Strategy in Stratford...

Ah, capitalism, the mechanism that promises so much, yet takes away so much more. Even since the west London Westfield shopping mall opened its doors, three years ago, I thought naively that the name ‘Westfield’ had some local significance, that there had once been a house, or street, or even hamlet of that name. But no, it is the name of a company – or group of companies – that has built a ‘Westfield’ in several UK locations.

Yesterday, fortune took me to Stratford. I had been there several years earlier, and in my innocence, expected to see the vistas as of five years ago. But, I had forgotten that Stratford is being ‘redeveloped’ in anticipation of a major sporting event, next year. Only a call of nature drew me into the new Westfield, the conveniences that were on the old plaza seeming to have vanished. It was horrible inside; overheated, with garish decorations and piped ‘seasonal’ music blaring everywhere. But when you’re desperate…ah me, what do I know? Maybe the good citizens of Stratford actually welcome a great banal, plastic mall being dumped strategically between the old train station and the new bus station?

Maybe they found crossing that main road to that older, grainier Stratford Centre just too much and possibly, too dangerous? Maybe the hordes of visitors expected in the town, next year, really do need another Boots, and another Marks and Sparks, and so forth…really, what do I know? But it all smacks of strategic capitalism to me, and I don't like it. Short of joining the woolly-hatted ones in front of St Paul’s, I don’t see what we can do about it. Over to you...