A little bit of history
Paddington is the birthplace of penicillin. Sir Alexander Fleming first isolated penicillin in St Mary's Hospital. It is also home to Isambard Kingdom Brunel's triumphant Grade 1 Listed London Paddington railway station and the Bishop's Bridge (also known as Paddington Bridge) Brunel's first iron bridge. Many of Paddington's homes were built in Victorian and Georgian times. You'll find particularly attractive examples in Queens Garden and Cleveland Square, as well as on Gloucester Terrace, as seen in Tom Hank's Da Vinci Code.
Need to know
Today we are witnessing history in the making in Paddington with the 13 project, 80 acre redevelopment of Paddington Basin into stunning shops, offices and homes.
Shopping
As well as Sainsbury's Local, Tesco Metro and M&S, Queensway Market is open seven days a week. The Whiteley Shopping Centre, and former department store is now closed (December 2018), however Westminster Council have granted planning consent for the redevelopment of Whiteleys. The regeneration of Whiteleys will comprise over 1 million sq. ft. of mixed-use development within a restored Grade II listed building and provide 153 residential apartments and town houses, a 110-key hotel with restaurants and spa, a 32,000 sq. ft. gym, 75,000 sq. ft. of prime retail and parking. The design for the new Whiteleys has been inspired by the grand terraces of the surrounding streets lined with white stucco houses and garden squares. The original Grade II listed façade, central courtyard and dome of the former Whiteleys will all be restored, as will the majestic internal staircase which features as the centrepiece on the ground floor of the hotel. Enabling works are underway on site and the project is due to complete in 2023.
