My Beat Regent Street
Journalist David Davis (ex Times) reports from the world's first shopping street, which dates back to the early 19th century. Originally conceived as a processional route for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, it was completed in 1826. Managed on behalf of the Queen by The Crown Estate Regent Street's 1.5 miles of frontage, is undergoing a £500 million transformation to maintain its status beyond the 21st century.Monday, May 09, 2005
Bubbles & Geeks
Most days you'll find a young man from San Diego, California outside Hamleys, (www.hamleys.com) armed with two toy pistols and showering passers-by with a double helping of bubbles. Keane is manager of Regent Street's oldest flagship store which draws customers literally from every corner of the globe.
This afternoon the showers kept Keane and a single bubble gun inside but still he was having fun. "I'm really a kid at heart" he told me "and so are most people who come to Hamleys, young or old".
Just across the street is Apple's (www.apple.com) first European store. Located in Regent House, an original Nash building opened in 1898, it is a huge playroom for the IPod generation. Filled with hundreds of free to use computers and a vast array of IPod gadgets, and a glass staircase leading to a lecture theatre, it has attracted thousands of people since it opened last November, the latest and most exciting flagship store in Regent Street.
Duty manager Chris, who joined Apple a year ago from Marks & Spencer, was proud to explain: "Steve Jobs' policy is to make all our products freely available for everyone to use and to help them understand how to get the best out of them."
Such is the relaxed very soft-sell atmosphere I noticed many people actually using the computers to email friends and family, with the all dressed in black staff looking on admirngly.
People like Bayal, a young bank executive who arrived in London less than a month ago simply gushed with excitement. "It is a most incredible place...I never thought such places existed".
This afternoon the showers kept Keane and a single bubble gun inside but still he was having fun. "I'm really a kid at heart" he told me "and so are most people who come to Hamleys, young or old".
Just across the street is Apple's (www.apple.com) first European store. Located in Regent House, an original Nash building opened in 1898, it is a huge playroom for the IPod generation. Filled with hundreds of free to use computers and a vast array of IPod gadgets, and a glass staircase leading to a lecture theatre, it has attracted thousands of people since it opened last November, the latest and most exciting flagship store in Regent Street.
Duty manager Chris, who joined Apple a year ago from Marks & Spencer, was proud to explain: "Steve Jobs' policy is to make all our products freely available for everyone to use and to help them understand how to get the best out of them."
Such is the relaxed very soft-sell atmosphere I noticed many people actually using the computers to email friends and family, with the all dressed in black staff looking on admirngly.
People like Bayal, a young bank executive who arrived in London less than a month ago simply gushed with excitement. "It is a most incredible place...I never thought such places existed".
Frankly, neither did I.
posted by David & Beryl Davis # 4:31 PM 
Archives
April 2005
May 2005
