Hounslow Council was honoured to welcome The Duke of Gloucester on Thursday 27 November for a special visit marking 100 years of the Golden Mile.
This iconic stretch of the Great West Road was first opened by King George V in 1925. Today, it is one of West London’s most important areas for new jobs, businesses and investment a place where the local economy is growing and changing fast.
The visit, hosted at the landmark JCDecaux building in Brentford, brought together leaders from business, development, education, culture and the community to celebrate a century of innovation, industry and design excellence and to look ahead to the next 100 years of opportunity.
The Duke toured an exhibition charting the origins of the Golden Mile, its globally recognised Art Deco architecture and its industrial past, before attending a board room programme of presentations on growth, regeneration and future investment along the corridor.
Presentations from historian James Marshall, Areli, Hadley Property Group and the University of West London explored the history of the Great West Road, current major redevelopment schemes, and the area's rapidly evolving economic role including proposals for new employment space, investment in skills and education, and a future vision for innovation-driven industry, media and technology in West London.
The Mayor of Hounslow later presented His Royal Highness with a book on the history of the Golden Mile, authored by James Marshall.
Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, said:
It was an enormous privilege to welcome The Duke back to a place first opened by His Royal Highness’s grandfather a century ago.
The Golden Mile began as one of Britain’s great industrial frontiers a place of remarkable architecture, creativity and invention. Today, it stands once again at the centre of a new wave of innovation, powered by media, education, technology, advanced manufacturing and design.
GM100 has been a moment to reflect, but also to look forward. The Golden Mile will continue to be a driver of sustainable, inclusive growth for London and for the UK creating jobs, skills, investment and new opportunities for generations to come.
I would like to thank JCDecaux for hosting the visit and all our partners and presenters who showcased brilliantly the heritage, ambition and potential of this unique corridor. Together, we will shape the Golden Mile’s next century, just as boldly as the last.
Over the past year, the GM100 programme has celebrated the Golden Mile’s history through exhibitions, trails and community-focused storytelling rediscovering the factories, people, products and ideas born here.
The Council continues to work with public and private partners to unlock regeneration and infrastructure funding, support job creation, enable high-quality development and ensure local people benefit from the Golden Mile's long-term success.
