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A west London-loving sheikh is building a £127 million Shepherd’s Bush replica in the Middle East, complete with Westfield-inspired shopping centre.

His Excellency Sheikh Fahad Abdullah Al Araimi is a regular visitor to the area and is transporting a slice of London to his home in Oman in a project which will include a Westfield mall, English style landscaping, water features, fountains and roads.

Work has already begun on the vast Al Araimi Boulevard development, dubbed The Westfield of Oman, which is expected to be completed by September 2018.

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The sheikh, who is CEO of developers Al Raid Group, praised the Shepherd’s Bush shopping centre, listing it as one of his favourite places for he and his family to to visit.

During these holidays they live in Knightsbridge, but rather than recreate Harrods and its swanky environs, the sheikh has opted to model his shopping centre on the Ariel Way mall.

It will be located in Al Khoud, just a few kilometres from the centre of capital city Muscat, and spread across 147,200 sqm.

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Like Westfield, the complex rises in height over two levels from the ground to the glass skylight, while visitors will also be able to choose from a combination of the best high street and boutique brands on offer under one roof.

Entrance to the Omani Westfield will lead into a network of multi-storey pedestrian boulevards, enhanced with water features and exotic planting, that run the entire depth of the mall.

The boulevards will be lined with glass fronted stores providing more than 210 retail units ranging from 70-160 sqm in size.

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The Westfield of Oman will include an outstanding food and beverage court, and promises the finest outdoor dining experiences in the Middle East.

There will also be an entertainment area dedicated to both education and entertainment.

Spending time with his family at Westfield played a major role in the Sheikh’s new shopping centre.

The sheikh said: “My family love London and we are regular visitors. Shepherd’s Bush with its destination mall, picturesque parks and attractive mixture of modern and historic buildings are a favourite place.

“What impressed us about Shepherd’s Bush is the way it has become a true retail and leisure destination to rival that of London’s West End and Knightsbridge.

“We noticed that Shepherd’s Bush attracts the full spectrum of shoppers and day trippers including families, mature couples and young people. For us this was both inspiring, educational and a benchmark of good town planning.

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“Its this family friendly destination that we have sought to recreate with the new Al Araimi Boulevard development.

“We have sought to provide a truly world-class shopping and entertainment destination that has been carefully designed to completely revolutionise the shopping and leisure experience for the entire family.

“We strongly believe that spending quality time with family and friends is one of life’s great pleasures, and with this philosophy in mind and the inspiration provided by London that we have created Al Araimi Boulevard as an exceptional lifestyle destination created to bring people together in enjoyment.”

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