Last month, the Guardian's Esther Addley reported on the developments in Stratford. Not those of the sporting kind, but the near-completion of a gigantic Westfield, right at the mouth of the Olympics ground.
According to the facebook site, the shopping city will sit on 240,000 sq ft (22,000 m), will house an entire John Lewis department store, 14 cinema screens and will hold approximately 300 stores. No wonder its pre-opening poster reads EUROPE'S LARGEST SHOPPING CENTRE.
When the Westfield group, an Australian venture worth billions, decided to set up shop in London's Shepherd's Bush in 2008, many pondered how such a huge shopping mecca could survive during a recession. It was, apparently, the size of 30 football pitches. But the retail gamble paid off, perhaps because, as Hadley Freeman put it, Westfield's plethora of luxury brands, high-street shops and department stores means that it caters for everyone.
So from strength to strength it grows, and as of next week there'll be another Westfield in operation. We'd love to hear who's planning on visiting on its opening day, and what you make of the new shopping city. let us know your plans on the space below or email us if you want to contribute top a readers' blog next week.
- Opening details of Westfield Stratford are here
