Taking care of the golden goose
A picturesque location often attracts development which then destroys the original reason for its charm. However, thatÔÇÖs not always the case, as Alan Swaby discovers.
Less than a decade ago, Umhlanga Rocks was a very pretty but largely undeveloped holiday destination for South Africans who didnÔÇÖt want to get involved with the hurly burly of DurbanÔÇÖs Golden Mile. Just 15 kilometres away from downtown Durban, Umhlanga was still largely in the business of growing sugar cane but the seeds were already in place for immense and rapid changes.
A less desirable aspect of black democracy in South Africa is that the central business districts of major cities have changed in character. Once sophisticated and international in style, they have often degenerated into crime-ridden and night time no-go areas.
Such is the case in Durban and since the mid-1990s office developers have been keen to find new homes for the cityÔÇÖs many businesses. It was the ideal climate for Tongaat Hulett to exploit, owning, as it did, vast tracts of land up the north coast of KwaZulu Natal.
ÔÇ£But Tongaat Hulett Developments managed the process well,ÔÇØ explains Adrian Raw, centre manager for South AfricaÔÇÖs largest shopping complex. ÔÇ£They very carefully prepared spatial development plans based on sophisticated models which would shift the balance northwards from Durban but at the same time preserving the beauty and desirability of the coastline.ÔÇØ
The geography of Umhlanga meant that there was little scope for development around the existing town centre. Today the focus of attention is in the new town, a couple of kilometres away on top of a rise which provided office developers who got in early enough with the most spectacular views down the coast towards Durban.
From the mid 1990s there were plans for a shopping centre in Umhlanga but it wasnÔÇÖt until Old Mutual, one of the countryÔÇÖs major life assurance providers and property developers, bought the land in 1998 that things started to move. Architects from the US were engaged to form a master plan on what was once DurbanÔÇÖs municipal rubbish dump. Over 300,000 tons of waste landfill had to be excavated before construction could begin but in October 2001, Gateway opened its doors with 140,000m2 of GLA (gross lettable area).
ÔÇ£At the time Gateway was the largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere,ÔÇØ says Raw, ÔÇ£but it still got off to a slow start. ItÔÇÖs fair to say that tenants, particularly the smaller, independent ones, were disappointed. Then there were only 90 tenants compared with the 400-plus we have today.ÔÇØ
Nevertheless, the presence of Gateway became something of a magnet and considerable residential development took place, but this was once again carefully managed to preserve the overall feel of the region. At least 4,000 new homes have been built in the close proximity and Gateway now attracts 24 million visitors a year. WhatÔÇÖs more, its catchment area is one of the most affluent in the country.
ItÔÇÖs the sort of complex where one would reasonably expect to find a casino among the many other entertainment attractions but Old Mutual has resisted the temptation. ÔÇ£There are already two casinos nearby that compete with us,ÔÇØ says Raw, ÔÇ£but Old Mutual prefers to remain with its family-oriented image and business strategy in which gaming wouldnÔÇÖt be an appropriate fit.ÔÇØ
Gateway is unique in South African retail circles, in that approximately 40 per cent of its GLA is directed towards entertainment of one kind or another. There are cinemas and theatres, caf├®s and restaurants, and it has one of only two IMAX screens in the country. It opened the first artificial wave machine and provides a skateboard park for youngsters and a concert arena in its Wavehouse complex. ThereÔÇÖs the Science Centre where students from the regionÔÇÖs outlying schools can come along and experience hands-on experiments. In addition, GatewayÔÇÖs 6,500m2 Virgin Active gym has two pools and a current membership base of approximately 8,000.
Gateway undertakes an enormous amount of work in providing customer service training for the 450 members of its service provider staff who are responsible for such roles as security, cleaning, parking, landscaping and waste management.
ÔÇ£Employing security guards is not difficult,ÔÇØ says Raw, ÔÇ£but their previous training doesnÔÇÖt give us the kind of personnel we want. They come with a hard military style and we want something far more approachable. Similarly, the cleaning staff who arrive from the poorest backgrounds often need encouragement and a boost to their self-esteem in order that they can interact with customers in the way we want.ÔÇØ
Gateway has developed some novel methods of training. First, it exposes all new staff to the centreÔÇÖs facilities. They go to the IMAX and experience the attractions at the Wavehouse. They might even have the very first restaurant meal of their lives at Gateway. ItÔÇÖs all part of the process of explaining how customers are attracted to Gateway by the quality of the shopping experience and that staff are an integral part of that experience. They are trained and encouraged to interact with customers, offering assistance or directions when asked, or even when they simply sense that someone needs help. Typical real-life scenarios and case studies form part of the training process and are given to staff in the form of an easy-to-read comic book.
ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs very rewarding,ÔÇØ says Raw, ÔÇ£to see someone, with little or no customer service experience, blossom and develop into a confident and capable staff member who can then win promotion up through the ranks.ÔÇØ
Gateway also supports its retailers via a third-party consultant. ÔÇ£Some of them are really quite na├»ve about their business,ÔÇØ says Raw. ÔÇ£Our consultant, Resolutions, offers help with product selection, merchandising and window-dressing; anything to grow their business.ÔÇØ
Not wishing to kill the golden goose, a sensitive partnership between developers and planners has largely retained the simplicity and charm of the area, while providing residents and office workers with some of the best retail facilities in the world.
