Village Collective, an initiative to breathe new life into the Somerset West central business district (CBD), was officially launched on Thursday 4 April.
The event took place at The Forum building in Drama Street, celebrating the culmination of a massive partnership initiative to revamp and restore infrastructure, attract new businesses and, ultimately, transform the town centre into the kind of place people want to live, work, visit and shop.
Village Collective is spearheaded by the three founding partners, Dewvest Property Fund, the Rola Group and the Somerset West City Improvement District (SWCID). It operates within the SWCID’s boundaries, spanning the precincts of Main Road, Caledon, Drama and Bright Street, with the Somerset West Village Garden forming the green heart of the area.
“As far back as 2017 Somerset West’s old town was earmarked as a potential growth area,” explained Bertus de Waal, managing director of Dewvest, “and as a result much has been done to upgrade properties and create a cleaner, safer environment.”
Some of the most notable developments include the revamp of the Forum building and 42 New Road, which attracted sought-after tenants, such as Bootlegger Coffee Company, William’s Bike Shop, Wild Eatery, Holy Dough, Poke Co, Sushi Box, Tyson Properties and artist Jimmy Law. An exciting new wine emporium, WYN, will open soon.
“Within the next few months, upgrades to Fountain Square will be completed, which has already seen new eateries open their doors to the public in recent months,” says De Waal. “The plan is to beautify and reposition the Twin Oaks Centre and Tower buildings as an integrated shopping precinct with a collection of speciality shops, eateries, galleries, offices and co-working spaces.”
The Smokey Brisket opens its doors at the Fountain Square in November.
The upgrade and revamp of Alexandra Place, to offer 26 apartments, is complete. Locals and visitors can look forward to a new boutique, yet modern and sophisticated, retail premises opening soon. It will include a TREK cycling shop, Bäckerei – Authentic German bakery and The Mood Collectives – interior design. A deli, coffee shop, restaurant, flower shop, women’s beauty and other exciting retail offerings will complete the picture.
“Further residential densification, a fresh new shopping and lifestyle offering, events and improved security will attract more local shoppers and visitors, increase property values, uplift the area and ultimately have a positive spin-off for the greater Somerset West and its communities,” added Councillor Norman McFarlane.
A tiered partnership model has been developed, offering all levels of business within the precinct the opportunity to join the Village Collective and participate in promotional activities.
Chairman of the Village Collective and representative of the Rola Group, Gerhard Nel, commented: “We are extremely proud of all that has been achieved so far and look forward to seeing increased interest in the area from businesses, residents and visitors alike.”
Village Collective is working on a marketing campaign with Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, previous CEO of Cape Town Tourism, owner of marketing agency Destinate and proud Somerset West resident. “It’s exciting to see the historic heart of Somerset West coming back to life with new developments, retail offerings and a whole host of local eateries and cafes,” she said. “In my mind, the Village Collective is like a traditional village square where people can gather to reconnect, share stories and support local businesses. We invite you to get together with friends and loved ones to explore what’s on offer.”
At its heart, the Village Collective is a community effort and will only succeed with the support of everyone who loves Somerset West. If you want to get involved, contact Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold at connect@villagecollective.co.za.
