What's New In Intu Shopping Mall, Watford?

Shopping and Entertainment

Always some entertainment in shopping malls in addition to the shopping. The bigger malls have events on major holidays such as school half terms and Christmas. At Brent Cross mall in Hendon and at Intu in Watford I have seen contraptions flinging people up and down like a funfair. You also get performers interacting with the crowd, calling out to encourage children to join in talent shows, or singing (often noisy), and choirs singing carols at Christmas. 

You also get the same sort of events in the middle of some of the malls in Singapore. Pick up the local free newspapers given out at the stations in the morning and check out what's on and where. Sometimes it is a place to keep the children entertained, or to park grandma, granddad or Dad, with or without the children, while you go shopping.

I loved this house with the bird pictures. What a great idea for a nursery. Not just an empty house, but one with pictures on the outside. I would have liked more information on the birds.

Here's an ad for free broadband. Some shopping malls have free wifi. Or you can go into a Costa Caffe or pub. I've joined free wifi whilst I stood waiting in the lobby of a gym (in Harrow) when I was attending a sports injury session (paid for by insurance of the other party after a car accident). You also get free wifi on a lot of railway stations in London, though there may be a limit of half an hour, usually enough when you are waiting for a train, for example on Watford station.

I imagine you can't go inside the house because it's not designed that way. You don't want children getting shut in or damaging it. But if you are a designer that could be the next thing to add to a children's play area. 

Further along the shopping mall you come to an open area with little wooden animals just the right height for small children to climb over and sit astride. Hours of entertainment and delay.

Back into the shopping mall on your way back to the station. The birds on the house on the lower level of the shopping mall amused me. The same artist has created several more artwork.

A train runs around the mall taking children for rides for a charge.

The train is not free? No. Alas.

Anything free? Yes. You might get a free fortune cookie from the information counter. Last time my fortune cookie told me I needed retail therapy. Once a message said something like you can never have too many shoes, or if you like them buy two colours. I was amused by this subtle or blatant promotion of shopping.

Intu shopping mall, Watford. A short walk from the Watford High Street station.

www.intu.co.uk

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer