A clutch of shops in downtown Doha are being forced to close to make way for a major redevelopment project in the city centre.
The historic district of Shara Al Asmakh is being redeveloped with new public realm, educational and cultural facilities.
But the neighbourhood contains some of Doha’s oldest and most established shops – many of which have been operating there for more than 50 years and are now being forced to move elsewhere, according to a report in Gulf Times.
Among the shops set to leave the area are well known establishments Bashir Radio and Pakistan Sweets, it said.
The owners of Bashir Radio, which first opened more than 60 years ago, told the newspaper they had identified a new location in Najma to which they hoped to move in two months, and they hoped their reputation would keep them afloat.
“Old-timers used to say ours was the only electronic shop in this area when my grandfather set up Bashir Radio in the early 1950s on his arrival from Pakistan,” said Obaid Ahmed, who manages the shop.
Meanwhile Pakistan Sweets told the newspaper it expects to relocate to the Mughalina neighbourhood in the coming weeks.
“We are happy that our present shop is among those establishments that have contributed in making this location popular among the city’s residents over the years,” said Nabil Malik, who owns Pakistan Sweets with his brother Tariq.
Shara Al Asmakh is a major draw for residents of the Qatari capital despite the arrival of newer and swankier retail centres elsewhere in the city.
But traffic congestion has been cited as a key driver for resigning the district, and last year a UK-based architecture practice called you&me won a $25,000 competition to draw up a heritage-led plan to improve the area.
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