Now I don’t understand the attitude of Excom at all – they’ve actively sought to amend their Constitution so that they can interfere and meddle in anything and everything, they claim to be so pro our safety and security, yet here comes a really important issue and what do they do? Roll over and play dead. They don’t give any dates – date of meeting, date of application, deadlines for submissions etc and also don’t even see the need to let all their members know let alone display an interest in how their members might feel.
Is this the attitude of Excom concerning the interests of Marina residents? Did the renowned Bombay handshake come into play?
Eastlake The Spar shop has applied for a Grocer’s wine licence, and now plans to apply for a liquor licence. The proposed location is immediately adjacent to the present store and will have a separate entrance.
The owner of the Spar, and a regional representative of the chain, held discussions with Excom, prior to making the application, in order that our members should be aware of their plans. It was made clear that the Association could not, on behalf of its members, either support application. or oppose. Apparently cheaper, down-market products likely to attract undesirable customers will not be stocked. It will not sell single bottles of beer etc or “nips” of spirits. * A security guard will be stationed at the entrance.
They appreciate nevertheless, that some individuals, for religious, social or cultural reasons, will not wish to have in our midst, the type of business, which could attract undesirable elements into our community
Excom agreed that an information notice would be distributed to members by E-mail, informing them of the facts, but leaving any decision to each individual.
An up market bottle store today can be sold and turned into a den of iniquity tomorrow. Business is business and I have no doubt that if the Spar doesn’t do well enough from the Marina trade they’re going to tap into the general passing foot trade.
Do we really need another liquor store on our doorstep?
6 users commented in " Bombay Handshake "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackYES. Why not? If this can assist the owners of the Spar, who invested a large amount of money to give us a conveniet store, to make their business work and stay here, I fully support them.
For 14 years I have seen businesses come and go at the centre while other centres prospered around us. Each time the owners did not receive the support from the residents of the area to sustain their efforts, and they had to close their doors. Now we have a “new” centre and people who invested heavily in it. And if an upmarket liquor outlet will increase the “feet” at the centre, we should assist them.
This unfounded fear of “undesirebles” loitering because of this is laughable. I have met the owners, and their reputation is very important to them. I cannot see that they will allow any part of the centre, or area, to degrade. They have a firm grip on security and I have seen how they handle unwanted characters.
Then there is the added bonus for all of us not having to cross the dreaded PG Drive to stock up on a few beers or whatever. Competition is always good and I wish them the very best.
Get over your own insecurites and for once support something before you shoot it down again! And if you do not like the idea, instead of shouting from the corner, why don’t you do something to improve our local centre, or do you like the green paper on the empty store windows?
You have got to be kidding, Resident. A bottle-store in a residential area is NEVER a good idea, no matter how wonderful these original owners may be. If you cannot negotiate Prince George Drive (probably had a few too many already), go to Muizenberg. I don’t mind the in-store wine licence for the Spar, but a full-blown liquor licence is not a good idea and then I will prefer green paper.
Oppose it I will.
Dear Resident
Nobody wants the Spar to fail and I am sure everyone will agree that the owners are really nice people. That’s not the issue.
The issue is that the community should have a say in this matter and what the role of the MDGA should be in terms of informing their membership, obtaining a mandate from their membership, guiding the objection process should the membership elect to lodge such objection and then to make and/or facilitate the lodging thereof on behalf of its membership.
Regardless of what you may think or feel, there is very real evidence that a bottle store does not enhance an area, its social fabric or property values. It more often than not has the opposite effect. The community should be consulted.
What is offensive is that the Spar approached our Excom in order that the community may be consulted and their support enlisted – but the Excom took it upon themselves to distance themselves from this matter and not to notify all its members. You will recall that the Excom actively campaigned to have its constitution amended in order to secure for itself extensive powers. Surely it is now incumbent on the Excom to take these powers seriously and to act. Surely? Or are those extended powers there merely to permit the Excom to do what it wants when it wants, how it wants and only if it wants?
