Survey shows shift from small shops to malls - sharp drop in Valletta business

James Wightman

Nov 13th 2012, 06:21

Encouraging other modes of transport will help. But the shift from local shop to mall is a spiral dive. It means you concentrate shoppers there, but that implies you have to concentrate cars too. Valletta streets are not much different. The park and ride needs to be reinstated, the latter for free and the former at reasonable costs. That said much can be done to encourage other transport modes.

Joe Grech

Nov 10th 2012, 04:55

I'm sorry to say that the Valletta commercial community brought a lot of this on themselves.The writing was on the wall, why didnt the Piano plans were first launched, instead they just accepted them like laptops lead by the GRTU - and we know the way the leader leans there!

Just imagine if they had also dug that quarry in St. John's Square if the museum project had gone through! A nightmare!

matthew tanti

Nov 9th 2012, 09:27

perhaps someone can help me understand why cars are being ticketed in the area behind the palace/parliament, on weekend evenings, when the signs only say that parking is prohibited during parliamentary sittings! and why you need to waste time reading a whole essay of instructions on parking bays, of which there seem to be so many different categories in valletta: blue, green, yellow, white!

K CASSAR

Nov 9th 2012, 09:10

The state of Valletta is hardly inviting besides the fact that one is hounded by promoters at every corner! The Point is for expensive shopping..isn't that an indication of the sate of our country? The rich got richer and the rest of us hang on to what we have!!!!

Pauline Peterson

Nov 9th 2012, 08:57

As an older person I don't find much in Valletta shopping to interest me. Too many young people's clothes shops and souvenirs.

I do go to Valletta but mostly to walk around and see the historic buildings and quaint streets.

Please don't let Valletta die a slow death.

John Azzopoardi

Nov 9th 2012, 03:34

and people keep calling for the revival of valletta. HOw sad, a small gem of a city being abandoned. Really sad. The only hope is to turn it into a once big historic, cultural and residential town with the hope that it survives.

Mr Chris Spiteri

Nov 9th 2012, 00:37

I find valletta more appealing for shopping. I park at park and ride for €1.50 for a whole day, I have a wide range of shops and when I'm done I eat at one of the wonderful valletta restaurants. Much better than any other shopping mall!

Michael Campbell

Nov 8th 2012, 23:43

our business in valletta is down by more than 20% from the year before. then gonzi organises a breakfast meeting with a handful of businesses specifically ignoring those who have complained vociferously about the poor management of valletta by the authorities, council, politicians, mepa, TM, etc.
Pathetic.
Someone said, oh,come Xmas they will make Valletta inaccessible so people go to the Point.

Neville Roberts

Nov 8th 2012, 22:19

Opening all day might help and not these outdated split opening hours and as for Parking? Use the Bus !

Charles Grixti

Nov 8th 2012, 22:05

Especially for food items. Gone are the personal touch mom and pop shops which got to know you and had local produce - now everyone is feeding at the one same trough, like the proverbial pigs in a sty, everything reduced to the lowest common denominator. Then this is what the authors of globalisation had in mind. The good stuff is out of reach to the common folk - let them eat chicken-wings.

Anthony Mizzi

Nov 8th 2012, 21:59

Sharp drop in Valletta business?

Could the Park & Ride Service with the Arriva STATE-OF-THE-ART TARIFFS at Floriana on a service that was supposed to be "pre-electorally promised " FREE contributed in some way on sharp drop in Valletta Business?????????

People do need some kind of encouragement to go to Valletta and the ARRIVA BUS SERVICE is just not enough!

Pippo de Marco

Nov 8th 2012, 21:34

This is exactly what happened in the US and then the UK. Now, thanks to Gonzi and his friends, it is happening here.

It is only a matter of time before our town high streets are all filled with the same chain stores that infest the Malls and are slowly turning us into another just another plain, boring euro state.

Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.

Tatiana Heraghty

Nov 8th 2012, 20:30

Parking is an issue.

