THE EFFECTS OF THE PRESENCE OF A CINEPLEX WITHIN A SHOPPING CENTRE

Abstract

One new trend that has emerged in Singapore 1990's retail scene is that of combining retail oudets with entertainment, leisure and recreational facilities. Such new developments can be seen mushrooming in Singapore. Two examples of completed developments with cinema facilities are the Shaw House located at the heart of Orchard Road and Junction 8 at Bishan New Town. The inclusion of a cineplex as an entertainment facility appears to be growing in popularity. In this study, the writer examines the effects which the presence of a cineplex within a shopping centre will have on the performance of the retails shops. The three main objectives are : (a) firstly to examine the shoppers' profile and their response to the new concept; (b) secondly to evaluate the retailers' response to the new concept; (c) thirdly to determine whether the presence of an entertainment usage as such a cineplex is beneficial to a shopping centre. The results of this study are useful for property developers wishing to diversify into this area of development. From the study conducted, the presence of a cineplex under the same roof encourages window shoppers within the same shopping centre. Movie goers tend to hang around the complex between screening times before and after the show. Retailers have to be more creative with their window displays to attract movie goers to actually buy. It was also observed that a good variety of film types should be incorporated in the cineplex to attract a wider group of audience. There ought to be more coordination between the cineplex and the shopping complex for joint promotional strategies to achieve better results for the shopping complex as a whole.