East Shopping Centre (ESC), Europe's first purpose-built boutique Asian shopping mall, has officially opened its doors. During the course of the launch weekend 12,200 shoppers visited. Inaugurating the shopping centre was Chief Guest, Lyn Brown MP for West Ham who cut the ribbon, making way for hundreds of eager shoppers, who were patiently waiting outside.
Lyn Brown MP showed her enthusiastic support of East Shopping Centre and individually met business owners and visitors, who came in from all across the country, including Leicester, Huddersfield and Birmingham, specifically for the launch. Other dignitaries attending the launch were Cllr Rohima Rahman, Cllr Ellie Robingson, Cllr Mukesh Patel and Cllr Hanif Abdulmuhit.
Visitors were enraptured with Moses Baig, heartthrob of Sky's hit reality TV series Desi Rascals, who showed off his music skills at the DJ deck, while a flurry of excited fans eagerly waited for autographs and pictures. He was later joined by his older brother Anj Baig and Feryal Javid Khan, who also star in the popular reality show, that follows the lives of South Asians living in London.
Bob Popat, a partner at ACR Investments, which is force behind East Shopping Centre said: “The launch of East Shopping Centre is incredibly proud and exciting for us. As the first of its kind in Europe, we are confident that East Shopping Centre will enhance the already vibrant shopping district of Green Street. It's wonderful to have the support of local politicians, like Lyn Brown MP as well as the community, who were wonderful in welcoming us at our launch.”
Shoppers flocked to fashion retailers, including Raishma Couture, Bidaai, Lals, Asian Bridal and Impressions, while hungry visitors took advantage of some of the delicious fare on offer, including Brioche Burgers, Pita Pit and Shinde's, while Urban Chocolatier and Lost Asia satisfied those craving something sweeter.
The bright new centre, which features custom-made fittings imported from across Europe, is anchored by The Souk, which comprises of smaller shops retailing everything from stunning costume jewellery to mobile phone accessories.
The impressive, high-quality shopping centre is built on a one-acre site of a former bus depot and hopes to build on Green Street's important cultural heritage. East Shopping Centre will also have a positive impact on the local community through commerce opportunities by generating approximately 200 jobs.
A raffle was drawn on Sunday afternoon that gave away a luxury trip to Dubai, a £1,000 gift voucher to spend at East Shopping Centre and saw two people win iPad Mini 3's. The first 100 people through the door also received vouchers to the food court worth £10. All proceeds raised from the raffle were donated to Masoom, a local charity that supports vulnerable women and children around the world.
Developers have taken specific measures to ensure that the centre retains its original façade and is as sustainable to the degree that it comply with the scheme's stringent BREEAM requirements. Eco-friendly features include solar panels to save on electricity usage, flow restrictors to help save water as well as carefully sourced materials for the entire development - all of which not only help to protect the environment, but also save retail units money.
