Shopping centres compete for custom

With today, tomorrow and Sunday left for Christmas shopping, commercial outlets are vying to pull clients their way.

But the trend is no longer to have a single clothes shop competing against another down the road. Instead, the competition is between whole commercial centres in various parts of the island.

Valletta Mayor Paul Borg Olivier said: "Valletta has traditionally been Malta's main shopping area and Republic Street can be considered Malta's main road. But other shopping centres have sprung up over the past few years in Sliema, Birkirkara and even Mosta. They are competing with Valletta in this respect. This not to mention the hypermarkets where one can buy anything from a needle to a piece of furniture."

Business communities are joining forces with local councils and other organisations to lure people to their locality. Mosta Mayor Joseph De Martino said the council had forked out half of the expenses required to light up the commercial centre. Archpriest Mario Tong lit up Mosta square while clubs were used to decorating shop façades.

Stelle Alpine owner Mario Hammet, one of the committee members of the Mosta business community, said Christmas activities from the beginning of December consisted mainly of decorating and illuminating the shopping centre and organising live band music and animation.

"The success was such that everybody agreed to keep it "alive and kicking" next year," he said.

Ray Young, another committee member who runs Urban Jungle, said the idea was sparked late in the summer when the Mosta rotunda was undergoing embellishment which created access problems.

"A small group of shop owners called on their union (the Malta Chamber of Small Enterprises - GRTU) to hold a meeting with the local council in an effort to speed up the works and make the local council aware of the dire situation of business in Mosta. The outcome, though not without turbulence, was positive and it was felt necessary that something should be done to make the public aware that, now that the embellishment works have been completed, traffic can once again pass through Mosta centre without too much delay," he said.

The GRTU urged shop owners to organise themselves for the upcoming Christmas season.

"The idea went down well. Sponsors were sought and the local business community decided to fork out a contribution towards the expenses of the upcoming activities which made it possible to create a fantastic Christmas spirit for shoppers," he said.

Joe Zerafa, another committee member who runs Mosta Electronics, said another "innovation" for Mosta was that on two particular days shops remained open till 10 p.m. and while the public visited the shops, the Mosta Boy Scouts and the Vittoriosa Band Club played Christmas carols.

"Santa and angels on stilts were a great attraction for the young ones while other local attractions were mixed in with this festive mood. The local cafés, the new, attractive modern shops recently opened in this centre, a display of cribs by local crib enthusiasts, contributed towards the synergy," he said.

"We felt the need to attract shoppers from outside the town and compete with other important shopping centres in Malta. The way business is being done in a fast changing world should bring business people together," Mr Hammet said.

"The positive comments we received give a clear indication that although the Christmas shopping period is not over yet, the activities we planned and held were a huge success," he said.

"Christmas lights have been switched on but it is this renewed teamwork by all concerned that really lit up Mosta."

Dr Borg Olivier said feedback from Valletta businessmen was very positive.

"The park and ride scheme has enhanced business activity. People have a lot to choose from and all are doing their utmost to lure people to their patch," Dr Borg Olivier said.