Local information
Paddington
Paddington is an exciting and vibrant place to be at the moment with the new regeneration project, Paddington Waterside development, which aims to completely transform the Paddington Basin into an area of residential and commercial development. Places of interest are not rare in Paddington with Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Paddington Station and Little Venice merely walking distance and Camden Lock and London Zoo a short bus journey away.
Sheldon Square, in particular, is a bustling yet relaxing spot within Paddington which is home to bars, restaurants, retail shops and offices. The activity and energy this aspect of life in Paddington generates is making the area all the more popular and its accessibility and prime location mean that a variety of excellent facilities are on hand whether your interests lie in business or recreation. The terraces of Norfolk Square, on the other hand, offer a sense of grandeur to their surroundings as they rise evenly and steeply on either side with a sense of height strengthened by the relative narrowness of the gardens.
The distinguished St Mary's Hospital is also situated in Paddington and provides general hospital services to local communities in West London and beyond, and specialist services in paediatrics, obstetrics, infection and immunity, ophthalmology, robotic surgery and cardiology which are accessed by patients from across the nation and the world. St Mary's impressively holds some of the shortest waits for surgery, accident and emergency care and diagnostics with some of the best children's services in the country. They are currently working on a major plan to redevelop their 150-year-old estate with capital investment being ploughed into improving the service and refurbishing the wards. It is a successful and impressive establishment which perhaps explains why the Prince and Princess of Wales chose the Lindo Wing for the birth of their children.
Furthermore, transport routes are never too far in this part of London so that mobility and accessibility are never a problem. Whatever your location within W2, you are never more than 20-25 minutes walk from a bus or train station. Seven tube stations are especially prominent within the area; Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Paddington, Bayswater, Queensway and Royal Oak. There are also numerous bus stations dispersed within the area so travelling to other parts of Central London is not difficult. There is also a 2.5 mile-long elevated dual carriageway section of the A40 route in west London running from Paddington to North Kensington called the Westway. It runs immediately adjacent to the city's Hammersmith and City line and so is a great link between central and west London.
Paddington's accessibility in particular could never be questioned with London Paddington serving as a major National Rail and London Underground station complex. The station covers 13 acres with 3 acres of glass in the roof itself. It has also recently become assimilated into the routes of both the Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect services to London Heathrow Airport. This makes Paddington Waterside a prime location for both residential and business purposes. Paddington's role as a focal point for numerous cross-country routes means it is easy to travel, wherever your destination. Services to West Country, South Wales, Bristol, Manchester and Bath are all common and ensure Paddington is generally a convenient location whatever your needs.
