The Bedworth Centre Builders Warehouse is the only Builders Warehouse in the region -- with the nearest being at The Glen in the South of Joburg -- together with the newly refurbished and upgraded Bedworth Centre Pick n Pay, creates the foundation for a convenient, multi-tenanted shopping centre with an unprecedented everyday value offering.

Good news for local consumers: there is even more to come with further phases already in the planning, which will introduce additional complementary retailers especially selected to meet the needs of Vaal Triangle shoppers.

Flanagan & Gerard Property Development and Investment and Moolman Group jointly acquired the Bedworth Park Pick n Pay Hypermarket in Vereeniging, superbly located on the corner of Ascot-on-Vaal and the R44, in late 2008.

Shortly afterwards the new owners announced their intention to expand the existing centre by adding some 15,000sqm of retail space, which together with the 20,000sqm existing Pick ‘n Pay on a 15-year lease, will bring the total size of the redeveloped centre to 35,000sqm.

Already, the new owners have already delivered on the first phase of the transformation of this centre from a single-retailer property to a modern, multi-tenanted one-stop value shopping destination with the introduction of Builders Warehouse.

This particular Builders Warehouse branch includes a number of the retailer’s initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. It has been built with enhanced designs made to reduce power consumption with a water saving component. T5 fluorescent lights have been used in fixture lighting and rainwater will be captured from the roof gutters and stored in tanks to be used for the Garden Centre. In addition an existing borehole on site will also be used for the Garden Centre’s irrigation.

Working together with the owners’ expansion, Pick n Pay also introduced their refreshed, revamped and upgraded store to the public in late 2009.

Centre Manager Poppie de Beer reports that she is receiving a barrage of queries from the public about the new additions to Bedworth Centre and there is much excitement amongst local shoppers.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer our shoppers everything they need to fulfil their value shopping needs, all under one roof,” says de Beer.

She is also pleased to report that, despite the disruptions caused during the revamp of Pick n Pay, customers are eagerly supporting the store and are delighted with the new, enhanced shopping experience being offered.

De Beer explains that the layout and flows in and around Pick n Pay have been altered and improved, and shoppers will easily see the difference throughout the store with its fresh new look, finishes and signage.

The upgrade is also evident in the products and ranges offered in various departments, especially deli with its vastly improved assortment. “A vibrant ‘gadgets’ node has also been created by incorporating the audio visual, photo lab and cell phone departments into a single integrated area,” explains de Beer.

The enthusiastic consumer welcome of the first phase has created great anticipation about what is still to come at Bedworth Centre. “We are excited by future developments and hope to announce the details if the second phase of this expansion very soon.”

Patrick Flanagan of Flanagan & Gerard notes that when fully redeveloped, the new Bedworth Value Centre will represent an investment of R250 million with all the attendant benefits to the economy of the Vaal Triangle.”

In redeveloping Bedworth Centre, the owners have capitalised on the exceptional knowledge of the local market gained by Flanagan & Gerard, the original developers of Vaal Mall who remain part owners of this highly successful regional shopping centre, as well as that of the Moolman Group which have substantial property investments in South Africa.