Undercover shopping.. (Brent Cross Shopping Centre)

Member Name: vhart

Product:	Brent Cross Shopping Centre
Date:	07/10/00 (190 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: close (to me, anyway.. and they're my advantages!), loads of shops

Disadvantages: tube station too far from the centre!

I have a great deal of affection for Brent Cross. Some of my happier moments have been spent there.. no, not really, I'm not quite -that- sad, but I do remember it very well, from when my grandmother took me there are a child, and I thought the fountain in the middle was the most amazing thing in the whole world.

Now, I've been to all sorts of malls, in many different countries, but have returned time after time to my old stomping ground (not least because I currently live a 5 minute walk away!).

It has changed a lot. They have added a whooping great car park, a third level, and currently, the developers are battling with Barnet Council for planning permission to extend even more. The fountain isn't quite as fascinating as it was when I was six, but the shops are undoubtably better!

There is a Fenwicks at one end and John Lewis at the other, and in the middle, a lot of the standard 'high street' chains you might expect, a Smiths, Boots, Body Shop, a variety of 'fashion' both male and female, Virgin and an HMV. The lack of food provisions was a serious fault pre-refurbishment, but now, the MacDonalds (which claimed to be the busiest in the country - unsurprising, as for decades it was the only place to eat in the centre) has been joined by a Pizza Hut and a few cafes which I've never rated too highly and a quite nice but a bit more pricey Mr Ed's Burger place.

Back to the shops though, it has just about the standard fare, the differences being, there is no decent bookshop, only Smiths, and as far as I'm concerned that will always be my biggest problem with the place. They do have events over Christmas, various fashion shows and kids activities in the holidays (where they board over the fountain...).

As for access, it is very close to Staples Corner, the beginning of the M1. It has loads of free parking and a bus station in the centre. As for the Tube, well, don't be fooled,
Brent Cross Tube Station is at least 10 mins walk from the centre, but there's a bus which goes from outside the station, but if you do walk it's signposted and you even get a chance to play 'spot the rat' in the beautiful Brent River.. mmm..

But don't be put off too much! It's a standard shopping centre, like you find in many cities up and down the country, with nothing 'special' or 'exciting', but with all the requisite shops to save you bearing the West End!

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