Sunday 18 March 2012

Westfield Stratford City


Westfield Stratford City
With all the recent talk of economic problems you might easily have missed the recent opening in Stratford of the UK's Europe's largest urban shopping and leisure centre, municipal and other facilities, covering 1.9 million square feet.
Shopping centre interior
During the 2012 Olympics, Westfield Stratford City will provide the main access to the Olympic Park and large screens will be displayed along the centre's walkways showing the main sporting events.

The large number of retail stores makes Westfield Stratford city a serious alternative to the 1.5  mile long Oxford Street in London's West End. The complex contains many retail outlets including many of the big names such as John Lewis, Waitrose, and Marks and Spencer.  It also has hotels and a leisure complex which includes restaurants, a cinema, and casino.  Nearby will be a new purpose-built community of 5,000 homes, offices, schools, and public spaces making this a major metropolitan centre in East London. The centre is well worth a visit if only for the views it offers of the Olympic Stadium but if at all possible avoid going at the weekend as the shopping concourse can get as busy and hectic as Oxford Street at its worst!