There is an eerie silence in a shopping centre beneath London Waterloo. Most of the shops sit empty. 📱Find out why here:
There is an eerie silence in a shopping centre beneath London Waterloo, the station from which Eurostar trains once whisked people from the capital to mainland Europe.
A "long, airport-style departure lounge houses all the usual shops: WHSmith, Upper Crust, Tie Rack", the Daily Mail approvingly said of the "customer-friendly terminal".In 2003, celebrities including Ulrika Jonsson, Anthea Turner and Sir Stirling Moss were on hand to help launch Eurostar's "express" service linking Waterloo and Gare du Nord stations.
In recent years, platforms 20 to 24 started hosting South West Railway trains serving destinations such as Reading, Bracknell and Winnersh. It is Waterloo International no more. "Cleanest toilets on the railway system," remarks one online commenter, ruling out hygiene issues as a possible explanation.
Nigel Crainey, chief operations and transformation officer at LCR, said: "The Sidings is a unique new experience-led destination in the heart of one of London's busiest transport hubs.