The Metropolis

Westfield East has more visitors than London's top 10 museums and galleries combined

Mike Pollitt | Friday 14 September, 2012 11:50

This methodologically suspect chart isn’t really making a serious point except that A LOT of people like to spend their leisure time shopping at Westfield Stratford. It’s getting an average of 800,000 visitors a week. That’s more than the number of people who go to the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, National Portrait Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral combined.

Apples and pears you might say. But I don’t think it’s a useless comparison. The point is that people really love to shop, and in particular they really love to shop at Westfield. No-one’s forcing them. That’s something to pick the bones out of.

Question: What, if anything, does it say about us all and the messed up times in which we live?

NB the chart was amended after publication after the original underestimated the number of football watchers. Thanks to James in the comments for raising that.

Standard – Westfield Stratford City draws record 47m visitors in first year
Figures for Westfield West from its opening year in 2009
Figures for visitor attractions from ALVA for 2011
Figures for Premier League attendance from 2011/12

See also:
City Sketch: Westfield Stratford’s opening day

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