Durban’s beachfront was quiet this week, as the rain fell and winds battered the sands. But had you wished to sit down at a coffee shop drinking a cuppa and watch the rough seas, you would have been hard-pressed to do so.
This week, a solitary woman manned a Durban Tourism booth and two street dwellers huddled for shelter under the eaves of a smart wood and steel retail outlet that has remained empty, partly because it and similar business premises – coffee bars, restaurants and kiosks – have not yet been occupied. Of the four main structures, only one is in use – Circus Circus, which had its official opening last week.
Walking between North Beach and uShaka Marine Park, it proved virtually impossible to find any form of refreshment, however humble, to stave off the winter chill. When the rain came bucketing down there was no friendly cafe to dash into.
City officials say they are taking their time to ensure the right standard of businesses occupy those facilities, but Gerhard Patzer, Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa chairman for KZN, said the beachfront was lacking in tourist appeal as the buildings remained unoccupied.
“The revamped beachfront looks good, but it doesn’t attract sufficient foot traffic. The shops are all standing empty, with the exception of Circus Circus’s Beach Cafe… Overall, there is far less available, in terms of food and beverages, than before the overhaul. The council needs to sort out what is there and attract business by offering appealing concessions, like rates holidays.
“We have to persuade businessmen that they are not going to go bust after a few months with high overheads while they battle to attract new clientele,” he said, adding that the city had “definitely not done enough” in that regard.
But Mike Andrews of the eThekwini Municipality strategic projects unit said the city had tried to get tenants at the four main facilities – Addington Beach, New Beach, Dairy Beach and Bay of Plenty – but only Circus Circus had taken up occupancy.
“The three vacant premises were previously put to tender, but no suitable tenders were received,” Andrews said, adding that these facilities would go out to tender by Friday, with the tenders closing on August 12.
Of the five smaller premises, only the one at Bay of Plenty had been occupied. The Skate Store had been trading there since December 2010.
“The city has made a strategic decision to hold the remaining premises (South Beach, Wedge Beach, Dairy Beach and Country Club 1 Beach) until such time as the four main restaurant premises have been let,” Andrews said.
Patzer believes there wasn’t enough consultation in the design process to ensure that the right people were interested in using those facilities.
“Sure, it’s a clean and improved precinct, but the hospitality industry was not involved in planning the new buildings. The whole thing was done without the appropriate industry consultation. It really doesn’t present Durban in a good light, all those empty shops.”
Property expert Herman Chalupsky, whose company Chalupsky Properties had a meeting with the eThekwini Municipality last week, said the council was trying to ensure it had the “right calibre” of businesses operating from these buildings.
“They want to attract the best clientele for the area. Whatever businesses go there need to enhance the promenade. We will source potential clients and scrutinise the tenders to get the best possible people in. The delay is simply to make sure the right calibre of people is operating from those outlets,” he said.
“If you look at the Circus Circus that’s just opened, that’s the type of clientele they’re going for,” Chalupsky added.
Andrews confirmed that the city had met with various people to find the appropriate tenders.
“Based on the success of the Circus Circus Beach Café and The Skate Store, indications are that the city will secure good quality tenders from experienced operators. We are accordingly confident that the remaining premises will be let and that the public will have access to a range of new food and retail experiences on our upgraded beachfront before year-end,” he said.
Andrews added that restaurants were not the only clientele the city was aiming for. Swimwear, surf and beach apparel stores are also being looked for.
There has also been speculation that Joe Kools, one of the beachfront’s “institutions”, had closed. But this is not the case. The Tribune understands that the previous owner has bought back the business and will be reopening within the next two months. - Sunday Tribune