Went to Westfield for the first time in ages to see Super 8 (the Vue complex is fantastic).
I was astonished by the quantity of shoppers. What recession?
And again adore all the Apple stores. They are so well designed.

Westfield centres are a great example of how perceptions change over the years.

A year ago I went to a tribute dinner for Frank Lowy- Oz's richest man who owns them. Rupert Murdoch, politicians etc all lined up to pay homage...Henry Kissinger sent one !

He is a Czechoslovakian immigrant made good although he first went to Israel.

After the war he joined the Haganah and became a wanted 'terrorist' by the British.

Yesterday's "freedom fighter" is today's respected businessman.

Quite surprised at this mornings news up here.

news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/268493...locations-in-the-uk/

Fascinating; my friend Mike saw my post on Westfield and said at the same time he'd been in another major shopping area and it was deserted. I do think shoppers are demanding better facilities. I love Westfield because it is spotless clean, everything is available, easy to reach (5 mins from my house), great parking, decent facilities (for example a taxi waiting reception area with armchairs).

Prices huge though. You pay extra but it's worth it.

Sometimes; the perfect soft leather briefcase was almost bought until I checked the price - £495. I could buy similar for £40 and shall do so.

so the "Pitt Street Mall " in Sydney owned by Westfield and Frank Lowy (on which he has just spent a billion$) now has rents more expensive than Paris and just behind New York.

Westfield tenants in the UK super centers are yet to come to grief with this rapacious landlord but they will.

I give it another year before you begin to hear horror stories.