PROVISION OF FOOD FACILITIES IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

Abstract

Food facilities are essential ancillary facilities in employment centres. Presently, majority of the food facilities in the Central Business District (CBD) are developed by the public sector. The temporal pattern of demand coupled with the high retail rental tends to discourage food operators from operating there. As more commercial development continue to be built in the CBD, a direct increasein demand for food facilities will be generated. This dissertation is therefore aimed to test the hypothesis that there is an under provision of food facilities in the designated study area. The study reflects an analysis of the current meals arrangement characteristics of the working population and the emphasis is in determining the demand and supply of food facilities using both quantitative and qualitative method. The results indicated an under provision of food facilities in the area and the hierarchy of attributes of a eating place derived tends to favour food centres style of operation. Thus, the provision of food facilities have to be carefully planned by both the planning authority and the developers. Government's assistance in the form of revitalisation programme and the building owners move to give preferential rental rates to food establishments are required in boosting such retail activity. On the other hand, food operators themselves should adopt innovative style of operation to meet the demand of the working population.