Flanagan & Gerard announce R60 million Boardwalk Mall expansion

Flanagan & Gerard Property Group with its business partners have commenced the development of a R60 million extension to Boardwalk Mall in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), further strengthening the centre’s position as one of the Eastern Cape’s most successful family-focused shopping and lifestyle destinations.

 The new phase, which broke ground on 19 January 2026, will add 2,584m² of gross lettable area, in addition to new leisure offerings such as padel courts, a five-a-side soccer facility and the local favourite, Jacks Bagels. Of this, 1,805m² of new retail space will be created within the popular Sun Park. The development is scheduled for completion, with all new tenants open, in November 2026.

 The extended portion of the mall will be co-owned by Changing Tides, a Flanagan & Gerard company, which will hold a 60% stake, alongside Dondolo Property Trust (20%) and Emfuleni Resorts, a subsidiary of JSE-listed Sun International (20%). Flanagan & Gerard is acting as developer, with MDS appointed as architects and Techni Construction as main contractor.

Performance metrics underline the mall’s success, and its appeal to shoppers and retailers alike. For the past two December months, Boardwalk Mall has attracted more than 1.2 million customers, while the average monthly footfall sits at around 850,000. December 2025 turnover reached R114 million, up from R109 million in December 2024. The centre has been fully let for two-and-a-half years, with 11 out of 12 months in 2025 showing positive year-on-year turnover growth and eight months recording double-digit increases.

Boardwalk Mall’s expansion will introduce new brands including Mr Price, Mr Price Home, FARO, Cape Union Mart and Polo, building on the strong performance of existing Mr Price Group and apparel tenants such as Old Khaki.

 Two elements of the expansion are being delivered in phases. The relocated Magic Company is set to open in September 2026, ahead of the other new tenants. The 237m² expansion of Woolworths opened on 21 November 2025, marking a significant milestone by becoming the first Woolworths Premium Local store in the Eastern Cape. The upgraded store has been an immediate success, with footfall increasing by an impressive 67% as shoppers responded positively to its expanded offering, including 906 new food products, 35 additional bakery items and 524 new additions to the WCellar range.

 As well as its big-name retail drawcards, approximately one third of the mall’s tenants are independent, non-national retailers, equating to around 30 of the 98 stores, all of which add to the uniqueness of Boardwalk Mall’s retail experience. To date, the centre has supported the creation of roughly 1,250 jobs.

 The design of the extension will follow the same design philosophy as the existing mall to ensure aesthetic and functional continuity, maintaining the centre’s award-winning architectural character. Another key focus of the extension is to strengthen physical and visual linkages within the centre, particularly between the existing atrium and the Checkers.

 In a connected development, The Capital Boardwalk Hotel, a landmark addition to the Boardwalk precinct, is on track to open in April 2026. The six-storey development will offer 145 rooms across a range of configurations, including standard rooms, studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as two- and three-bedroom penthouses. Extended-stay guests in the hotel’s apartment-style units will benefit from the convenience of self-catering, with direct access to the mall for shopping.

Guests and visitors can look forward to a host of amenities, many of which will be open to the public. These include a signature restaurant seating up to 140 guests and a bar for an additional 80 patrons. The venue will deliver a premium à la carte dining experience and also serve as a sought-after location for curated events. Additionally, the hotel will feature a state-of-the-art conference centre accommodating up to 400 guests in cinema-style, along with flexible event spaces designed for launches, meetings, workshops and private functions.

The addition of The Capital Boardwalk Hotel enhances the Boardwalk precinct with a new layer of lifestyle, leisure and hospitality in one integrated offering. It will elevate the overall visitor and shopper experience with access to upscale dining, premium events and curated entertainment, such as DJ-led and live performances hosted around the restaurant and infinity pool, creating a vibrant social hub complementing the retail environment.

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