This opinion is probably a bit useless for many readers as it is specific to Kent, but if anyone is travelling to France by car, let me tell you of the best shopping mall you can visit before making the final drive down to Folkestone or Dover.
It is called BLUEWATER!!
Now, some people will never like shopping malls, with loads of people and screaming kids, but this opinion is not for them. This opinion is for people who enjoy the art of shopping (window or otherwise), and to give my impression of this strange shopping experience.
Background info:
Gravesend is set on the Thames estuary. It is an industrial town with a very diverse community. Pocahontas is buried there having been brought to Britain and then dying of a cold, but unfortunately for the town hit badly by the eighties recession, Disney chose not to mention Gravesend in the film. There is a statue of the Indian princess outside St Georges church in a back street.
Other than dockland, Gravesend is surrounded by chalk quarries which is quite a common sight in north Kent. Huge
dug out scars on the landscape but when they fill with water into reservoirs they are this incredible aqua hue. Chalk generally runs along the coast line of north Kent where as the rest of Kent contrasts between gravel, sandy soil and clay.
This sounds like a local history /Geology lesson but bear with me. You see, from the deserted chalk pit there sprung this amazing alien sight.
Bluewater was built approximately four years ago amongst much publicity. They drained the quarry and built this incredibly large shopping mall. The first time I visited was one night in early December soon after it was built. I had been to Gravesend years before, but as the name suggests it wasn't terribly inviting so it was years since I had ventured the fifteen miles back over there.
To get to Bluewater, I travelled on the M2 towards London, then followed on as it turned into the A2, climbing up Swanscombe Hill. At a turn off for Bean (could only be in Kent. There is also a place called Thong!!)) I followed the road round at the peak of the hill, and there, down below was the mall, huge, but looking snuggled into the quarry and glowing from being floodlit in blue. I am not kidding, it was such a space-age looking building, with parking for 9000 cars (I read that) and roads going in all directions like something out of Brave New World, that I was actually getting excited.
Having been spoilt for car park spaces, I chose the under cover one near to Marks and Spencers.
The inside of the mall was also exceptional. I have a Shopping Centre in Maidstone, pleasant enough with the usual BHS and Boots, Miss Selfridge and Bay Trading, but nothing to get excited about in the least. Bluewater, however, sports 330 shops! It is set in a triangular-type shaped building and all the shopping area is under cover.
There are three, two storey, areas following each side of the triangle and on each of the 'points' is a major store: Marks and Spencer (largest pilot store in the country at the time of opening); John Lewis; House of Frazer. All three of these stores are massive and must sell the whole of their respective ranges.
Each of the walkways between the major stores have their own character. These are: Guild Hall - 'exclusive classic and high fashion retail stores, lifestyle stores and gourmet restaurants and cafes' Rose Gallery - 'family focus with major high street retailers, children's wear, toy shops, children play area and family restaurants. Thames Walk (with a great tile effect on the floor of the river Thames with all the main towns noted as you walk down - kids love it) which has high street fashions, entertainment and café bars designed to appeal to young fashion conscious shoppers.
Name the shop and I am sure it is in Bluewater. There are the normal high street stores that suit us all, then there are the more up-market classic or designer shops with assistants that come to greet you and offer advice and assistance with a flair for what will actually suit your shape. The latter is great for the more mature shopper particularly for shopping for wedding outfits etc.
There are shops for every taste and every pocket from sports, gadgets, collectors items, (Beckhams autograph court case was successfully won by a trader in Bluewater), making your own teddy, Lush bathroom products, all manner of weird and wonderful home furnishings, ornaments, art……..the list goes on. Shopping heaven.
There are also three villages to complement these walkways with outside heaters and places where live music of various types will entertain while you sit and listen and rest your aching feet. These villages are called the Winter Garden, Water Circus and just plain 'Village'. There is also the Bond Street road with dark wood entrances to the shops with an olde worlde feel.
Outside of the centre there is still 50 acres of landscaped parkland, and there are also seven lakes and you can take rowing boats out there. AND a Showcase Multiplex Cinema showing a wide range of the latest films.
The opening hours of the centre are ideal for workers who have little time in the day to do shopping on any grand scale, and I tend to go there after having cooked the evening meal if I still have the energy. Opening times: Mon - Fri 10am - 9pm. Sat 9am - 8pm and Sunday 11am - 5pm.
On any one visit, I have never managed to get around the whole of the centre. Last week I spent five hours shopping with two of my daughters and we were too tired to continue any further. It takes a shopper with more stamina than me to do it in one day but I am sure there are those among you who could manage that.
Bluewater has brought many new jobs to the local people and also helped to raise the profile of this much maligned area of Kent.
The decoration of the centre is bold with material hanging cones in primary colours, hanging from the tall skylights. Bluewater spend huge sums of money making sure that the centre is decorated with seasonal decorations and workers continue to work through the night to keep it a magical experience for the children to see it.
The centre has received accreditation for 'International Standard Environmental Management'. Whoever was the architect, s/he certainly did an impressive job, and I commend Gravesham council for letting it be built.
With thanks to www.bluewater.co.uk for providing some of the information.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Good review, but too far away for me! It sounds like people have really thought about the planning.
Janej47 16.11.2006 20:38
Lol .... quitter ! I did it in one day ... no choice realy as I live up in Lincs and we've got bugger all here . Meadowhall is my closest decent centre , but Im bored stoopid with it . I admit my day at Bluewater was pretty non stop and exhausting , but I did get all the way round . I loved it . My bank account hated it . J xx
redhotfeet 14.11.2006 15:48
There are so many shops but its not really for me, I just find it too busy and stressful! Probably cos I dont have the money to splash out on a spending spree, then I'm sure it would be much more enjoyable! Claire xxx
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