The Brunswick

Cute strip-​mall/​concrete square with lots of shops and a few chain restaurants, surrounded by government housing. They’ve got Lots of food and clothing shops, a Robert Dyas, a Holland & Barrett, a movie theatre, and a Waitrose. Also I Love that they have seating areas. Perfect for the warm weather! (though they’re here year-​round)

It was such an amazing change to the neighbourhood when the Brunswick went from being a council estate with second-​hand and cheep stores in the middle. It was somewhere you avoided at night walking home… trust me. Now that the Brunswick has been redone, this is a lovely place to live and shop. There is the Waitrose of course, fashion stores, a Zavvi, health food stores, restaurants. Everything! This centre has completely evolved an it is wonderful. They have events and performances here which are entertaining for the whole family. It is extremely busy during lunch hour with benches for people to relax on in the court yard. It is amazing what a small group of shops can do for the atmosphere of an entire neighbourhood!

I used to live close by and when your options are between either King’s Cross or Russell Square, I was happy to find the Brunswick shopping center.
It is mostly outdoor, the shops surrounding the inner yard. Besides the basic Starbucks and Boots you can find a lovely independent cinema, chocolate boutique and nice places for dining.
The place is hidden from the cars and the tourists, very relaxed and recently renovated.

I may be a horrific snob, but since when has there been an L.K. Bennett in the middle of a council estate? There is now.
The Brunswick is a strange creature, catering for the gentrified folk who live and work around Russell Square, yet in itself consisting of mainly social housing built in the early 1970s. Originally a project in mixed housing, including some luxury apartments interspersed with less expensive housing, the Brunswick Centre ran out of finances before it was completed, and was sold to Camden Council. It slowly rotted away, with the majority of shops eventually closing, before being revived in 2004 with the opening of Waitrose and a whole host of gentrified shops and restaurants.
The Brunswick is now, a bustling shopping centre, with a positive vibe, and some interesting architecture, it is a Grade 2 listed building. Well worth a visit if you are in the Russell Square area.