Shepherds Bush to Westfields 25 February 2017

Two more contrasting shopping experiences would be hard to find.

Shepherds Bush market is situated alongside the railway viaduct for the Hammersmith City Line between Uxbridge and Goldhawk Roads.  It's been around since 1914 and is not 'touristy' in the slightest. Locals shop here.

Dayne met me at Paddington, getting round London like she's been here for years.  We caught the bus down to Shepherds Bush, a part of London new to both of us. Not posh, just life happening and people getting on with it. If you are looking for fabric or haberdashery - which is surprisingly hard to find - this is the place to come. I've never seen as many fabric shops in an area in my life.

There's a lot of tat to be had at the market, but lots of useful stuff too.

Some very unusual fruit and veg ...

Confession - we have a shoe problem - they are very hard to resist.

Colourful veg and flowers brighten up a very grey and cold day.

Out on to Uxbridge Road we found the Passmore Edwards Public Library - back in the late 1800's he campaigned for the adoption of the Free Libraries Act - key to literacy and education for the general population I would imagine. He then funded the building of libraries throughout the east of London along with art galleries, technical schools and the London School of Economics. In 2008 a new library was built at the Westfields development and after a period of disuse this building was reinvented as the Bush Theatre - which from their website - https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/ - looks like an incredibly vibrant and exciting development.

Westfields, our next destination. Comparing it to similar South African developments - larger than Canal Walk or the Pavilion in Durban, but smaller than Gateway. Wow, I didn't realise how big Gateway is. Shopping centres, much the same the world over - just the names of the shops change. But it was lovely to get out of the cold.

Lunch first. The Meat Co - started in South Africa apparently. Very good food - very posh. Good value lunch menu though.

Sustained, time to shop. Not that I did any shopping today actually, it was all Dayne.  But we walked and talked and looked and laughed. It was fun.

Isn't this just beyond ridiculous? They'll even carry your shopping for you!

I don't know what their product is, mens clothing possibly,  but I love their store front.

 

Tesla - the future of driving.

 

And Music Systems, unidentifiable as such to this baby boomer, but very sleek and attractive.

Craft beer, in the middle of a shopping centre. Strange location.

Then we hit saturation point and it was time to head home. Two tube trips later

 We headed off in our various directions.

Knowing there wasn't much in the fridge at home I popped in to the new M&S in London Paddington and really, who could resist these? Not me. Don't even ask how long they lasted.