Business / Local
Ascot Shopping Centre undergoing massive renovation
17 Mar 2014 at 09:24hrs | Views
PLANS are underway to turn Ascot Shopping Mall into a one-stop shop as its owners aim to boost business at the centre, an official has said.
The mall, along the Bulawayo-Johannesburg Road next to Holiday Inn Bulawayo, is currently undergoing massive renovation.
It is managed by John Pocock and Company, a leading property firm in Bulawayo, on behalf of the National Railways of Zimbabwe Pension Fund who own Ascot Shopping Mall.
In an interview with Southern Eye Business, John Pocock's commercial letting controller Darryl Friend said they wanted to turn the mall into a world-class shopping facility in order to lure more tenants and boost business which currently is said to be very slow.
Friend said a one-stop shop was ideal for the shopping complex.
A one-stop shop is a business centre where multiple services are offered and allows customers to get all they need in just "one stop".
John Pocock is one of the leading real estate agents in Bulawayo and they manage industrial, commercial and residential properties and conduct formal valuation of properties.
"Ascot mall has got potential because of its good location.
"We are renovating it and we expect it to be completed by mid-year. We want to run a craft market, gardening, hardware, among other things," Friend said.
"Currently we have a vegetable shop and we expect more tenants to come because there is lot of space available.
"We want to make it a one-stop shop because we want to provide different things in one place.
"We have some new tenants who are providing fast foods and other different things," he added.
Friend said companies that were doing renovations at Ascot Shopping Mall are from Bulawayo, adding that the facelift was a way of uplifting other Bulawayo companies.
He, however, could not disclose more information concerning the project and referred all the questions to the NRZ Pension Fund who were, however, not immediately available for comment.
Valerie Bell, the director of Bulawayo Publicity Association, said the developments taking place at Ascot Shopping Mall were a sign that Bulawayo was on a recovery.
"Bulawayo is far from dying. This is shown by what is happening at Ascot Shopping Mall," she said.
The mall, along the Bulawayo-Johannesburg Road next to Holiday Inn Bulawayo, is currently undergoing massive renovation.
It is managed by John Pocock and Company, a leading property firm in Bulawayo, on behalf of the National Railways of Zimbabwe Pension Fund who own Ascot Shopping Mall.
In an interview with Southern Eye Business, John Pocock's commercial letting controller Darryl Friend said they wanted to turn the mall into a world-class shopping facility in order to lure more tenants and boost business which currently is said to be very slow.
Friend said a one-stop shop was ideal for the shopping complex.
A one-stop shop is a business centre where multiple services are offered and allows customers to get all they need in just "one stop".
John Pocock is one of the leading real estate agents in Bulawayo and they manage industrial, commercial and residential properties and conduct formal valuation of properties.
"Ascot mall has got potential because of its good location.
"We are renovating it and we expect it to be completed by mid-year. We want to run a craft market, gardening, hardware, among other things," Friend said.
"Currently we have a vegetable shop and we expect more tenants to come because there is lot of space available.
"We want to make it a one-stop shop because we want to provide different things in one place.
"We have some new tenants who are providing fast foods and other different things," he added.
Friend said companies that were doing renovations at Ascot Shopping Mall are from Bulawayo, adding that the facelift was a way of uplifting other Bulawayo companies.
He, however, could not disclose more information concerning the project and referred all the questions to the NRZ Pension Fund who were, however, not immediately available for comment.
Valerie Bell, the director of Bulawayo Publicity Association, said the developments taking place at Ascot Shopping Mall were a sign that Bulawayo was on a recovery.
"Bulawayo is far from dying. This is shown by what is happening at Ascot Shopping Mall," she said.
Source - Southern Eye
