When asked about the imminent closing of Hatfield Square, Basson attributed the close to the decision by the owners of the centre to move their business in the direction of meeting the high demand for accommodation in the area.
Basson had also told Perdeby that there is no set date for the closing of Hatfield Square based on the nature of the lease agreements between Hatfield Square and its tenants. “No date has been set for a final closure of Hatfield Square because the lease agreements with our tenants are non-renewable leases, meaning that we will honour these leases until the leases expire, whereafter there will be no option for renewal, allowing for a gradual closing of Hatfield Square.” Basson then indicated that many of the leases expire at the end of November this year. One of the last remaining nightclubs and iconic entertainment spot DropZone is reportedly closing its doors sometime in November.
“There is a huge demand for residence in the Hatfield area and the decision taken by the owners of Hatfield Square was aimed purely at providing accommodation in the area.” Basson had also told Perdeby
Basson’s comment on the reaction of the tenants to this news was that there had been a variety of responses ranging from acceptance to extreme disappointment among the tenants.
The tenants, however, declined to comment. Basson said that some of Hatfield Square’s previous tenants closed down in reaction to the news, such as Oxford’s which closed on 26 April this year, or Cheeky Monkey which relocated. Basson indicated that other areas in Hatfield may follow suit in rezoning their businesses to provide accommodation in the future.
The Hatfield Square site manager for Redefine Properties, Ronelle Domann, has said that she will meet with the Redefine head office this week to confirm the future plans for square.
With additional reporting by Jared De Canha
Photo: Brendan Fraser
