East London’s new Westfield Stratford City shopping centre has opened its doors for the first time, with its owners hoping to capitalise on a potential boom in the run-up to next year’s Olympics.
Housing more than 300 shops, Britain’s largest casino and a multiplex cinema, the £1.4 billion development’s official opening is taking place today. Retail tenants include Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Top Shop, with 95 per cent of the centre’s trading space having already been let.
“The retail mix we are putting in place at Stratford will be the next chapter in retail development for London,” said Westfield director of operations Bill Giouroukos, adding that the group intends to make Stratford City “a lifestyle destination and a new metropolitan centre”.
Stratford City is located adjacent to the new Olympic Park and will provide the main access route to the site when the Games get underway next summer. Athletes including former hurdler Colin Jackson and rower Andy Triggs-Hodge are among those attending the opening of the centre today.
On Monday, Marks & Spencer chief executive Mark Bolland outlined plans to invest £600 million on revamping stores across the country and promoting in-house brands.
