Traders 'astounded' as 160,000 visit Westfield

'Phenomenal': Westfield's new mall had 60,000 more shoppers than expected yesterday
12 April 2012

Traders at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford were "astounded" after 160,000 customers passed through the mall on its first day.

The developers of the £1.45 billion centre, the largest in London, had expected 100,000 shoppers to turn up but the actual total even surpassed the 150,000 who visited its sister mall, Westfield London in Shepherd's Bush, on its first day three years ago.

A spokesman for Westfield said today: "We have had an absolutely phenomenal first day."

Matt Hermer, chief executive of the Ignite group, which opened a branch of its restaurant Bumpkin, at the 1.9 million sq ft centre, said: "We were astounded and amazed at how many people came out.

You could hardly see any of the buildings there were so many people. There was no sign of the recession in any way, shape or form. We smashed all our internal forecasts with 350 covers."

City analyst Nick Bubb of brokers Arden Partners, who visited the mall yesterday, said the sheer volumes of shoppers prevented him getting to many parts of the centre.

He added: "Three years on from the success of Westfield London, this shows that big new centres can still prosper in an age of online shopping, if they are well located and organised, so Westfield Stratford has every reason to be optimistic."

The Westfield spokesman added: "To see the people of London and beyond embrace Westfield Stratford City so readily makes us all feel very proud of what has been achieved."

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