The Golden Mile—once home to world-renowned manufacturing giants and now a centre of commercial revival—is being thrust into the spotlight as part of this ambitious centenary celebration.
Hounslow Council has unveiled a major cultural initiative to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great West Road – the iconic industrial artery that gave birth to west London’s Golden Mile. Dubbed Golden Mile 100 (GM100), the year-long programme of events will honour the area’s industrial past while setting the stage for its next chapter as a hub of creativity, innovation and community-led regeneration.
The Golden Mile—once home to world-renowned manufacturing giants and now a centre of commercial revival—is being thrust into the spotlight as part of this ambitious centenary celebration. In partnership with local groups like Brentford Voice, regional business networks such as West London Business, educational institutions, and the wider public, Hounslow Council aims to use the GM100 platform to explore the corridor’s legacy and engage residents in shaping its future.
The celebratory programme will feature more than just history. From immersive screenings inside the Grade II-listed Gillette Factory to cycling tours along the Great West Road, and hands-on architecture workshops in landmark buildings like the SEGA and JCDecaux sites, GM100 is a vibrant calendar of activity designed to resonate across generations.
“The Golden Mile has shaped west London’s industrial and cultural identity for the past century,” said Cllr Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development. “It has been a driver for economic growth on a large scale, as well as supporting residents of our borough with fantastic employment opportunities — indeed my grandmother, grandfather and great-grandfather all worked in factories along the Great West Road.”
“The Golden Mile has shaped west London’s industrial and cultural identity for the past century. Through these creative events, partnerships with universities, and our investment strategy, we’re setting the foundations for the Golden Mile’s next 100 years.”
Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader
He added: “With Golden Mile 100, we’re honouring that legacy and looking ahead. Through creative events, partnerships with universities, and our investment strategy, we’re laying the foundation for the Golden Mile’s next 100 years. This is a celebration for everyone — whether you’re a long-time resident, a student, a business owner or simply curious about this iconic stretch of west London. It’s about history, imagination, and collective ambition.”
The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2025 has also designated the Golden Mile a featured “Destination”, embedding GM100 in a wider citywide conversation around place-making, design and community. Rosa Rogina, Director of the LFA, remarked: “We’re thrilled to spotlight the Brentford Golden Mile as an LFA Destination for 2025. The centenary celebrations offer a powerful opportunity to amplify local voices, explore the area’s architectural legacy, and inspire new visions for urban regeneration.”
Highlights of the GM100 programme include:
- Audio-visual exhibitions on the 1925 opening of the Great West Road.
- Immersive tours and community history events led by local groups like Brentford Voice.
- Creative sessions for young people, including architecture taster days and a “social hackathon” hosted by the University of West London.
- Futuristic design challenges, encouraging participants to imagine the Golden Mile in 2125.
- Public realm activations in underused spaces along the corridor, bringing them to life through community art, installations and temporary interventions.
While much of the attention will rightly focus on the celebrated Art Deco buildings and factories of the Golden Mile’s past—including landmarks like the Gillette Building and the former GSK headquarters—the GM100 programme also looks to the future. New creative industries, co-working spaces, and sustainable infrastructure are part of the evolving character of this corridor, positioning it as a focal point in Hounslow’s economic growth agenda.
The borough’s inclusion in the LFA programme reflects a broader commitment by the Council to place cultural heritage at the centre of regeneration. GM100 sits within Hounslow’s wider strategy to support inclusive growth, promote design excellence, and champion communities as key actors in shaping their built environment.
As Cllr Bruce notes, “This isn’t just a commemoration — it’s a call to action. The Golden Mile has always been about ambition, invention and possibility. We want to harness that spirit again, this time with the community at the heart of it.”
From family-friendly summer events to deep dives into industrial history, GM100 offers a compelling invitation to residents and visitors alike to explore a stretch of road that has meant so much to west London — and promises to mean even more in the century ahead.
For more details and a full schedule of events, residents are encouraged to visit the council’s dedicated GM100 webpage and follow the hashtag #GoldenMile100 on social media.
