This month, tech giant Amazon opened the first two of its kind till-free grocery stores in Ealing and Wembley, located next door to the St George lifestyle designed homes at Filmworks and Grand Union, respectively.
A new and revolutionary concept in the UK, the stores allow customers to "just walk out" after collecting their goods without having to visit a till. Instead, they are virtually billed as they walk through the front door.
Both boasting a rich history in innovation, Ealing and Wembley are popular destinations for creatives and entrepreneurs. Ealing Film and Music Studios are the oldest studios in the world and the birthplace of thousands of recorded hours of creativity and entertainment including some of the most exciting international blockbusters, TV shows and record chart-topping hits.
The site of the former Forum Theatre, Filmworks celebrates Ealing's cinematic history with careful restoration of the cinema's original Grade II-listed façade and creation of buildings named after famous actors who starred at nearby Ealing Studios, the birthplace of British cinema.
Filmworks is set around a vibrant new public piazza with an array of shops, restaurants and bars and a new eight-screen Picturehouse cinema with over 1,000 seats. Adjacent to Filmworks is the recently renovated Grade I-listed Pitzhanger Manor, the former home of renowned British architect Sir John Soane. A cultural institution, Pitzhanger Manor is located within Walpole Park, a beautifully landscaped original parkland which is one of the finest green spaces in Ealing and is on the doorstep for Filmworks residents to enjoy.
The arrival of the Elizabeth line to Ealing will further increase accessibility to the store for its customers and employees, halving journey times across London, with travel to Bond Street in 11 minutes, Heathrow Airport in 14 minutes and Canary Wharf in less than half an hour.
As Ealing is acclaimed for its Studios, Wembley is world-famous for Wembley Stadium. Home to England's football team, over the years the site has hosted the 1923 and 1966 FA World Cup Final, the 1948 Olympic and Paralympic Games and, this year, will host the UEFA Euro final. As well as being an iconic design, the building's structure was innovatively built to support the 7,000 tonne steel roof, eliminating the need for pillars and the seating area as a single bowl which gives every spectator an unobstructed view of the stage or pitch.
Nearby, Grand Union by St George is a landmark new waterside development that will see the regeneration of the 22-acre former Northfields Industrial Estate into a vibrant new neighbourhood for North West London. Grand Union will also feature The Generator - an innovative concept and the first of its kind within the UK - offering flexible workspace for a range of start-ups, entrepreneurs and established businesses.
The masterplan ensures that Grand Union will provide a new place to live, work, relax and enjoy with high-quality landscaped open spaces including a canalside piazza, riverside meadow and waterside walkways. The 5,000 sq ft community centre will encompass community gardens and kitchens providing workshops and flexible event spaces for residents. Grand Union will also offer a waterside bar and restaurant, commercial gym and media centre as well as a Co-op supermarket and Twisty Tails nursery.
The new development will also reconnect the local area with the Grand Union Canal and River Brent by opening up previously inaccessible parts of these waterways to local residents. Stonebridge Park station is a 7 minute walk away provides easy access via the Bakerloo line to the City and West End. Improvement works to the route to Stonebridge Park station are also underway.
Stephen Kirwan, Operations Director, St George West London, commented: "A global tech brand such as Amazon choosing Ealing and Wembley for this major milestone is testament to its recognition that the neighbourhoods are thriving areas with residents that are open to new and exciting ways of living.
"We welcome Amazon's new stores and its vision for creating an effortless shopping experience. The more we continue to work from home and lead flexible lifestyles the more we need access to high quality and well-stocked supermarkets. Amazon recognises the opportunity in Ealing and Wembley. ."
For further information on Filmworks please contact 0208 5357 007 or visit the Filmworks website. Prices from Grand Union start from £425,000 for a Manhattan apartment. For further details about Grand Union, please contact St George on 0808 1788 838 or visit the website.
For further information on St George, visit the website.