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5.0 MENGHAM AND GABLE HEAD DISTRICT CENTRE
5.1 Mengham and Gable Head are twin
centres located at the southern end of Hayling Island in a
predominately residential area. They comprise two centres
linked by a classified road, the C426 Elm Grove. Mengham is
the principal shopping centre on Hayling Island and comprises 63
units. Gable Head is a smaller centre comprising 32
units. Both centres were developed during the 1960s and 70s
and have expanded to meet the demands of a larger resident
population and the summertime holiday trade. Mengham is
anchored by a Somerfield supermarket and Gable Head by a Co-op
supermarket.
5.2 The twin centre is defined as a
district centre in Policy TC1 of the HBDWLP.
The greatest concentration of units is found on the east side of
Elm Grove both at Mengham and Gable Head. Most of the retail
outlets in the centre are occupied by local independent traders
offering a range of convenience and comparison shopping. In
total the district centre comprises 95 units with a gross
floorspace of 9,536 sq m (102,645 sq ft). Convenience
retailers occupy 9.5% of all units and comparison retailers
55.8%. Service and vacant units comprise the remaining
34.7%. All retail categories are represented with the
exception of off licences and travel agents.
Non-Food Market Share
5.3 The district centre attracts a low
Borough market share of 2.5% as recorded in 2003. This was a
rise on the 2001 figure of 2.2%. However the trade draw from
the island itself has remained fairly static at around 14%.
Very few shoppers travel to the island to carry out their weekly
comparison shopping. Both centres benefit from holiday summer
trade but this has not been measured in economic terms. It is
clear from the above market share figures that the majority of the
island's residents travel off the island to do their main
comparison shopping. The 2003 survey revealed that the most
popular shopping centres were Chichester City Centre (22%), Havant
Town Centre (21%) and Portsmouth City Centre (18%). Because
both Mengham and Gable Head centres are hemmed in by residential
development it is difficult to create space for expansion which
would increase their retail offer.
Retail Representation
5.4 The primary frontages in Mengham are
located along the west and east sides of Elm Grove and along the
north and south sides of Mengham Road. There is a short
section of secondary frontages at the eastern end of Mengham Road
and a section of tertiary frontage on the eastern side of Elm Grove
between the last primary frontage and the District Centre
boundary. At Gable Head the primary frontages are located on
the east side of Elm Grove and the secondary frontages are located
to the north and south of the primary frontages together with two
small secondary parades either side of the Hayling Billy Public
House. The twin centre as a whole includes 95 units. Of
these, 86 units are located within the primary and secondary
frontages. 59 units (69%) are located within the primary
frontage and 27 (31%) are located in the secondary frontages.
This latest survey has revealed a slight fall in Class A1
representation within the primary frontages. In 2003 77% of
all units were classified as Class A1 but by 2006 this had fallen
to 73%. By contrast Class A1 representation along the
secondary frontages had risen from 73% to 89%. As Class A1
representation stands at 73% in the primary frontages and 89% in
the secondary, these levels meet the HBDWLP
monitoring target to maintain a threshold of 60% representation in
primary areas and 40% in secondary locations.
5.5 Retail representation by trade
category for both centres shows that convenience retailers match
the UK average. However the floorspace occupied by
convenience retailers exceeds the UK average and this is due to the
fact that two of the nine convenience retailers are supermarket
operators, who account for the majority of the centre’s convenience
floorspace.
5.6 For comparison shops the twin centre
is in line with the UK average with 53 shops occupied by comparison
retailers. The twin centre falls below the UK average for its
floorspace profile by 13% due to the high number of small shop
units.
5.7 For service sector uses the twin
centre is under represented in the restaurants, cafes and fast food
category but over represented by financial services outlets and
estates agents.
Proportion of Vacant Shops/Units
5.8 The vacancy
rate data included in this report has been obtained from a field
survey conducted on 19 July 2006. When the survey was carried
out 7 units (7%) were recorded as being vacant which is below the
UK average of 10%. In 2003, 8 units were vacant. A
vacancy rate of 7%, meets the HBDWLP
monitoring target for vacancy profits to match or beat the UK
average.
Public Perception Rating Scores 2001
and 2003
|
Indicator
|
2003
Score
|
2001
Score
|
%
change
+ or
-
|
|
Range of Shops - food
|
31.3
|
20.6
|
+51.9
|
|
Range of Shops - non-food
|
17.5
|
13.0
|
+34.6
|
|
Total Combined
|
48.8
|
33.6
|
+45.2
|
5.9 The table above
shows that the public’s perception of shopping facilities rose by
some 45% between 2001 and 2003. There is no obvious reason
for this rise other than the possibility that local initiatives by
individual retailers aimed at improving the quality of their offer
have impacted on the public’s perception of the centre. In
terms of the retail offer the twin centre provides a complete range
of services with the exception of travel agents and
off-licences. The convenience offer matches the UK profile of
9.2% and the comparison offer falls just below the UK average with
56% of all units within this category.
Pedestrian Flows
5.10 The 2006 pedestrian
flow counts were undertaken on Friday 11 August and Saturday 12
August. The weather on Friday was cloudy and cool in the
morning but warmed up with sunny spells in the afternoon. The
weather on Saturday was similar to that on Friday. The total
weekly equivalent number (WEN) for all locations
amounted to 45,413 persons, a fall on the 2003 figure of
22.5%. The highest pedestrian flow was recorded outside 9/11
Mengham Road (Lloyds Pharmacy) and lowest outside 106 Elm Grove
(Tesco Express). There was a recorded fall of 28% outside
Lloyds Pharmacy and this figure therefore contravenes the
HBDWLP
monitoring target for an increase in footfall at the 100%
pitch.
Rents
5.11 The average Zone A rent
for premises situated along the 100% pitch (the primary frontage)
is £242 per sq m. The rent has increased from £215 per sq m
in 2003. This represents a 13% rise and meets the
HBDWLP
monitoring target for Zone A rents to be maintained or increased
along the primary frontages.