Their lack of action on this particular issue smacks of double standards and yet again the blatant disregard of its obligations towards its wider membership…
To you personally, Resident, I’d like to ask:
1. have you given one moment’s thought to those folk living in the immediate proximity of the Spar centre and who will be directly affected by this development? (I take it you don’t live there.)
2. Is your convenience and the Spar’s business success more important than the safety and property values of these residents?
3. have you given any thought to what might happen if the owners of Spar sell up and what new owners might do to generate business?
4. You don’t honestly believe that just because the current owners of Spar are nice people that this provides any assurance regarding the management of and sort of business conducted from the bottle store in the longer-term – or do you? For heaven’s sake, business is business.
5. do you endorse the Excom’s chosen mode of communication, which ignores approx. half the MDGA membership? What do you believe is the role of the MDGA? Whatever the outcome don’t you believe that the Excom should at least seek a mandate (& in so doing take direction) from its membership?
6. there are already at least 4 large bottle stores between Capricorn and Lakeside – do we really need another one – on our doorstep?
7. Please, just think about it. Why the need to draw customers with the hard tack? How many other Spars have to do this? I doubt very much that this is a ‘Spar’ initiative. Must we pander to the owners of Spar now so that they can be successful – at the expense of our own community and residents?
I answer…
to Maverick
No Maverick, I am not a drinker. And I definetely do not drive when I’ve had the odd beer when watching my favourite sport. I do support progress, and have not seen too much of it around here in the past decades, except for rows of houses built across PG Drive.
To JT (no need to get personal)
1. No, I do not live right next to the centre, but close, and my property value is also important to me.
2. Nowadays saftey and poperty value are factors of national security and the ecomomy rather than minor local developments. Everyone (including the police) knows that Vrygrond is a huge source of crime in our area, and we cannot move the whole establishment.
3. Yes I have. It will not change the conditions of the issued license, and if they want to, then further consultation will be required and even I will oppose that.
4. Ditto.
5. Excom? Which Excom? My take on their role is to sit around and look for something to bicker about… I have NEVER seen any results from any of their actions. Seeking a mandate here is like waiting for your dog to speak. And about the membership, just reading through these posts is evidence of severe fragmentation and devide. Do you realy believe the people care what the Excom has to say?
6. I can count, and also count about 17 “ladies of the night” doing good business down PG drive, heaven knows how many drug suppliers, a graveyard across the road and four major shopping centres doing great business. Not mention the hordes of security outfits, hardware stores, etc. It does not means there is not place for one more.
7. I have thought about it and cannot see that a small selective outlet will draw any customers, of the unwanted kind, away from their current bottle stores. It will however give residents an alternative place of shopping away from these characters. About the owners of the Spar… I do not know them well and certainly do not base my support on their reputation. It is the concept I support.
Finally. I have posted this letter to voice my oppinion, and not to attact any other person or body. I am just as concerned about the safety and well-being of my area as most, and I know that a well functioning shopping centre ADDS value to a community.
I ask again that you give alternatives to a small liquor outlet, instead of merely shooting the initiative down. Open an art store, bicycle shop, coffee shop, hearing aid repair facility, computer store or anything else if you wish, but let’s grow our local area instead of everytime doing the opposite. Apart from a few security booths, I have seen no developments for many years. Let’s move forward, please.
Dear Clients.
We all know that the Spar has closed down a couple of months ago… The previous investors lost millions of rands. I am an experience retailer from the East of Pretoria. I fell in love with your “town” and my partner and I is in the process of re-opening a KWIKSPAR. A part of our plans is to open a TOPS… We would like your inputs on this. Anyone who would like to contact me please feel free to do so. My number is 0793910517. Michael Joubert.
That is correct. We intend opening a new KWIKSPAR in Eastlake Village Shopping Centre.
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