Westfield shopping fee

I've never been very keen on covering shopping malls and factory outlets (as destination travel subjects). I just don't find them very interesting. 

So it wasn't the press releases I was sent last year & this about the newly opened Westfield London mall in Shepherds Bush that prompted me to visit it a few months back. I was simply curious because it looked so big from the outside. I wasn't disappointed. It is pretty spectacular on the inside too!

What did surprise me was the car park charge. 

'Huh? They charge you to go and shop with them? Think I'll stick with Brent Cross!'

Anyway, I passed Westfield this morning on my way back from a podcast job and there are a couple of trailors on the roadside with big digital displays saying 'Free Parking for 2 hrs'.

'Aha! they've learned their lesson', I thought.... but apparently not. 

I've just read that it's simply a promotion till the end of June. Then they'll go back to charging their customers for doing them the honor of visiting their mall... in a recession...!