Cape Town - Turnover at the V&A’s Watershed for November is almost double compared with figures from last year for the old Blue Shed, but some tenants are concerned they will lose out on business.
Already the refurbished retail space is notching up daily visitor numbers of 10 000, said Waterfront spokeswoman Emma King.
And the Wellness offering upstairs looks set to be an oasis from the bustle, especially during the frenetic holiday season. Wellness at the Watershed has consolidated the alternative healing stores from the old Red Shed into a holistic lifestyle hub.
You can give your body a complete once-over with everything from reflexology to Shiatsu. There is also a psychic.
Some of the therapists and practitioners have been at the Waterfront for 15 years. A couple said they were concerned there would be fewer clients now that they were in an upstairs location.
“I hope they move us downstairs again. We are not a spa, and this feels like a spa,” said one.
His concerns were echoed by the Holistic Cove that offers high-end therapeutic massages, including pressure-point treatments, to a long list of regular clients. “But I don’t know if we will get the same number of people up here.”
King said the new set-up would benefit all its tenants. “The Wellness offering is only a few weeks old, so we are expecting it to get more popular as people find out about it and become return visitors. We are working on developing a collaborative working space in the upstairs area which will drive further traffic in this area.”
Cape Argus