To think Bluewater is a very Hell on Earth!

[OraProNobis]

Although the reason I had to go there was nice - was lucky enough to win £1000 of Bluewater vouchers so went to spend them at Thomas Cook - I was blown away by the sheer size of it! I couldn't get my head round it either - perhaps it's just too huge and I'm just too menopausal! Does anyone use it frequently and actually understand it?

Used to work there. You either love it or hate it tbh. I loved it!

I love it, but you do need to be in the mood.

I prefer it to any other mall. It's in a triangle on two levels, with a big department store at each corner, so pretty easy to navigate.

I can remember when it was a quarry, (chalk, hence the blue water name).

Hoho

It's about twenty times nicer than Lakeside !

And it's quite small - just a very easy triangle from what I remember

I love Lakeside. Bluewater is a shit hole that should just be raised to the ground. Both are better than Bromley

I rather like Bluewater - small enough to be able to see to the end of each arcade, only two floors. Plenty of parking.

Now Lakeside...that is hell (and a hell without a bookshop).

It's my closest one and whilst I'm not much of a shopper, I do like a wander round Bluewater from time to time. I know it pretty well so I can get in and out quickly which is my main aim whilst shopping. Lakeside on the other hand - I would rather gouge my own eyes out with a shitty stick frankly.

Good friend, Saturday dad, used to take DS there for a day out.

A shopping centre is not a day out for a child.

I've just been reminded that Lakeside has a bookshop near Debenhams. Hurrah!

in2theblues - did they do the whole Adventure Park, climbing wall and cinema (which sounds like quite a good day out)? Or just wander the shops aimlessly.

I find Bluewater marginally less stressful than Lakeside, because it's better laid out and easier to navigate (plus DD likes the animals on the walls so we can play spotting games) but about 90% of the shops are far too expensive and non child friendly.
Things like the conveyor belt in Yo Sushi make for (albeit limited ) entertainment when you're 5 on a boring shopping trip,
Lakeside is hell on the level on IKEA-on-a-Saturday-afternoon.
I quite like the new Westfield at Stratford, given the choice.
Although Bluewater now has Five Guys, my guilty pleasure!!!

Oh - it's a triangle is it? - well that makes more sense! I just found it very very hot (like most places for me these days!) and exceedingly busy! Plus the young lady in Thomson (where I went in a haze of madness before Thomas Cook) spent 20 minutes assuring me that they had no way of getting me to Nice before showing me her computer screen to prove it to me. Nice. As in N I E C E. No bleedin' wonder she couldn't find flights or hotels!

I actually take issue with the fact that it claims to be the largest shopping centre! I personally think that The Metro Centre in Gateshead is bigger (and better).

I love Bluewater. During week or Sunday morning it's great. Saturday's are hell, and it's inaccessible during December, but it's by far the best shopping centre I go to.

YABU!

And I would avoid Bluewater at the weekend for sure. The times I have arrived and been unable to find a parking space on a Saturday! And dont get me started on the queues to get out over the Christmas period.

I've been to the Metro Centre many moons ago when DH still had family in that neck of the woods. I thought that was pretty awful too and I remember thinking it odd that every quarter of it seemed to have many of the same shops - especially strange shops selling 'decorative ceramics for the home'. Strange place.

myroom Parking at Westfield is fab - they have lights over each space, red if it's occupied, green if it's free. Genius.

MrsCakes it was wandering aimlessly. I think my friend was a bit shell shocked about being a Saturday dad and suffering from South East acquisition syndrome.

I'm always concerned about the aimless walking around with buggy's and bored children in shopping centres. 'Take 'em to the park.' I say.

Don't get me started about parking at Westfield.

Yes, there are often spaces and they're easy to find. But you have to pay for parking when you leave and the machines are massively unreliable.

At least BW parking is free.

BW is better than Westfield.

But they are both to be avoided whenever possible!

Sheffields Meadowhall is locally known as Meadowhell.

What's the one in the West Midlands....... - Oh yes - Merry Hill is it? Huge! I don't object to a shopping centre in principle but I thought Bluewater a bit frantic and soulless - I'm sure there was a place for coffee but I didn't see it.
And yes - there was a queue down the ramp to actually get into the parking! Madness.

I absolutely hated Bluewater until I had kids. Then I realised how great it was - cinema, loads of restaurants and cafes, two nice parks and loads of very nice toilets (which is essential with DD, who has ASD and continence issues).

Having gone back to The Glades in Bromley since, with it's one public toilet right at the far end of the mall, it's made me appreciate how well set out Bluewater is.

The downside is that yes, it is very expensive.

Love Bluewater - it's my local. But I much prefer it when I can go without the dc!

Yes - now that you mention toilets I will admit BW was very well served in that department. That does make a pleasant change.