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Discuss this article (5 Comments)Doha mall set to introduce parking charges
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Wednesday, 21 October 2009
PAID PARKING: The City Center Mall in Doha is set to introduce parking charges for shoppers.
One of the most popular shopping malls in Qatar is planning to introduce charges for parking, it was reported on Wednesday.
The City Center Mall in Doha will implement pay parking at the end of the year or early next year, Christoph von Oelhafen, director of the City Center, said.
The move aims to ease the current parking problems associated with the mall and “give better service” to customers.
“There are some people, who work in the towers next to our building, who park their cars here because it is shaded, nice, close to the towers and it is for free...so we decided to implement pay parking to give our customers better service,” he said in comments published by The Peninsula.
He added that the scanners and detectors for the pay parking had already been installed on the entrance and exit areas of the building but no decision had yet been made on how much it would cost to park at the mall.
“This is not to make money out of the car park, it is to bring better service to our customers,” he told the paper.
The decision comes as the mall’s entertainment area is being revamped and will reopen in three months’ time with new attractions.
Five luxury hotels will be linked to the City Center building, two of which will open by the end of this year and the rest will open next year, the director added.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Parking Fee
Posted by Elmer C, Doha, Qatar on Friday 23 October 2009 at 11:44 UAE time
WHY DONT YOU SET UP A BOOTH AT THE EXIT POINTS OF THE PARKING THEN SEE A VALIDATED RECEIPT FROM ANY OF THE SHOPS INSIDE THE MALL THEN PARKING IS FREE (CAN SET A MINIMUM AMOUNT QR10 FOR EXAMPLE). IF SOMEONE WANTS JUST TO LOOK AROUND AND WILL BUY NOTHING, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PARKING FEE.
IF THIS WILL HAPPEN, EXPECT THAT ALL MALLS WILL IMPLEMENT THE SAME AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO CONSIDER THE CUSTOMERS REACTION SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE MIGHT AVOID COMING NOW TO THIS MALL.
Posted by Elmer C, Doha, Qatar on Friday 23 October 2009 at 11:44 UAE time
WHY DONT YOU SET UP A BOOTH AT THE EXIT POINTS OF THE PARKING THEN SEE A VALIDATED RECEIPT FROM ANY OF THE SHOPS INSIDE THE MALL THEN PARKING IS FREE (CAN SET A MINIMUM AMOUNT QR10 FOR EXAMPLE). IF SOMEONE WANTS JUST TO LOOK AROUND AND WILL BUY NOTHING, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PARKING FEE.
IF THIS WILL HAPPEN, EXPECT THAT ALL MALLS WILL IMPLEMENT THE SAME AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO CONSIDER THE CUSTOMERS REACTION SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE MIGHT AVOID COMING NOW TO THIS MALL.
City Center Pay parking
Posted by Mike, Doha, Qatar on Friday 23 October 2009 at 11:04 UAE time
"Not doing this to make money", What a joke. I guess they think everyone is stupid enough to believe it. If they want to keep other from parking, just validate a ticket for people that shop. The others will have to pay. If they charge to park, everyone should boycott the mall. They will change their minds, very quickly.
Posted by Mike, Doha, Qatar on Friday 23 October 2009 at 11:04 UAE time
"Not doing this to make money", What a joke. I guess they think everyone is stupid enough to believe it. If they want to keep other from parking, just validate a ticket for people that shop. The others will have to pay. If they charge to park, everyone should boycott the mall. They will change their minds, very quickly.
Fitness First
Posted by Reid McLeod on Thursday 22 October 2009 at 12:28 UAE time
What about people with Fitness First memberships (which are already too expensive)? Do they get to park for free, or do they have to pay even more to get into the parking area and then dodge crazy drivers to try and find a place that will take ages to locate? I agree with the BETTER SERVICE comment - this is a money grab pure and simple, not an attempt to give better service. How can one give better service when a driver is forced out of the lane by a land cruiser speeding through the parking area in the wrong direction. Paid parking won't solve that either.
Maybe better parking?
More parking?
More efficient parking design?
More penalties for bad driving and drivers who park in the middle of the lane while waiting for their passengers who may still decide to shop for another hour?
Wait, let's make every day a family day and ban the bachelors too. That way the mall will be virtually empty every day and the one or two customers who manage to afford the parking charge and are lucky enough to be married can then get fantastic service from the dozens of store clerks who normally can't be bothered to lift a helping fingers because they are too busy SMSing a friend or talking with another store clerk.
Bravo City Centre.
"That's one small step for profit, one giant leap backwards for common sense."
Posted by Reid McLeod on Thursday 22 October 2009 at 12:28 UAE time
What about people with Fitness First memberships (which are already too expensive)? Do they get to park for free, or do they have to pay even more to get into the parking area and then dodge crazy drivers to try and find a place that will take ages to locate? I agree with the BETTER SERVICE comment - this is a money grab pure and simple, not an attempt to give better service. How can one give better service when a driver is forced out of the lane by a land cruiser speeding through the parking area in the wrong direction. Paid parking won't solve that either.
Maybe better parking?
More parking?
More efficient parking design?
More penalties for bad driving and drivers who park in the middle of the lane while waiting for their passengers who may still decide to shop for another hour?
Wait, let's make every day a family day and ban the bachelors too. That way the mall will be virtually empty every day and the one or two customers who manage to afford the parking charge and are lucky enough to be married can then get fantastic service from the dozens of store clerks who normally can't be bothered to lift a helping fingers because they are too busy SMSing a friend or talking with another store clerk.
Bravo City Centre.
"That's one small step for profit, one giant leap backwards for common sense."
Doha mall set to introduce parking charges
Posted by Saleh, Doha, Qatar on Thursday 22 October 2009 at 08:00 UAE time
If the claim about better service and not making money is true, then customers who make a purchase at the mall should be issued a ticket to redeem at the exit and thus get their parking fees refunded.
Posted by Saleh, Doha, Qatar on Thursday 22 October 2009 at 08:00 UAE time
If the claim about better service and not making money is true, then customers who make a purchase at the mall should be issued a ticket to redeem at the exit and thus get their parking fees refunded.
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