SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF PLANNED SUBURBAN SHOPPING CENTRES - GINZA PLAZA AND HOLLAND ROAD SHOPPING CENTRE

Abstract

Planned suburban shopping centres have been developing in Singapore so rapidly in recent years that today, there is an oversupply of retail space in Singapore. To continue to compete in today's declining retail market, suburban shopping centres, old and new alike, must consider with greater importance what are the essential elements that suburban shopping centres must possess to be able to successfully survive in Singapore's competitive retail market. A review of retailing literature shows that the factors that will necessarily contribute to the success and failure of planned retail centres comprise of locational influence, architectural design and planning, a balanced tenant-mix, promotional and publicity efforts and good and efficient maintenance management. The focus of this study is on the success factors of planned suburban shopping centres. Two planned suburban shopping centres, Ginza Plaza and Holland Road Shopping Centre, are selected as case studies for these success factors to be put into practical application. A post development analysis of the success and failure of the retail centres is carried out. Qualitative data, collected from surveys conducted in the form of questionnaires were also used in the study. Findings have shown that Ginza Plaza has failed to perform successfully while Holland Road Shopping Centre can be considered as an example of a successful planned suburban retaii centre.