Chris Coleiro

Nov 8th 2012, 20:21

Dear shop owners,

The Problem is Parking,
The Solution is Online Shopping.

Another Problem is called "Your Ridiculous Prices"
The Solution for this is called "eBay.com", "asos.com", and other shopping websites.

You see, for every problem there is a solution and the Maltese are slowly catching up.
Stop trying to Get Rich, and start learning to Get Real!

Michael Sammut

Nov 8th 2012, 20:20

I believe that the biggest issue here is prices!! Most people nowadays prefer to purchase their needs from the internet than from shops. Big shopping malls generally compete well, in terms of prices, with overseas shops. I can talk through experience, where a Heart rate monitor from Malta was more expensive than the same Heart rate monitor from an English website which included shipping & warranty

kenneth anderson

Nov 8th 2012, 19:39

Dear Malta - whatever you allow to happen.......dont let your corner shops be removed-treasure them ...over here in the UK all of our towns are now dead.....and at the mercy of the out of town shopping parks......ok if you have a car etc......if not you are done for ............

Elvin Muscat

Nov 8th 2012, 19:37

Unfortunately Valletta businesses are suffering due to the restructuring and constant works taking place. They are told that eventually they will reap the fruits, but I say when?. When the banks finally call in their loans no doubt. Yes there has been a downturn in business in Valletta, yes it will benefit the city, but Banks the Inland revenue and creditors don't care, they want their money now.

Tony DeBattista

Nov 8th 2012, 19:36

kullhadt jejd li jrid il problema principali ghal hwienet tal-belt hu it-trasport publiku.

James Wightman

Nov 8th 2012, 19:07

I think a return to a free park and ride system would help. Also we need to seriously look at other transport modes, cycling, ferries. The new lift will help both, but a ferry needs to connect with it. Also why are there bicycle racks in parliment square but you can't ride in most of the roads that lead to them? Perhaps we could reinstate the railway tunnel with a small electric tramway?

mark borg

Nov 8th 2012, 18:50

hafna mil problema hija il parking ghal hwienet tal belt .eluf ta nies jahdmu go ufficji il belt u ma jazzaedawx juzaw transport publicu ghax iridu jahsbu xi saghtejn qabel ta l-anqas, allura juzaw il karozzi taghhom u jiehdu il postijiet ta parkings privati go il belt ....minbarra li min sejjer jixtri gol belt, f hafna kazi wkoll jaqta qalbu juza l-arriva .

B Testa

Nov 8th 2012, 18:31

I do not belief this is a shift as we only have one proper shopping mall in Malta. The real reason is that up to some time ago parking for Valletta was free of charge and the public service was to some extent reliable. Now the park and ride costs more than a bus fare, the bus fare has become expensive for one time use and you will never be sure that the bus will come and pick you up.

Mr Tony Gatt

Nov 8th 2012, 18:17

Many town centres in the U.K. are dying a slow commercial death because of out-of-town malls. The problem is as ever, parking.

Ray Buhagiar

Nov 8th 2012, 17:56

I prefer shopping in Paola, but also likes to do shopping in Valletta. Malls can never beat the energy of streets in Valletta. Paola should pedestrianise shopping areas and will certainly increase profits.

I personally don't like malls because the clothes are alot more expensive.

Jay Oatmon

Nov 8th 2012, 17:40

The real problem for shoppers is parking, parking, parking.
I only shop where I can park, and I only use cafe's and restaurants when there is a parking slot nearby. And at 70 years old I do not want to use a bike or walk miles so no parking no custom from me.

Mario Borg

Nov 8th 2012, 17:16

Most of you are right about the conveniences of malls, one stop shopping so to speak but I lived in Canada for the past 35 years and we had mall coming out of our yin-yang. But I can tell you that the best atmospher to shop was the places on the street like Kensington Market etc.. these places where a nightmare for parking but the shops decor and the atmosphere draws you there no matter what.

P Mizzi

Nov 8th 2012, 17:10

Without more information on the extent, methodology and purpose of this survey, you have to take these results with a pinch of salt. The Point and Plaza are not the only malls and was it only clothing and footwear shops surveyed? what about everything else?

