Westfield Opens

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A steady flow of visitors, but no gridlock on the streets

Around 400 people queued up outside Westfield's two Wood Lane entrances - and several hundred more outside the various other entrances - this morning (30 October) to wait for the new shopping centre to open.

When 9 o'clock came, those at the northern entrance were let in in batches, while shoppers at the southern entrance could walk in freely.

"I'm a bit of a shopaholic," said Patricia Alli, who had come all the way from Dulwich for the opening. "Usually I go to Lakeside or Bluewater, but the fact that this is in London makes it easier for me," she said.

Jane and Kate Libby had come from Buckingham for the event: "We've come just to look, although we might shop too. We come to this area regularly anyway. Usually we shop in Oxford Street or Camden but it's easier to come here than trailing around London. The large crowds might put us off, though."

By 9.10, the queue outside Debenhams had completly gone, although a steady flow of people continued to arrive at the centre.

The Southern Terrace, which has been designed as a street of restaurants, is flanked by a water feature and high hedge, which completely block out the view of Shepherd's Bush. Westfield say this 'green wall' is meant to provide a "nice perimeter", separating the shopping centre from nearby flats and to provide privacy.

Inside the shopping centre, the vast majority of shops were open for business. Staff in some shops were busy cleaning, while drilling could still be heard coming from others. Celebrities were on-hand to launch some of the stores: Dannii Minogue opened Next and Twiggy was at Marks and Spencer.

A huge queue formed outside the Apple store - but such was the excitement that many people standing in line appeared not to know where the queue was leading or what they were waiting for. "They're giving away free T-shirts," explained one man. "I think some people thought it would be free iPods."

Despite warnings of traffic gridlock, cars flowed freely along Uxbridge Road, Wood Lane and Shepherd's Bush Green from early in the morning.

Contracors' vans could still be seen in the streets immediately surrounding the shopping centre - Frithville Gardens, Bulwer Street - but in the streets further away, the situation had eased and a few parking bays were clear for the first time in many weeks.

Yasmine Estaphanos

30 October 2008