Westfield Stratford City, the largest urban retail development in Europe, has opened to the public. The new shopping centre is situated in east London next to the Olympic Park, and is intended to offer an attractive and comprehensive shopping experience for visitors to the Games and the local population for years to come.
The construction and associated services provided 25,000 jobs, in addition to 18,000 permanent jobs which will be sustained following the Games.
Financial investment by Westfield has seen additions and improvements to the public transport system in east London and has provided a welcome boost to the area. It is expected that most visitors to the Games will travel by public transport and will enter the Olympic Park through the shopping area.
The entire complex is designed over several floors and at 177,000 square metres is 10% larger than Westfield London, its sister site in White City.
The development which cost approximately £1.45b incorporates three hundred businesses, of which around seventy are restaurants, including Wahaca and Jamie’s Italian which already have outlets at Westfield London. There are some new names – Indi-Go, Pizza Luxe, Cabana and Rhythm Kitchen – which all have premises in one of the four distinct eating areas.
The Balcony has intimate kiosk-style restaurants while The Southern Boulevard and Chestnut Plaza offer views of the Olympic Park. A further dining area has been created by an area of mezzanine flooring which accommodates a number of popular restaurants, including the Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Giraffe and Wagamama.
