Glen relaunches with new focus BD 9 May 2001

THE revamped Glen shopping centre, opened in 1998, has relaunched.

The R350m, 45000m² centre in Oakdene, south of the N12 motorway had to spend more than R13m in rewaterproofing its elevated parking decks because of leaks. It has also invested R20m on refurbishing escalators and creating a retail mall on its waterside, featuring a model ship housing a fish restaurant.

Centre manager Roy Licht denies there have been structural problems. 'There were disruptions for customers and tenants because of the rewaterproofing operation. We have used a Swiss system the best available in putting things right.'

Asked whether tenants had refused to pay rent, Licht says some had experienced problems, but the centre helped by making individual arrangements with them.

Licht says there has been a change in the tenant mix, and the centre now focuses strongly on family shopping. The first casualties were night clubs, which found themselves 'out of place', and the number of restaurants has halved to about 16. New tenants include a 1000m² Mica hardware and lifestyle superstore and clothing stores.

Licht feels the emphasis on 'shoppertainment' in regional centres has been overplayed, and competition from casino complexes has to be accepted.

'Entertainment has its place, but not always in a shopping centre. We have entertainment areas, but our focus is on family shopping.

'Trading hours on Fridays have been extended to 9pm to encourage family shopping,' says Licht, who says he discovered a different world on his first appointment to the southern suburbs.

'This is the cusp of the new SA,' he says. 'Anyone who is pessimistic about our country's future should visit us at the weekend. They will find people from all walks of life mixing easily and enjoying themselves.'

Licht says the growing prosperity of the community is clear from the rising living standards of the Glen's customer base.

Major stores among the 150 tenants, such as Edgars, Woolworths, Pick 'n Pay and Clicks, have shown good growth in the past year, and foot traffic increased by 100000 in the year to March.