Since the big day, retail fit-out works at London St Pancras have
proceeded at varying speeds. In order of progress the situation is as
follows:
* More than four-fifths of the Arcade units are now operational
* The Circle area is now partially exposed - the ceiling and floor are
by and large complete, and some units (notably the Boots concept store
that car park and toilet users pass on the way) are being stocked
* The Market is now expected to open in the summer as LCR/NR have
provisionally selected an operator and are negotiating the contract
(info given over the phone)
* The Rendezvous units are still being worked on (except the four
nearest the MML concourse (and the Champagne Bar of course), which are
already operational) - the Brasserie is now expected to open in thr
autumn (latter part of paragraph given over the phone)

All in all, it's progress, but it's very slow.

On 18 Mar, 12:42, Sky Rider wrote:
Since the big day, retail fit-out works at London St Pancras have
proceeded at varying speeds. In order of progress the situation is as
follows:
* More than four-fifths of the Arcade units are now operational
* The Circle area is now partially exposed - the ceiling and floor are
by and large complete, and some units (notably the Boots concept store
that car park and toilet users pass on the way) are being stocked
* The Market is now expected to open in the summer as LCR/NR have
provisionally selected an operator and are negotiating the contract
(info given over the phone)
* The Rendezvous units are still being worked on (except the four
nearest the MML concourse (and the Champagne Bar of course), which are
already operational) - the Brasserie is now expected to open in thr
autumn (latter part of paragraph given over the phone)

All in all, it's progress, but it's very slow.


I'd imagine they've slowed down. When they were rushing to get the
thing open it would have been all hands on deck. But once it became
clear that many of the retail facilities were going to miss the
deadline regardless, they probably didn't care whether they missed it
by three months or a year - and a year will almost ceertainly be
cheaper to achieve.

Jonn

In message
, at
07:00:06 on Tue, 18 Mar 2008, remarked:
When they were rushing to get the thing open it would have been all
hands on deck. But once it became clear that many of the retail
facilities were going to miss the deadline regardless, they probably
didn't care whether they missed it by three months or a year - and a
year will almost ceertainly be cheaper to achieve.

The TV programme about the station kept harping on about penalty
payments for late opening. Presumably these don't apply to the fitout-
or are the builders past caring now?
--
Roland Perry

On 18 Mar, 12:42, Sky Rider wrote:
* More than four-fifths of the Arcade units are now operational

Although some of the more boutiquey shops look yet to get their first
customer. There's a posh shirt shop on the west side where the staff
looked suicidal last time I passed. The food shops are doing well.

(and how long was the big Marks and Spencer open for? It opened after
the station and closed again at least a month ago, so it can't have
more than a few weeks. Deserted too)

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Mr Thant wrote:

Although some of the more boutiquey shops look yet to get their first
customer. There's a posh shirt shop on the west side where the staff
looked suicidal last time I passed. The food shops are doing well.

I haven't paid particular attention to the boutique staff but I know
what you mean. The book shop looked moderately busy when I last saw it.

I have to say that I am rather partial to the Peyton and Byrne chocolate
cake, although their rather basic seating leaves a lot to be desired.
Camden Food are OK but a raspberry muffin I bought from them at Euston
was like a rubbish fairy cake with two small raspberries on the top...

(and how long was the big Marks and Spencer open for? It opened after
the station and closed again at least a month ago, so it can't have
more than a few weeks. Deserted too)

The big M&S store was probably open for about a month before they
mothballed it. I do hope they reopen it soon because as much as I like
the food that Le Pain Quotidien and their ilk offer, M&S generally sell
similar quality goodies for less since they are not just a bakery/cafe/etc.

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008, Sky Rider wrote:

Mr Thant wrote:

Although some of the more boutiquey shops look yet to get their first
customer. There's a posh shirt shop on the west side where the staff
looked suicidal last time I passed. The food shops are doing well.

I haven't paid particular attention to the boutique staff but I know what you
mean. The book shop looked moderately busy when I last saw it.

I have to say that I am rather partial to the Peyton and Byrne chocolate
cake,

Their scotch egg is also very good indeed.

tom

--
Any problem in computer science can be solved with another layer of
indirection. But that usually will create another problem. -- David
Wheeler

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
.li...
On Tue, 18 Mar 2008, Sky Rider wrote:

Mr Thant wrote:

Although some of the more boutiquey shops look yet to get their first
customer. There's a posh shirt shop on the west side where the staff
looked suicidal last time I passed. The food shops are doing well.

I haven't paid particular attention to the boutique staff but I know what
you mean. The book shop looked moderately busy when I last saw it.

I have to say that I am rather partial to the Peyton and Byrne chocolate
cake,

Their scotch egg is also very good indeed.

tom

--
Any problem in computer science can be solved with another layer of
indirection. But that usually will create another problem. -- David
Wheeler

No likelihood then of a resurrection of the Two Ronnies joke about the rare
sighting of the Great South American Dung Beetle

......... just been spotted trying to roll a Scotch Egg out of Waterloo
station buffet

On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 07:12:36AM -0700, Mr Thant wrote:
On 18 Mar, 12:42, Sky Rider wrote:
* More than four-fifths of the Arcade units are now operational
Although some of the more boutiquey shops look yet to get their first
customer.

Gosh, I wonder why. Perhaps it's because people go to railway stations
to catch trains, not to go shopping.

--
David Cantrell | Enforcer, South London Linguistic Massive

Deck of Cards: $1.29.
"101 Solitaire Variations" book: $6.59.
Cheap replacement for the one thing Windows is good at: priceless
-- Shane Lazarus

Have they fixed the heating problem yet? Last time I had a look around
the shops there they had no heating at all - the only place where it
seemed to work was in the Eurostar ticket office. Some shops had
signs blaming a general problem across the station.

I have to say I'm very disappointed that the shops, restaurants and
market are taking so long to complete. I was also very disappointed
with the lack of facilities once you've gone through security in the
Eurostar terminal itself. I seem to remember there was one tiny cafe
and one tiny WH Smith (with an enormous queue).

Still a gorgeous station though and fantastic to have such quick
trains to Europe.

On Mar 19, 9:49*pm, wrote:

fantastic to have such quick
trains to Europe.

Is it not already in Europe then ?

--
Nick