Contrast In Class

Westfield 

The construction of Westfield shopping center saw an influx of shops generally considered as much higher class retailers. This includes companies such as Armani Jeans, Hugo Boss & H. Samuel among many more. Massively opposing the social classes associated with the above, with only the A118 separating the two; Stratford center is home to retailers like Poundland, the 99p store and CEX that can be found typically in most town centers around England. With only a single road between them it creates not only a literal divide between the 'old' and the 'new' but contributes to a growing sense of class difference and boundaries that are present in Stratford. And potentially the impact Westfield has reflects the debatable progression of Stratford as it highlights a drastic difference in attitudes and perceptions of the area in recent years; from a rough, gritty area in east London to the home of the Olympics in 2012.

Despite the possible negative aspects to its construction, Westfield brought thousands of job opportunities for the local community in terms of construction, hospitality, food retailers and shop assistants alone, as well as providing another aesthetically pleasing structure for tourism etc. This had an evident, immediate impact on the surrounding area as illustrated in the above image. And in similar ways to Stratford center itself, it brought millions to the community after its construction in 1974 and even more so after the extension that begun years later.                

  

James Dathorne.