LPOL exits Coal Drops Yard, opens East Sussex studio

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 16, 2021

Sustainable leather and upcycled goods brand LPOL said this week that it’s exiting its “much-loved shop” at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross after three years.

The brand, whose initials stand for Lost Property of London, said it’s leaving the location “full of memories, new friendships forged, new insights and experiences gained. But now, at a time of great change, comes the perfect moment for us to write the next chapter in the LPOL story”.

LPOL was one of the first brands to sign up to Coal Drops Yard, the ambitious retail development that converted the huge area that had originally been built to handle coal deliveries at King’s Cross Station. It opened in late 2018 as the wider area was regenerated and reborn as a retail destination.

But it was open little more than 18 months before lockdowns saw enforced temporary closures and the huge flood of people that used to travel through the King’s Cross area dwindling to a trickle.

LPOL, whose designs mix minimalism with strong colour statements, said the move comes following the changes that have happened after a year dominated by the pandemic.

“Like many people, perhaps you included, our priorities as a family have shifted a lot over the past year, and we have sought to reconnect with the things we value most,” founders Katy and John Maskell Bell said. 

They also emphasised that the brand can still be bought online and added: “Whilst making the decision to move has been an emotional one, we’re also brimming with excitement as we’re in the final throws of opening a new studio and workshop at our new home in East Sussex. This is the first bold step in creating a new dynamic for the LPOL brand. We’re really going to miss catching up with you in-store, but we’re looking forward to unveiling new product collections, design collaborations and more, which will bring us together in many more ways. So watch this space.”