CAPE of Good Hope Bank and Retail Africa, their partners in the R45 million Paradys Park shopping centre in Brackenfell, have decided to upgrade the centre, improve access to it and go for a new tenant mix and image.
The changes should be complete and the new tenants installed in time for the December upswing in sales.
Sulayman Abdullah, a senior portfolio manager in CoGHB Property Partnerships Division, said that ever since the launch in 1998, the 7 000 square metre Paradys Park centre had been 'trying to find its identity'.
'At present,' he said, 'it has as anchor tenants a Spar, a Virgin Active gymnasium and a timber centre outlet. It also has such well-liked tenants as Cash Crusaders, The Write Shoppe, Kolnicks Linen Shop and Santile Ceramics - but it has as yet acquired no consistent image as its offerings are very diverse.'
CoGHB's market research, said Abdullah, had indicated that what shoppers in the fast growing residential area around Paradys Park are looking for is a lifestyle centre with convenient stores on one side and a comprehensive home improvement/D-I-Y centre on the other.
The partners are therefore focusing on retailers which cater for the home improvement sector - hardware merchants, kitchen, bathroom, cupboard and sanitary ware suppliers, tilers, carpenters, appliance retailers and the like.
'We see the south side of the complex becoming a home improvement node on a par with the best in the Western Cape.'
Abdullah added that the centre already has a fully equipped pizzeria outlet which, in his opinion, has 'immense potential'.
'All it needs is an owner-manager with organisational skills and drive,' he said.
In the eastern sector of the complex, he said, there are convenience stores around the Spar outlet which can still be added to and new tenants such as a veterinarian, a doctor , haidresser and a pet shop would be ideal.
An important part of the new plan is that the east entrance to the complex which leads off Paradys Street will be changed to align it with the Pick 'n Pay Hypermarket entrance. Shoppers visiting the two complexes will, therefore, not only have easier access to both but, said Abdullah, will begin to realise that they are complimentary - especially as Paradys Park has ample parking.
A slipway off Frans Conradie Drive is also being considered and, if approved by the municipal authorities, will add significantly to the number of vehicles visiting Paradys Park, he said.
Publisher: Weekend Argus
Source: Weekend Argus
