From tonight, it’s well worth a chilly trip to Granary Square to see the Christmas tree. And, located in Europe’s largest regeneration site, this ain’t no ordinary Norwegian spruce neither.
King’s Cross Filling Station has decided to project a huge laser tree across the canal onto the historic Midlands Goods Shed, directly opposite. On a sneak preview last night it looked lovely, twinkling in the reflection of the water while we enjoyed warming boozy hot chocolate from the outdoor terrace at Shrimpy’s.
Then, on the hour, a random 90s club anthem strikes up and the tree goes into ‘rave mode’: a visual explosion of colour, giant flashing baubles and hazy memories of jumping around to Gat Décor’s Passion just over the way with 6000 other grinning loons in the Bagleys heyday.
We’re big fans of celebrating the area’s historic nightclub past as much as its more obvious, industrial heritage too, so this tree is right up our restored, cobbled street.
Watching the lasers do their thing while sitting wrapped in an alpaca ponco on the site of Goods Way’s legendary pre/post rave petrol station, it certainly feels like times have changed. But since the development of King’s Cross has continued to be so exciting in 2013, the overriding feeling is of celebration. The city’s infrastructure may rise and fall and rise again, but house music is a feeling.
Top 5 places to view the laser Xmas tree
1. Shrimpy’s / KX Filling Station terrace – a ringside view and handbag house classics on the hour.
2. Vestal Voyages take one of Mr. VV’s boozy Xmas sailings up the canal to get even closer to the action, from the water itself.
3. Looking up King’s Boulevard – Glance up the passageway that houses Kerb streetfood stalls by day for an eyecatching angle of the lasers, framed by cranes and rapidly-climbing office blocks.
4. From the Eurostar out of St Pancras – Keep an eye out of the right hand side of the train when departing for Paris by night and it should be easy to pick out – it’s lit up like, well, a Christmas tree.
5. Varini viewing platform – it’s only open during daylight hours, but we reckon this would be a fantastic spot to see the tree if they happen to leave the door ajar after dark.
King’s Cross Laser Christmas Tree is open every night until 23rd December from 5pm – 10pm. Granary Square, N1c. More info here
