Screenshot of PR Consulting Twitter Feed | Source: PR Consulting

The Future of Public Relations and Social Media (Mashable)
“In the past decade, the Internet has had a huge impact on how PR professionals function. As of late, social media is changing the face of PR, as well. We interviewed 14 PR pros on the future of public relations and how they see social media changing the industry.”

Social network ad spending to exceed $2 billion in 2011 (Biz Report)
“The amount of money being spent on social network advertising continues to rise and eMarketer has recently revised its forecasts for this year and next in line with that growth. Facebook comes out on top.”

Westfield Returns to Profit (WSJ)
“Westfield Group, the world’s largest owner of shopping malls by value, posted its first net profit in two years and said it has weathered the financial crisis, with signs of retail improvements in key markets.”

American Apparel Shares Fall as Woes Rise (Bloomberg)
“American Apparel dropped in U.S. trading after saying it received a subpoena from the U.S. attorney’s office over changing accounting firms and that operating losses may result in its breach of a debt covenant.”

The Value of ‘Interactive Periodicals (WWD)
“Tablet-computer-ready periodicals could be a $3 billion business within the next four years. The bad news for magazine publishers (at least those betting on the iPad and its ilk as a one-stop white knight) is that $1.7 billion of those revenues already exist.”

Westfield Mall in White City | Source: Architecture Revived

How Westfield won us over (Independent)
“When the Australian property giant, the Westfield Group, opened its shining, £1.7bn retail cathedral in Shepherd’s Bush, West London, on 30 October 2008, its timing could not have been worse…One year later and the mood music from a number of the centre’s retailers appears more positive.”

Boutiques close as recession reshapes high street (The Times)
“Fashion retailers emerge among the recession’s leading casualties, with independent shops proving less able to weather the downturn than giants such as Next, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.  Nearly 18 per cent of women’s wear and children’s wear shops closed, and 15 per cent of independent fashion shops.”

Land Securities ends cut price rent as property demand rises (Drapers)
“Retail landlord Land Securities will no longer offer retail tenants rent concessions amid signs of increasing demand for space, leading to claims that landlords are back in the driving seat at the negotiating table.”

Bottega Veneta Unveils Design Competition (WWD)
“Bottega Veneta has launched a furniture design competition for students at The University of Tokyo. Bottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier was in town to review the 18 contenders’ initial sketches and outline the project to local journalist.”

American cult fashion shop Anthropologie opens in London (Guardian)
“London’s fashion credentials have been given a boost with the cult US store Anthropologie opening on Regent Street. Likened by the industry to the launch of Topshop in New York, the opening is the first for the brand in Europe.”

Artist's impression of Westfield London

LONDON, United Kingdom – I didn’t want to like the new $2.7 billion Westfield mall in London. I really didn’t.

For one thing, I’m American. I’ve done my fair share of time in malls. For another, this mall happens to be pretty much in my backyard in London’s Shepherd’s Bush and I had been indoctrinated for months before the opening that it would be a tragedy for local residents. And then there’s the name. The Australian developer has gone around the world gobbling up existing malls, building new ones, and calling them all the same thing: Westfield. Pretty un-inventive.

So, I didn’t go to Westfield for a very long time. But when I finally did make it there recently, I was completely blown away.

The design is stunning — light and airy, thanks to an atrium which, while not exactly the great outdoors, does make you feel like you are not in a mall.

The food choices were positively overwhelming. The Food Court had us so flummoxed that we were forced to flee — but so much the better because there is also a series of proper restaurants including The Real Greek, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, and The Kitchen Italia, which is what we chose. There was outside seating, but we sat inside near windows which faced onto a wall of ivy and a waterfall and with such a modern feel, we thought we could have been in a mall in California. In dreary London, that is a good thing.

After lunch, I went for a look around the shops and managed to spend £80 without even trying. COS and Massimo Dutti, two of the best value-for-money brands in my mind, were both there — so no more running to Regent Street or Knightsbridge during lunch. There is also a much-needed Apple store, but without the congestion of the Apple store on Regent Street, where the Genius bar is constantly jammed.

Twenty8Twelve, the Sienna and Savannah Miller brand, also has a Westfield outpost, saving jaunts into the congestion charge zone that annoyingly begins where Shepherd’s Bush ends. This is only notable because I spent £80 that would not have been injected into the retail economy had the mall not existed. I was not looking for anything and I would not have made the trip to visit any of these stores independently. It was all happenstance.

Since my first visit, I’ve been back several times and have never walked out empty handed. Judging from the other bag-laden shoppers I see roaming Westfield, neither is anyone else. Admittedly, I see more Next and Marks & Spencer bags than Prada ones, but very few of the stores have been empty and I can’t say that about the stores on Bond Street, even at sale time.

There have been reports of friction between Westfield and some tenants over service charges and the like and I’ve been told that in order to attract the multitude of brands, some major deals were offered to lure the luxury brands. Two years’ free rent, anyone?

But regardless, it seems, from my experience anyway, that the concept is a hit. Westfield is continuing with its plans for a mall in East London to coincide with the 2012 Olympics, although the economic climate has led it to postpone other projects in Nottingham, Bradford and Guildford.

The true test for Westfield will come next month, when the sales end. But I think that anyone who has been there will go back. And given that the mall is averaging ½ million shoppers per week since it opened, this bodes well for a successful future. Incidentally, the new cinema, which doesn’t even open until later this year, will inevitably draw even more people within irresistible spending distance of all those shops.

I’m curious to know if all is as sunny as it seems. If any retailers reading have shops in Westfield, please let me know if business is booming there or not.

Lauren Goldstein Crowe is co-author of a book on Jimmy Choo to be published by Bloomsbury later this year