David Bowie's childhood home in Bromley to open to the public at end of 2027

The Heritage of London Trust has acquired David Bowie's childhood house at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley and plans to restore it to its 1963 appearance and open it to the public at the end of 2027.

The Heritage of London Trust has bought the two-up, two-down house at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley where David Bowie (then David Jones) lived from 1955 to 1968. The trust plans to restore the house to how it looked around 1963 and open it to the public at the end of 2027. Geoffrey Marsh, co-curator of the V&A's David Bowie Is exhibition, will curate the restoration with conservation architects Julian Harrap. The project has an initial £500,000 grant from the Jones Day Foundation and a public fundraising campaign will begin this month. Key details: - Location and period: 4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley; Bowie lived there from 1955 to 1968. - Opening target: the house is planned to open to the public at the end of 2027, after restoration and required approvals. - Restoration focus: the property will be returned to its c.1963 appearance, with Bowie's small teenage bedroom (about nine by ten feet) presented as an immersive space. - Archival displays: the exhibition will include items such as Bowie's copies of Observer books, a photograph of Little Richard that he kept on his wall, and some Elvis Presley singles. - Funding and approvals: the project has a £500,000 initial grant from the Jones Day Foundation; a public fundraising campaign, a required public consultation and detailed planning applications are planned. - Community work: the house will host creative and skills workshops for young people under the trust's Proud Places scheme, informed by Bowie's earlier local Arts Lab activities. Summary: The project aims to present Bowie's early home as both a historical restoration and a site for creative programmes for young people. Planned activities include conservation investigations, the public fundraising campaign, a local consultation and submission of planning applications, with the opening scheduled for the end of 2027.