people in a variety of fields.
Mulberry School for Girls is a comprehensive school with a focus on academic achievement. It is known for its strong academic results, its commitment to diversity, and its innovative teaching methods.
Central Foundation Boys School is a state-funded school with a history dating back to 1823. It is known for its strong academic record and its commitment to providing a high-quality education for all students.
Notre Dame R.C Girls Secondary School is a Catholic secondary school for girls aged 11 to 16, based in Elephant and Castle. It converted to academy status in December 2022 and is part of the South East London Catholic Academy Trust, with a focus on personal development alongside academic work and a nurturing environment.
Harris Academy is a group of academies with a focus on academic achievement and social mobility. They are known for their strong academic results, their commitment to helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and their innovative teaching methods.
Bankside Regeneration Information
Past Regeneration Projects
Bankside has undergone major regeneration over the years, with the development of new cultural attractions and the conversion of former industrial buildings into apartments and offices.
Winchester Palace was another important regeneration project for Bankside. Buried for centuries, development work in the area uncovered the ruins of Winchester Palace, which were revealed to the public during the redevelopment of the 1980s following major archaeological and restoration work.
Winchester Palace was the London residence of the Bishops of Winchester from the 12th century until the 17th century. The palace was located on the south bank of the River Thames, in the area now known as Bankside.
The palace was once a grand building, but it was largely destroyed by fire in 1814. Even today following the restoration, only the ruins of the palace remain. These ruins can be found on Clink Street, next to Southwark Cathedral and the Golden Hinde replica ship. The site is cared for by English Heritage, managed by Bankside Open Spaces Trust, and is open to the public and free to visit.
Winchester Palace is a reminder of the rich history of Bankside. The palace was once a centre of power and influence, and its ruins are a reminder of how the area has changed.
Current Regeneration Projects In Bankside
Bankside Yards is a GBP 2.5 billion mixed-use development by Native Land, covering 5.5 acres with eight buildings. Key highlights of the project include:
- Location: Bankside Yards sits between Tate Modern and Blackfriars station, reconnecting the stretch of riverside in between.
- Size: a 1.4 million square foot "hyper-mixed" complex across eight buildings, 3.3 acres of which is public realm.
- Sustainability: Bankside Yards is the UK's first major mixed-use development to be fossil-fuel free, running on a fifth-generation energy sharing network that moves heat between the buildings.
- Public Realm: the project includes biodiverse green areas, new pedestrian-friendly streets and squares, with more than 150 trees of 20 species planted.
- Retail and Cultural Spaces: 14 historic railway arches are being restored into around 50,000 sq. ft of retail, leisure and cultural venues.
- Residential: around 600 new homes across four buildings, including affordable housing.
Arbor, the 19-storey workspace building at the Blackfriars end, is complete and largely let. Opus, the first residential building, reached its full height of 170 metres in 2025 and is due to complete in early 2027, with 249 apartments across 50 storeys. A Mandarin Oriental hotel is due to open on the site in 2028.
Bankside Yards is set to be a sustainable riverside development designed for residents, workers and visitors.
Bankside Community
Better Bankside: an organisation that focuses on corporate responsibility and community engagement. They offer the Bankside Community Exchange, which connects people and businesses with local charities, schools, and community organisations for volunteering, fundraising, and support.
Bankside Open Spaces Trust: an environmental and volunteering charity that has been working since 2000 to protect, preserve, and enhance parks and open spaces in the area. They aim to create and maintain green spaces for the benefit of the local community, and they manage sites including Crossbones Graveyard and the garden at Winchester Palace.
Bankside Yards: a hypermixed riverside destination in Bankside that aims to create a vibrant community and cultural hub. The developer is committed to sustainable development and supporting the local community.
Transport Information
Underground
The Jubilee and Northern lines serve Southwark and London Bridge stations. The Northern line provides a direct link to Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations. The Jubilee line provides direct links to the West End.
- Southwark to Westminster
- Southwark to Bond Street
- London Bridge to Westminster
- London Bridge to Bond Street
Boat
Thames Clipper stops at Waterloo Pier, Savoy Pier, Blackfriars, Bankside, London Bridge and others.
Bus
- Covent Garden
- Aldwych
- Waterloo Station
- National Theatre
- London Bridge Station
- Tower Gateway Station
Things To Do in Bankside
Bankside takes its name from one of the medieval causeways built to hold back the Thames. Today, there are plenty of things to do in the area:
- Cultural Gems: Visit the Bankside Gallery on Hopton Street, home to the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, which is free to enter and open daily during exhibitions. Southwark Playhouse, now split across two venues at Borough and Elephant & Castle, programmes a wide range of productions. Don't miss Tate Modern in the former Bankside Power Station.
- Historic Attractions: Visit Southwark Cathedral, the Golden Hinde, Tower Bridge Exhibition, Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition and Tour, and the Menier Chocolate Factory, an off-West End theatre in a former Victorian chocolate works on Southwark Street. Just off Borough High Street on Redcross Way, Crossbones Graveyard and Garden of Remembrance marks a former paupers' burial ground where an estimated 15,000 people were buried, now a memorial garden looked after by Bankside Open Spaces Trust. It is opened by volunteer wardens, so check the current times before visiting. For younger audiences, the Unicorn Theatre on Tooley Street is London's purpose-built children's theatre.
- Museums: Visit The Clink Prison Museum on Clink Street and the Fashion and Textile Museum on Bermondsey Street. On St Thomas Street, the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret sits in the roof of the old St Thomas's Church and holds the oldest surviving operating theatre in Europe, built in 1822 and reached by a narrow 52-step spiral staircase.
- Markets: Borough Market, just east of Southwark Cathedral, is one of London's oldest and largest food markets, with more than 100 traders selling produce, cheese, meat, fish and prepared food.
- Food and Restaurants: Try Oxo Tower Restaurant, Fish! for sustainable fish dishes, Le Pont de la Tour for riverside French cooking, Gastronomica for Italian deli food, Roast for classic British food, Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter House, and The Leather Exchange and Leather Uppers.
- Pub and Bar Scene: Enjoy a drink at The Garrison Public House on Bermondsey Street, Anchor Bankside, The Wheatsheaf on Stoney Street, Doggett's Coat and Badge by Blackfriars Bridge, and The Rake on Winchester Walk.
With views of the river and sights of Tower Bridge and The Tower of London, Potters Fields Park is one of the few remaining open green parks along the riverside and is a favourite for many of the Hastings International team.
Bankside's mix of history and modern life gives residents a strong cultural scene, a wide range of places to eat and ongoing regeneration. There is plenty to explore, with something for a wide range of tastes in the heart of the city. Get in touch with one of our friendly team to discuss your Bankside home.