Typos like this don't help either... "Turnover among participating establishments grew by 0.4% in 2010 compared to 2010."

A Calleja

Nov 8th 2012, 17:07

In my opinion, there are too many shops. Before the centers were Valletta,Paola, Hamrun and Mosta. Today you find shops in every corner. I do not personnally believe that the shops at the Point are really doing well for the premiums they pay!

ALBERT FENECH

Nov 8th 2012, 17:04

I was in Valletta this morning and from the retail point of view, it appeared to be dismal. Most shopkeepers-assistants were standing in their shop doorways watching the crowds meandering past. Leading stores were almost devoid of patrons and during lunch in a foremost restaurant with at least 80 covers, we were only four persons. The whole was depressing.

ALBERT FENECH

Monalisa Busuttil

Nov 8th 2012, 17:02

@richard Mifsud- Jien nahdem Assistant maniger f'wiehed mill hwienet gewwa Belt Valletta, Nassigurak jien li bhalissa thanks god mahniex niefqu minn b'fast sa end of lunch whici means from 10:00am till 17:00 Pm. So ma nafx kief bi kliemek qed tghid li in-nies mhumiex li jidhlu Il-Belt, Imma il-bqijja ejja Merchant street fill hinijiet li tghajtek u ara b'ghajnejk.

Edgar Gatt

Nov 8th 2012, 16:57

Malta is catching up with the rest of the world. Shoppers go for convenience and shopping malls are the answer.

Richard Mifsud

Nov 8th 2012, 16:53

This is no surprise. Who wants to go to Valletta anymore. It has become a nightmare to park and to walk around. It's like a huge building site...

W Cassar

Nov 8th 2012, 16:51

One must concede that the Point has novelty factor it feels as if you are abroad and is now opening on Sundays too, parking in Sliema is still a nightmare unless you use the pay car park of the Point.

Personally I like Valletta but the parking is a problem and its a mess with the building at the moment. Valletta has big potential but one has to attract the right shops and improve access.

m. borg (slm)

Nov 8th 2012, 16:50

According to a statement by gonzi in a business breakfast last week the misery Valletta is experiencing is all the shopkeepers fault as they close in th evening.

Government isn't to blame.

Jon Fenech

Nov 8th 2012, 16:47

The construction works haven't helped too, it's a maze trying to get to certain streets and the tourist will just follow the main route and the ones off Republic street end up losing out. I just hope once the works are over the business picks up again.

carmel parnis

Nov 8th 2012, 16:46

No excuses Gone are those days that in order to buy a shirt a tie or shoes you have to go to Valletta N owadays you can find really good shops in other districts such as Paola , Hamrun , B'kara So what Valleta shops are losing its a gain to other shops in other towns

Anthony Scicluna

Nov 8th 2012, 16:31

This comes to no surprise. The INTERNET people, wake up to e-commerce and the extortionist pricing of local businesses

Austin grech

Nov 8th 2012, 16:29

why even try entering Valletta. no parking, public transport is rubbish, while park and ride to expensive. Besides the horror of an ugly building site.

pat muscat

Nov 8th 2012, 16:29

I only go to Valletta whenever-God forbid- I have a court case. One finds nowhere to park and the Arriva transport is lousy. The Valletta Local Council is only interested in allocating parking places to first and second generation Valletta 'citizens' to win votes. In the meantime Valletta is becoming a 'ghost' city.

Mark Tagliaferro

Nov 8th 2012, 16:27

Valletta is a parking nightmare and you have to walk relatively long distances carrying your shopping bags. The Point has its own parking lot, so is more convenient thus the preference for shopping malls.

Pamela Hansen

Nov 8th 2012, 16:10

It is no surprise that Valletta businesses are losing out.
Valletta has become a nightmare for locals. All you see are tourists in Republic Street and they cannot replace local shoppers. Mind you the coffee shops are doing well out of the tourists. So we shall probably see all the shops turned into cafes next.