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GEORGE NEWS - The George central business district (CBD) is seeing many changes with a number of well-known shops closing down or moving elsewhere in town.
Two shops from the Edcon group, Edgars (Hibernia Street) and Boardmans (not in the CBD, but at Knysna Road Pick n Pay Centre) recently closed their doors.
Three businesses on the corner of Market and Meade Street have moved or are in the process of relocating. Curves gym exchanged its old premises for a new address at the Pick n Pay Centre. Curtains and Linens is moving to the industrial area in June and Carpets and Curtains relocated to Courtenay Street.
Tip Top Jewellers moved to York Street and the owner, Bes Bezuidenhout, whose store was situated in his own building in Market Street for many years, now pays rent to another landlord.
The business owners that the George Herald spoke to, all agreed that harassment of their customers by car guards is one of the main reasons for their change of address. Curves owner Beverley Schuin says her customer numbers dwindled at her old premises in Meade Street.
"I saw that there is a movement of business to the east. In addition, some of my clients complained that they felt unsafe in the town centre after hours. Since opening in the Pick n Pay Centre, I have signed up 50 new clients, mostly from passers-by walking in."
Gavin Woolls, owner of Curtains and Linens says he is moving because of a combination of high rent, inadequate parking facilities, car guards that make a nuisance of themselves and deteriorating security. He also wants to upgrade his business at new premises in Tamsui Industria.
Another shop owner who did not want to be named, moved from Market Street because, "The car guards were just terrible and used to bombard and harass my clientele. On numerous occasions my husband had to go out to the parking area to escort customers into the shop. The cost of rental for the kind of traffic that passed on foot by our shop was just too much."
Landlord Pierre Joubert of Joubert Trust, said security and car guards definitely have an impact on their efforts to draw new tenants to the CBD. "But tariffs here fell after the big economic downturn of a few years back.
Considering the current challenging economic conditions, I do not think occupation figures are very low."
A solution for the car guard issue is eluding everyone. Said Joubert: "With the lower rentals we charge it is not viable for commercial property owners to provide security at parking areas. We have tried to appoint our own car guards, but it becomes too expensive and is a logistical problem with guards demanding minimum wages, lunch time, tea time and paid holidays."
Despite these challenges, Bes Bezuidenhout is also fairly satisfied as his rental space is almost full.
More changes to come in the near future include the move of Loerie Toyota from Courtenay Street (after 15 years) to its new premises at Eden Meander. Owner of the building, Noeline Loubser, said they have an interested buyer for the 6 000m², three-storey building.
If a sale does not realise, the building is up for rental. The new Sars building at the Garden Route Mall is also progressing well and the revenue services' move from York Street is imminent.
The glass building that will be vacated has its tenants waiting in the form of the various departments of its new owner, the Western Cape Provincial Government.
- Using parking attendants with handheld parking meters in the CBD were previously considered by George Municipality and a report on parking issues will be tabled in council soon.
- Comment from the Edcon media relations department regarding the closure of Edgars and Boardmans is being awaited.
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Curtains and Linens is moving at the end of June. Opposite it the empty shop in Joubert Plaza where Carpets and Curtains was trading, is still to be filled.
ARTICLE & PHOTOS: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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