A week before Christmas I received a text message from friends inviting me with to go explore the new Westfield in Stratford. As I have never been to it, I gladly accepted and met them there on a Sunday morning. Westfield is relatively easy to get to with all modes of transport in London. I used the DLR network as it avoided going into central London. I was quite amazed to see how many people on the DLR were headed for Westfield in Stratford as we got closer to it. Bet the bosses at Westfield have a small office at the top where they can watch hundreds of people streaming into their fancy new mall and rub their hands together with an evil laugh.

The minute you walk through the doors it really hits you how Westfield has gone for the wow-factor. They’ve gone for the whole shebang to make sure shoppers of all ages are entertained and never want to leave again. Some of the services that Westfield provides are really simple yet clever such as a Cloakroom & Bag Storage area which also delivers to your home, hotel or internationally. Another great service is the Playroom where kids under the age of 5 can be kept entertained. Westfield also has their own Police Safer Neighborhood Team which patrols the complex to keep smiles on people’s faces. (a lot of shopping centers have them now)

Let’s get back to talking about the shopping and entertainment aspects of Westfield in Stratford. It seems like nearly every major brand decided to open a shop, guess they have to with the London Olympics this year and the thousands of tourists that will be flocking to the area. To name a few would be River Island, Hugo Boss, Bose, True Religion, Links of London, 02, Disney Store, H&M, Lego, and Marks & Spencer etc. Westfield really has too many to mention and there is even two banks inside.

The ground floor area has the fast food type outlets where a lot of families tend to spend their time as kids always want something fast and easy. On the first floor you will find a nicer seating area with a whole range of foods from Sushi, Mexican, Jamaican, Indian and more. We have now twice had food on that floor and the system they have works really well. You go to a counter, order and pay for your food; they provide you with a little beeping device which will alert you when you’re food are ready for collection. Westfield staff clear the tables and keep the area clean and presentable. Once you’re food is ready, you collect it from the same counter on a nice fancy tray with proper cutlery which is a nice change.

On the entertainment front at Westfield in Stratford, you can go to the cinema on the top floor or even to the brand new casino that just opened. There is also a bowling alley for those who want to be more interactive.

I’ve now spent two Sunday’s at Westfield in Stratford and to be honest, I am going to need a lot more time to explore everything but I am thoroughly impressed with it so far. Oh, they even have a free app that you can download from iTunes to help you navigate through the mall, how whack is that? Be prepared to part with some of your money when you walk through those doors…or shall I say, if you have a bit of a spending problem, stay at home!