A new BD630,000 ($1.7 million) shopping mall will open in Demistan today (December 10).

It will be officially launched by Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The Western Area Mall, which is built on 6,475 sq m, has been fully leased and will include various shopping outlets, family and entertainment attractions and government services.

"The previous Demistan Marketplace was abandoned for five years as shops had closed after low business due to the location then not being attractive," said Northern Municipality director-general Yousif Al Ghatam.

"We immediately decided to turn it into a mall, which just took us two years to construct.

"As we worked on the mall, we saw huge response from businessmen, who have so far leased 90 per cent of 28 available shops as we kept the remaining 10 per cent for government services.

"We are expecting more than BD60,000 annually from leasing shops in the mall, which is huge compared to us getting nothing from the previous marketplace."

Al Ghatam said the mall will include a hypermarket, women and children garments and accessories outlets, phone selling and repair stalls, perfumes and cosmetics booths, and stationery and gift shops.

"The mall will also have a mini-theme park and an office for the municipality, where services will be provided," he said. - TradeArabia News Service