On the back of a bumper festive season that saw a 6% growth in footfall, Baywest Mall is kicking off 2026 with a line-up of new tenants and an exciting, planned revamp of Nelson Mandela Bay’s largest shopping centre.
The revamp, which will be completed in the first half of the year includes refreshing the entrances and upgrading the lighting design throughout the mall. The most significant changes, however, will be seen in the mall’s communal areas, particularly the food court.
“We are introducing hot desks and pause areas throughout the mall so that shoppers can take full advantage of our free Wi-Fi,” said Baywest Mall Marketing Manager Lindsay Davies. “Shoppers can expect improvements to all the common areas, but what we are most excited about are the planned changes to the central court and food court areas. These areas have been completely redesigned, with a fresh, modular look and comfortable new seating that will transform the space.”
The upgrade builds on the recent leasing success at Baywest Mall which has seen the introduction of several exciting new tenants including Milky Lane at Nitro Park; Standard Beauty; Clothing Junction; Mr Curtain; Cash Crusaders; Stylish Steppers; Burger King and Indalo Spa. Existing tenants have also expanded, including Checkers Liquor and Gravity Playpark.
The enhanced retail and entertainment offering in the mall has been bolstered by the increased foot traffic from the recent addition of the Department of Home Affairs, which has seen a 6% increase in weekday footfall. This is expected to increase further when TP Communications moves into the mall in May 2026, bringing an additional 800 staff members to the mall daily.
“Baywest Mall has long been the premier entertainment destination in Nelson Mandela Bay, anchored by Ster-Kinekor, Gravity Indoor Trampoline Play Park, and the Gravity Play Park offerings,” explained Marc Edwards, joint CEO of the mall’s owners Hangar 18.
“Over the last 18 months we have built on this through the introduction of Algoa Grand Prix, Centrestage@Baywest and Nitro Park’s expansion into Virtual Reality. This revamp builds on that momentum and our recent leasing success, further entrenching Baywest Mall as a space for families and friends to shop, play, eat, work and relax.”
“We are committed to continued investment in Baywest Mall and in our community,” added Edwards. “This revamp is one of several positive initiatives planned for the centre in the months and years ahead.”
