There have been questions surrounding the timing of Westfield’s launch. Engulfed in a period of economic uncertainty creating a £1.6billion space (spanning 9 postcodes ) may seem unwise , but as the crowds swarmed the shepherds bush area it seems the shoppers were out in force to defy the doubters…. and the credit crunch. Floppy haired Mayor Boris Johnson opened the centre in his typical humorous and eccentric manner answering the cynics and positively protesting the shopping centres arrival as a ‘fantastic vote of confidence in London as the worlds greatest venue for buying and selling of good services’ and that ‘confidence will be repaid because this shopping centre will still be here when this recession and the next and the one after that have faded into memory’. Boris also touched on something else that rather concerned me as I looked around at the hoards of people anticipating the performance from X factor winner London songbird Leona. Although wonderful and comforting to see the hundreds of consumers ready and waiting to be unleashed onto the shop floors I wondered why they weren’t at work? Perhaps it was to grab some of the amazing bargains and deals that were on display…….

News of the potential freebies had leaked via the daily news papers a few days previous to the launch which meant crowds of shoppers eager to steal a deal jostled outside before the doors opened at 9am. Everyone loves getting something for free but in these times of purse tightening it seemed people were even more determined, I witnessed some olympic standard bargain hunting , the early punters in particular laden with paper bags, full of gifts.

For those who missed out on yesterdays treats it might be time to look away ….Stores including The Body shop, Dune, Rigby and Peller gave goodie bags to the first 100 customers , Tommy Hilfiger and Boots to the first 50, with most stores offering discounts and entry into prize draws. Indulgence was key for the launch with stores offering champagne, canapés and chocolates , massages, demonstrations and makeovers the only thing detracting from the feel of luxury being the shuffling and pushing and people shouting move it and get out of my way(or to that affect) in attempts to ensure they didn’t miss out to their rival shoppers!

For those who couldn’t make it there is still plenty to cheer your shopping soul. Uniqlo are doing great deals on cashmere, a must for every winter wardrobe and a true style staple. Gap also has great deals on jumpers with £10-20 off a selection of their chunky knits.Boots have some handy 3 for 2 deals and extremely reduced cosmetic sets-which are perfect Xmas gifts. Tom Wolfe’s very first stand alone store invites you to go to www.tomwolfe.co.uk and download a 20% off voucher.

As well as the offers and events (Dj sets 1, 8 November in Bench, and 15% off and free champagne at Aldo on 8^th November) retail experts predict that we will see some of the best sales on the run up to Christmas with discounts of up to 70%.

Many stores including the extremely plush House of Fraser (whose ranges include the fashion editor’s favourite, Lanvin) advertised their store/credit cards which offer a discount or points with purchases. This can be a great way of saving money with many offering 20% off purchases when you sign up, but they can be financially hazardous so make sure you read the small print, only use if necessary and make sure you pay the outstanding money on time!

Many of the stores also had alluring draws with great prizes on offer such as Topshops amazing trip to New York and a shopping spree at Ted Baker. It is free to enter so why not enter as many as you can, it will increase your chances you never know you may be the lucky one!

Whether you are on a small budget or an enviably large one the Westfield will have the shops for you. With its combination of well known high streets brands, 16 new brands, high end clothing, accessories and jewellery brands it will become an accessible place away from manic Oxford Street where we can shop in the warmth sheltered from the rain (or snow) with a choice of 50 eateries to satisfy any dietary desires and boost our flagging energy.

If I haven’t managed to silence the cynics I must also point out that as well as the delivering vast options to the consumer Westfield offers a great deal of opportunities to London’s unemployed. It has put 3,000 local people through pre employment training, 40% of the Westfield staff have been hired from the surrounding boroughs alongside 7,000 retails jobs. In addition the new Wood Lane station(as well as the improved White city, Shepherds bush stations and buses) makes it a relatively easy destination to get to for those wanting to avoid tackling London’s traffic and for those who cant abide public transport its situation outside the congestion zone makes it a more attractive journey.

Keep reading in future weeks as I review some of the designer shops such as Versace, and Louis Vuitton which were unfortunately not ready in time for the opening day.

http://uk.westfield.com/london/

Tags: Boris Johnson, freebies, gifts, Leona, offers, sales, Shepherds Bush, Shopping, Westfield, White City

This entry was posted on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 4:28 pm and is filed under Fashion Police. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.