Castle Square — Local services in London

Elephant & Castle finally arrived in its new 'version'. If you new this place before in its shaddy, run-down council flat estate version and have not seen its total makeover, then come and see it - you will not recognise it! Its still developing with new flats being builded and shops and eateries opening but it's already a fairly good place for meet up with friends or family - there is a good choice of places to eat throughout the day and evening, some gym and yoga studio, hair dressers and beauty sallons, some lookal old market stools moved to new shiny locations and gaming places. The actual park with metal elephants structures is full of kids playing in water fountains in summer and there are benches in the park just to sit down and relax. The old shoping centre is gone after much of fighting over as it was listed building! Can't wait to see what the new currently under construction shoping centre...

Compared to what was there before this is a huge improvement. An open green space which encourages social interaction and children friendly areas. They could have made it bigger... A wooden structure with several tiny shops for people who used to work in the demolished shopping mall is a nice touch. But it feels a bit claustrophobic as it is dwarved by a large amount of residential towers and office blocks. Once it's connection with the new cluster of buildings about to get occupied and the new entrance to the overground train opens and all the works are completed it is going to feel a lot more functional and welcoming. The big variety of restaurants and other shops create a buzz in an area which once was full of depressing, crumbling concrete...

Haven't visited any of the shops here but the surrounding park has some of the best outdoor seating I've seen in London. Beautifully designed, each seat has it's own light where you can sit whilst waiting on the terrible train service Thameslink provides at the Elephant and Castle station. All the while, watching the wealthy residents that took over the former Haygate estate play with their toy dogs in the park, "Snuggles, come...