Virtual London shopping world launches Monday

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 26-Nov-09, 10:45

LONDON - NearLondon, the interactive online virtual shopping world, launches in beta phase on Monday 30 November, a week before the programme will be handed out on disc to consumers in central London.

Users will be able to navigate around London's West End, including stores such as John Lewis, Liberty and Marks & Spencer.

The application will be available from Nearglobal.com and Downloadnear.com. Users will be given passwords and downloads will be staggered to spread the demand on the servers during the first week.

It will also be handed out on disc on the streets of London during the week of 7 December.

Built using data gathered from laser scanning the city and modelled with video games technology, NearLondon allows users to explore an online carbon copy of the West End and shop in many of its stores.

At launch, the service will focus on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street.

It will expand over the coming months to cover the whole West End area, including Mayfair, Soho, St James', Bloomsbury and Covent Garden.

New features such as games, events, entertainment and information will also be added.

Alex Wrottesley, co-founder of parent company NearGlobal, said: "This is very much the start of a journey for us. The launch version of NearLondon will give users a taste of what is to come with the 3D web, and we hope to be at the heart of it."