Dubai: Customers are avoiding going to coffee shops and restaurants in malls, leading to a drop in business, because of the hourly parking fee introduced by the management.
Regular visitors to outlets like Starbucks and Dome cafe at BurJuman Centre complained that it is unfair to charge them parking fees although they use the facility in the mall.
Jean Bellumat, Managing Director of Globcom general trading, said he will not return to BurJuman to have a cup of coffee and pay an extra Dh20 on parking. "I have been a regular to BurJuman for the past 10 years. My office is just 300 metres away and I would drop in very often to have a coffee and read newspapers. But not anymore," said Bellumat.
He said he will start looking for other options as it is ridiculous to spend Dh100 to sip a coffee and go through newspapers.
Ben Edwards, another businessman, said people prefer BurJuman out of convenience and not always necessity. "Two days ago, I had to spend nearly three hours at the mall to do some banking. And I did shopping for Dh150 out of compulsion as I did not want to shell out Dh60 on parking," said Edwards.
However, people like Kamel Al Sayed and Abdul Fattah Al Marzouqi, both businessmen said that Dh20 is way too high a charge though it ensures enough parking space for shoppers.
Outlets within the shopping centre told Gulf News that their business is adversely affected by at least 30 per cent since June 4 after a fee of Dh20 per hour was levied on customers who use the parking.
Vishal Bhavnani who owns the 3Degree cafe on the ground floor of BurJuman said in the first week itself, business has been down by 30 per cent.
"I feel that in the coming weeks it will further affect our business. I myself would not be ready to pay Dh20 for parking when my coffee bills would be less than that. Today, one customer complained that he had to cough up the one hour parking fee for having a coffee for Dh22," said Bhavnani, who owns a chain of coffee shops in Dubai.
Ramesh Kumar, outlet manager at Dome said business has been affected, especially during the morning hours because of the new fee levied on parking.
A Starbucks staff said some regular customers who come in the morning hours have already told them that they will not be coming again because of the new rule.
Shoppers
BurJuman management explained that they have introduced the parking fee with the interest of shoppers in mind.
"The fee is implemented because non-shoppers were taking advantage of the free parking. Many customers were complaining that they are not able to find parking because of this misuse," said Deena Musharbasi, Corporate Relations Executive at BurJuman Centre.
She added that the management was forced to address the issue as they were losing out on genuine shoppers. "And we are giving free parking for others during lunch time from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, and also later in the evening after 6pm," she added. A resident, Ali, who frequents Al Khaleej Centre in Bur Dubai, said the mall charges Dh5 every hour. "It is unfair to charge the same fee even on Fridays when usually people like to spend time in the malls. The fee is bad for cafes they have been hit hard by the smoking ban," Ali said.
Hanan Kamal, Leasing and Marketing Manager, Al Khaleej Centre, said they introduced a parking fee more than 10 years ago. It used to be Dh3 per hour, which was raised to Dh5 last year. She said the mall management is now considering following BurJuman Centre's example and increase the fee to Dh10 per hour.
A staff at Brewster's Cafe said business has been slow ever since the fee was raised because customers keep an eye on the clock when they come to the cafe.
Costs
Burjuman
Hourly rate: Dh20 applicable from 6am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 6pm
Parking is free on Fridays and public holidays
Free parking for shoppers and diners who spend Dh100 or more
15-minute free parking for those who enter for pick up and drop off
Al Khaleej Centre
Hourly rate: Dh5
Two hours free parking for those who spend Dh50 or above in shopping
One hour free parking for those who spend Dh20 or above in any eating outlets
Same rate applicable from 6am to 12pm, seven days a week
By Anjana Sankar
© Gulf News 2008
