New Westfield shopping centre

lost_in_thought
lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
edited November 2008 in Commuting chat
So I got caught up in the traffic around Shepherds Bush on my way home, so I thought 'if you can't beat them join them', and with everyone else in west London went and had a look thinking 'well there might be an Evans'.

I'm sorry to report that it was a bit rubbish - all the same old shops, and this was the only bike in the entire place:


2986670797_5830f529e1.jpg

A phones4u giveaway... I'd give it back. Poor show, Westfield.

Comments

  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    So I got caught up in the traffic around Shepherds Bush on my way home, so I thought 'if you can't beat them join them', and with everyone else in west London went and had a look thinking 'well there might be an Evans'.

    I'm sorry to report that it was a bit rubbish - all the same old shops, and this was the only bike in the entire place:


    2986670797_5830f529e1.jpg

    A phones4u giveaway... I'd give it back. Poor show, Westfield.

    Ew.
    Commuting: Giant Bowery 08
    Winter Hack: Triandrun Vento 3
    Madone

    It's all about me...
  • No bikes, but how were the cycle facilities?
  • No bikes, but how were the cycle facilities?

    Well, they maintain there are over 500 bike parking places there, and there were a lot of sheffield stands where I arrived - just by the station. Pretty close to the entrance to the 'Village', not undercover.

    There may well have been more which were undercover, and differently located, but I didn't notice them.

    I don't think there was parking for 500 bikes where I locked mine...

    The cycle lanes leading up to the place were a bit woeful, all there is at present is a cycle green on the ped crossings so you can get round the roundabout without having to go on it. And they've been there ages.

    Also, got told off for cycling up to the sheffield stands. To be fair, I guess they were on the pavement. :oops:
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    I work just up Wood Lane so everyone in my place was going mental for it at lunchtime. To be fair we have had very little choice when it comes to places to go for lunch so it might be nice. And I'm told we get staff discounts if we flash our passes.

    My girlfriend (works in the building next to mine) got a free meal at The Real Greek and they gave her a goodie bag too.

    I didn't think the traffic was that bad considering. It's been worse while they were building the place and Wood Lane was closed off (at least in ne direction) most of the time.
  • If you thought congestion was bad tonight you should have seen the Southern Roundabout before the western extention of the C-Charge (and if Bozza gets his way we'll get to experience it again).

    I was struck by how bloody big the place is, and how bloody bland....

    The Ellis Brigham and North Face stores could be useful 'lo - but not worth the loss of the Cotswolds Outdoors store that used to be next to the old tube station, the Habitat isn't a patch on the excellent Hammersmith branch. But there is a branch of Hackett, which could prove expensive. I have an addiction to Hackett shirts.

    And I suspect I will be making use of the Waitrose.

    But my biggest impression was how busy it was, and how few people seemed to be buying stuff.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    No doubt the visitors in the first few weeks will be doing the same as they did in Cabot Circus in Bristol. Just looking, I did on it's opening day at 23:30.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Personally I think Westfield will be in the news within a year or two as being a bit of a failure. It's an upmarket mall that's opened in the same month the world slid into recession. How successful can it really be?

    I guess the owners' plans probably span a couple of decades so maybe three or four lean years won't be too bad for the bigger picture but we'll see.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,098
    redvee wrote:
    No doubt the visitors in the first few weeks will be doing the same as they did in Cabot Circus in Bristol. Just looking, I did on it's opening day at 23:30.

    What's Cabot Circus like? I was raised with shonky old Broadmead, nearly crashed when I drove into Bristol recently, didn't realise they'd REALLY redone it!!!!

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    SecretSam wrote:
    redvee wrote:
    No doubt the visitors in the first few weeks will be doing the same as they did in Cabot Circus in Bristol. Just looking, I did on it's opening day at 23:30.

    What's Cabot Circus like? I was raised with shonky old Broadmead, nearly crashed when I drove into Bristol recently, didn't realise they'd REALLY redone it!!!!

    Cabot Circus is the much the same as Broadmead but with a better class of shops, mostly clothing based outlets and a few foodie places on the upper floors plus a cinema. Looked and passed through but yet to spend any cash there yet, still spend in Broadmead though. Looks nice though.

    BTW Westfield caught their first shoplifter within 3 hours of opening, according to todays Mirror.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • redvee wrote:
    BTW Westfield caught their first shoplifter within 3 hours of opening, according to todays Mirror.

    It's dhan the Bush mate - we expect the first murder there within 3 months :?
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    No bikes, but how were the cycle facilities?

    Well, they maintain there are over 500 bike parking places there, and there were a lot of sheffield stands where I arrived - just by the station. Pretty close to the entrance to the 'Village', not undercover.

    There may well have been more which were undercover, and differently located, but I didn't notice them.

    I don't think there was parking for 500 bikes where I locked mine...

    The cycle lanes leading up to the place were a bit woeful, all there is at present is a cycle green on the ped crossings so you can get round the roundabout without having to go on it. And they've been there ages.

    Also, got told off for cycling up to the sheffield stands. To be fair, I guess they were on the pavement. :oops:

    LiT, I worked on a project in Kingston a while ago, the Rotunda opposite the railway station that includes the Odeon, and was one of the architects doing the drawings.

    At the time we designed it (and it was built of course) 100% of the cycle facilities were around the back of the building. You'd have to go along the building from the front entry maybe 150m along a very, very busy road, then around the corner to lock up your bike in the rear car parking area, then walk all the way back to go in.

    Of course the roads around the building were in the one ways system so cycling to and from it coudl be a bit of a problem as well, so did anyone actually use them? I never checked but I very much doubt it, and I knew they were there.

    A while after the opening, with all bikes being locked to the designer railings at the front of the building, sheffield stands finally appeared where people would actually use them.

    Who makes these stupid decisions? Not cyclists for sure.

    I doubt the disabled parking bays in the rear area are used either, for the same reason, but at least disabled representative bodies were asked about that and insisted they preferred to have crap access to and from the building, even when better access through the building was offered.

    Maybe the moral is that cyclists need to be considered to have some kind of disability, at least we'd then be consulted about how things get done?
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Thank god another shopping centre full of generic see everywhere shops has opened. Wow.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    symo wrote:
    Thank god another shopping centre full of generic see everywhere shops has opened. Wow.

    Symo, you are depressingly correct on that.
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....