Headline photo: Wallis House by Chris Sampson | CC-BY SA | Flickr
Just north of Kew Gardens and Syon Park, there's a stretch of road beloved by London's architecture aficionados.
The Great West Road opened in 1925, bypassing Brentford High Street and creating a new hive of industry in the area. Through the 1930s, global companies built their headquarters and factories here, attracted by easy transport and room to build.
We've put a gold star the Golden Mile on our interactive Friday Fun Fact map: Google My Maps.
There are (and have been) many iconic Art Deco buildings along the Great West Road, such as the Grade II-listed Gillette Factory with its 150ft clock tower and the Firestone Tyre factory (now demolished, but the gates remain as listed and protected architecture). These buildings were designed to impress, and they created a new sense of glamour and excitement in the area.
The Golden Mile lost a bit of its lustre in the 1970s and 1980s, as global businesses moved on to other parts of the country. However, the spotlight is swinging back onto the Great West Road, as it becomes home to a new mix of big businesses such as GlaxoSmithKline plc, Sky and JCDecaux.
Left photo: Gillette Building, Brentford by Alexander P Kapp | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Geograph
Right photo: Pyrene (fire extinguisher) Building by Chris Sampson | CC BY-SA | Flickr
The future looks bright for the Golden Mile. With its excellent transport links and its rich history, it is well-positioned to attract new businesses and residents. If you want to make your home or invest in London property in an area that’s on the rise, Brentford is a good choice.
In fact, new-build developments are moving in making the most of the exceptional resources around Brentford. Besides the job opportunities on the Golden Mile, Chiswick Business Park is just one quick bus ride away. This business park hosts the European or UK offices of some big names like CBS, QVC, Singapore Airlines, Pernod Richard, Pokémon and London’s number one estate agency brand, Foxtons.*
The area is well connected through the Piccadilly line, District line, South Western Railway and Overground. It is also quite beautiful with Syon Park and Kew Gardens nearby, and picturesque views of the river Thames right through it.
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*Source: TwentyCI data, H1 2023 v H1 2022 market share and market growth of New Instructions at a brand level
