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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Enormous shopping complex opens | Enormous shopping complex opens |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Large crowds have gathered at the opening of Europe's biggest inner-city shopping complex in west London. | Large crowds have gathered at the opening of Europe's biggest inner-city shopping complex in west London. |
| The Westfield Shopping Centre in White City boasts more than 1.6m sq ft of space - or about 30 football pitches. | The Westfield Shopping Centre in White City boasts more than 1.6m sq ft of space - or about 30 football pitches. |
| Opening the centre, mayor Boris Johnson described it as a fantastic achievement which would persuade people to come to the shops, despite the credit crunch. | |
| He added that many Londoners had made a "prudent decision to give Thursday morning a miss and come shopping". | |
| Fifty restaurants | |
| Tens of thousands of people are expected to visit the centre throughout the day. | |
| Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose also predicted a successful future for Westfield, despite the economic downturn. | |
| "I'm optimistic for this centre, which I think is fabulous," Mr Rose said. | "I'm optimistic for this centre, which I think is fabulous," Mr Rose said. |
| "If we make a date to come back here in two years' time, I think it will be a success." | "If we make a date to come back here in two years' time, I think it will be a success." |
| Westfield is the biggest inner-city shopping centre in Europe | Westfield is the biggest inner-city shopping centre in Europe |
| Westfield is the UK's third largest shopping centre after Gateshead's MetroCentre and Bluewater in Kent. | Westfield is the UK's third largest shopping centre after Gateshead's MetroCentre and Bluewater in Kent. |
| About 80% of the retail units are fashion stores. | About 80% of the retail units are fashion stores. |
| There are also about 50 restaurants and a multi-screen cinema. | There are also about 50 restaurants and a multi-screen cinema. |
| Among the 265 retail units are many of the UK's high street giants, including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Next, House of Fraser and Waitrose. | Among the 265 retail units are many of the UK's high street giants, including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Next, House of Fraser and Waitrose. |
| About 80% are fashion outlets, with the site featuring 40 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and Prada housed in a boutique-style area called The Village. | About 80% are fashion outlets, with the site featuring 40 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and Prada housed in a boutique-style area called The Village. |
| Gridlock fears | Gridlock fears |
| Mary Portas, star of TV show Mary Queen of Shops, a consultant for the centre, said the complex heralded a new approach for UK retail centres. | Mary Portas, star of TV show Mary Queen of Shops, a consultant for the centre, said the complex heralded a new approach for UK retail centres. |
| "The juxtaposition of luxury, high street and even supermarket, nobody has actually done that before but it makes enormous sense," she told BBC News. | "The juxtaposition of luxury, high street and even supermarket, nobody has actually done that before but it makes enormous sense," she told BBC News. |
| 'Mary Queen of Shops' on the new Westfield mall | 'Mary Queen of Shops' on the new Westfield mall |
| "I think the scale of it feels like we're in a mini-town." | "I think the scale of it feels like we're in a mini-town." |
| Currently 99% of the retail space has been let, with 80-90% of the building open for the launch. | Currently 99% of the retail space has been let, with 80-90% of the building open for the launch. |
| The centre took 13 million man hours to build, has 96 escalators and is expected to have created about 7,000 jobs - with 1,000 going to local residents. | The centre took 13 million man hours to build, has 96 escalators and is expected to have created about 7,000 jobs - with 1,000 going to local residents. |
| Bosses estimate 21 million people will visit each year. | |
| There have been warnings from local politicians that the centre's popularity could cause gridlock in the White City and Shepherd's Bush areas as shoppers visit the site and vie for parking spaces. | There have been warnings from local politicians that the centre's popularity could cause gridlock in the White City and Shepherd's Bush areas as shoppers visit the site and vie for parking spaces. |