MIKHAIL MANUEL: Rondebosch gets its groove back

The Rondebosch Business District in Cape Town should have a vibrant nightlife and trendy atmosphere. Instead, it has tended to be a local convenience market for students. For Rondebosch to fulfil its potential it needs fresh vision, which will be found at the nexus of public space, business and creative arts investment. As the area’s ward councillor I am taking up this mantle by leading with the public space investment.

Rondebosch is home to the University of Cape Town, beautiful urban parks, a historic public library and several office complexes. The university has 26,000 students on campus daily with upwards of 10,000 students living near the Rondebosch Business District, a number that is rapidly growing.

Positioned at the foot of Devils Peak, the district often plays host to major annual events. The Two Oceans Marathon starts and finishes in Rondebosch, the Cape Town Marathon traverses Main Road Rondebosch, while The Baxter Theatre stages several productions, comedy festivals, operas, symphonies and jazz performances.

The district is a 600m mixed-use strip book ended by The Baxter Theatre to the north and two local shopping malls to the south — Rondebosch Main and Riverside Mall. Along this dense pedestrian zone are convenience stores in a high-street setting.

Ten years ago the district was tenanted by travel agents, bookstores, pubs and cafes steeped in history and memories, as well as a video rental store and a hardware convenience store. Since then the district has undergone significant changes.

The exponential growth of global tech companies and mobile apps quickened the end of travel agents, video rental outlets and bookstores, while Uber Eats and Checkers Sixty60 resulted in a proliferation of delivery scooters.

Taking to the street 

In 2024 the age-old offering of the Rondebosch Business District is now available from your couch. The commercial tenant mix is a combination of smaller “corner shop-esque” convenience and tech stores, dark kitchens, fast-fashion clothing outlets and a growing second-hand goods market. Unfortunately, this has had a negative effect on the vibrancy of Rondebosch. 

In the absence of an exciting vision to respond to the impact of these global shifts on a local level, the district has entered a pre-decline period. Sidewalks are less pedestrian friendly, the ground floor tenant mix struggles to attract and keep customers in the area, and shop front windows have become blank walls, all leading to the public space becoming less safe.

I must admit that the city government has also contributed to Rondebosch nearing the early stages of a decline. There has been no co-ordinated public space investment in the strip for at least 15 years. However, as the government of the day we are embarking on this renewal to change that. We understand our role in catalysing the area’s vibrancy. 

The Rondebosch Business District is in a precarious position, but it has enormous investment potential. The commercial/retail/office property rental market reflects the lacklustre period Rondebosch finds itself in. A comparison between neighbouring business districts Newlands and Claremont demonstrates Rondebosch’s clear underperformance.

Based on a desktop analysis of present-day rental market data, Rondebosch attracts R63 and R72 less per square metre than Newlands and Claremont, respectively. In addition, the higher-value rental properties in Rondebosch are found inside the office complexes and shopping malls, while many of Newlands and Claremont’s high-value rentals are on the street fronts. 

Rondebosch can learn from Claremont and Newlands in using positive placemaking to create additional value. There is also room to rethink the approach to the student market. Though many students have tight budgets, they still spend significant amounts on a trendy night out and on convenience items from their trusted brands and stores. This is the fundament that underpins the recent renovation investment by Checkers and the attraction for new brands such as Cause and Effect Cocktail Bar, Starbucks Coffee and Spur.

Huge potential

Youth agency Student Village releases a biannual student spend report for SA. Its 2023 findings showed a national average student spend of R42,000. This spending power, taken as a conservative estimate for the 26,000-strong UCT student base given that the university consistently attracts students from higher household income quintiles, means a potential R1.1bn market size annually.

In seeking to capture this market Rondebosch competes with Mowbray, Observatory, Kloof Street/Gardens, and Claremont. For Rondebosch to attract the lion’s share the business district must do more than be a quick-stop location for convenience items, cheap tech and second-hand goods. Rondebosch must become both a convenient location to do your monthly grocery shopping and a trendy hangout spot for Friday night.

To get us there we must revive Rondebosch into a pedestrian friendly node that lends from its old charm but looks to a vibrant future. The Baxter Theatre, Hussar Grill, Vida e Caffè, Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt, Zevoli’s and the Belmont Road flower sellers have stood the test of time. They are the anchor tenants. The Cause & Effect cocktail bar, Starbucks Coffee and Golden Spur are some of the new kids on the block, demonstrating the continued potential of the district.

My urban renewal plan will focus on the 500-metre stretch from the Baxter Theatre to Zevoli’s. City of Cape Town urban designers have already started working on concepts and an action plan. The initial financial commitments come from my ward allocation budget of R500,000 every year for a five-year period. This R2.5m commitment will begin to take root from mid-2027.

With Rondebosch’s future in mind, I want people to imagine a tree-lined business district with cafes and pubs spilling onto the sidewalk. Summer student evenings with jazz in the public space. Brightly lit shop fronts and a visible security presence to make everyone feel welcomed. Delivery scooters parked in appropriate locations and an end to cars on the sidewalk. Public art and creative activations to bring an air of innovation and potential to this student space.

The possibility of a vibrant atmosphere in Rondebosch with a positive business case is fresh for the taking. Watch this space.

• Manuel is DA councillor for Cape Town’s Ward 59, which includes part of Rondebosch.