Olympics shopping centre on cue

The shopping centre is expected to generate thousands of jobs

Construction of a £1.45bn shopping centre next to the Olympic Park in east London has reached a formal milestone.

Work on a department store at Westfield Stratford City has been completed with a "topping out" ceremony.

The complex, which will have 300 shops and a multiplex cinema, is due to be open to the public in 2011.

Mayor Boris Johnson said the project would transform east London. The mayor of Newham said local shops would be protected when the centre opened.

Part of the development will be set aside for small businesses who can rent retail space there.

'Thriving communities'

The department store John Lewis has promised that 250 of its 700 jobs at the site will go to the long-term unemployed people in the local community.

Mr Johnson said: "The success of Stratford City is critical to the success of London's 2012 legacy.

"Sitting at the heart of this brand new district in the capital, it will serve and link together the thriving communities that will be created in east London over the coming years."

Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales said: "We don't think it will affect most of the shops in Newham.

"In fact we have plans so that when it does open we are able to protect what we've got.

"It may affect some other places like Romford and indeed the West End because half the population of London live in the East End of London."

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