Westfield Shopping Centre (a new project costing £1.6 billion) opened it’s doors on the 30th October 2008. It is located between Shepherds bush and Holland Park in West London is targeted to become one of the capital’s major retail and leisure destinations. Around 265 specialty stores are set to accommodate some of the world’s finest labels, beneath an enormous flamboyant, architect designed undulating glass ceiling. Once inside the building, which incidentally is said to be manufactured out of more than 50% recycled materials, you instantly feel the enormity of the project with a vast, almost oval style design housing many of the usual high street shops and a specially created retail village, featuring premium retailers (brands more accustomed to Bond Street) in what is promised to be a fantastic luxurious environment. Westfield London also features many eclectic dining options both inside the center and in the surrounding buildings, combined with a state of the art 14 screen multi-cinema complex (due to open shortly), and a beauty treatment center with fully equipped gymnasium. A host of exclusive customer services, activities and events will add to the retail and leisure offer to make Westfield London an unmissable London destination. Westfield is predicted to have around 20 million visitors a year, around 10% of Oxford Streets visitors.
Food is a major part of the experience, with over 40 different restaurants and bars to choose from, and Keith Mabbett, Leasing Director for Westfield London, has said: “The mix of outlets will range from high end cafes and restaurants through to market style gourmet food kiosks, family restaurants and coffee shops.” National and international food operators that are set to be operating within the development are: Tibits, Leon, Del’aziz, Wahaca, The Real Greek, Wagamama and Esca. These exclusive names are normally found only to be niche operators, restricting their presence to the centre of the Capital or to select London suburbs which makes their decision to open branches in Westfield London a testament to the project’s revolutionary approach and a true stamp to the identity that Westfield is going to provide its visitors.
Mr Gutman, the Managing Director of Westfield UK & Europe, has been quoted as saying: “Westfield has become a specialist at the combination of retail, dining leisure and entertainment in a series of high end malls around the world including Century City in Los Angeles, San Francisco Centre in downtown San Francisco, Bondi Junction in Sydney and shortly to commence at the base of the soon to be rebuilt World Trade centre in New York.”
Central atrium in Westfield Shopping Centre
