Another two major shopping centres in the portfolio managed by Old Mutual Properties, a subsidiary of listed financial services group Old Mutual plc (OML), are being expanded as strong consumer spending continues to buoy the retail sector.
 
Announcing the latest expansion plans, Old Mutual Properties said the growth at Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga, and Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Pretoria, was yet another indicator by chains of their confidence in the centres.

A 130 million rand redevelopment and expansion of Riverside Mall in Nelspruit, which was drawing a host of top retailers into an additional 13,000 square metres of space, is due for completion in November.
 
At Gateway, which posted a 24.7% increase in sales in 2004, Sportsman's Warehouse and Boardman's, a division of Edgars Consolidated Stores (Edcon,ECO), have chosen to open new stores. The Sportsman's Warehouse store of 1,245 square metres is scheduled to open in October, while Boardman's aim to begin trading in their 963 square metre store by August.
 
The choice of Gateway as a location for these stores further enhances the centre's position as the major retailing and entertainment venue in KwaZulu- Natal, Old Mutual Properties said. Last year, the Edcon Group boosted its presence in the KwaZulu-Natal market by opening a 6,000 square metre Edgars store and a 1,000 square metre Jet store at Gateway. Game, the largest retail discount chain in the Massmart group (MSM), opened a 6,600 square metre store.
 
At Menlyn Park, Edgars is expanding its store by 20% by adding 1,261 square metres of space. Trading in the expanded area is scheduled to begin at the end of October.

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