New initiative to put the heart back into Somerset West

Staff Reporter|Published 11 months ago

At the launch are members of the Dewvest team from left, are Heidi Basson, Marelize Meyer, Dawie Malan, Nicola Steyn, Vicki Lorenzen, Bertus de Waal. PICTURES: VILLAGE COLLECTIVE

Village Collective, an initiative to breathe new life into Somerset West’s CBD, was officially launched on Thursday, April 4.

Taking place at The Forum building in Drama Street, the launch celebrated the culmination of a massive partnership initiative to revamp and restore infrastructure, attract new businesses and, ultimately, transform the town centre into the kind of place people want to live, work, visit and shop.

Village Collective is spearheaded by the three founding partners: Dewvest Property Fund, the Rola Group and the Somerset West City Improvement District (SWCID). It operates within the SWCID’s boundaries, spanning the precincts of Main Road, Caledon, Drama and Bright Street with the Village Garden forming the green heart of the area.

“Since as far back as 2017, Somerset West’s old town has been earmarked as a potential growth area and, as a result, much has been done to upgrade properties and create a cleaner, safer environment,” explains Bertus De Waal, managing director of Dewvest.

A tiered partnership model has been developed, offering all levels of business within the precinct the opportunity to join the Village Collective and participate in promotional activities.

Chairman of the Village Collective and representative of the Rola Group, Gerhard Nel, commented: “We are extremely proud of all that has been achieved so far and look forward to seeing increased interest in the area from businesses, residents and visitors alike.”

Village Collective is working on a marketing campaign with Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, previous CEO of Cape Town Tourism, owner of marketing agency Destinate and proud Somerset West resident.

“It’s exciting to see the historic heart of Somerset West coming back to life with new developments, retail offerings and a whole host of local eateries and cafes,” says Ms Du Toit-Helmbold.

“In my mind, the Village Collective is like a traditional village square where people can gather to reconnect, share stories and support local businesses. We invite you to get together with friends and loved ones to explore what’s on offer.”

At its heart, the Village Collective is a community effort and will only succeed with the support of everyone who loves Somerset West. If you want to get involved, contact Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold at connect@villagecollective.co.za

Located in the heart of Somerset West, the Village Collective is an exciting new initiative to revamp and restore infrastructure, and attract new businesses like the Modelist, pictured above.

The Village Collective operates within the boundaries of the Somerset West City Improvement District (SWCID) and is an exciting new shopping and lifestyle precinct harnessing all the charm of the ‘old town’ through the enhancement of existing and underutilised infrastructure.

A picture depicting the outside seating area of the Modelist, part of a new creative hub in Somerset West.

Ward 84 councillor Norman McFarlane, seen here speaking to audience members at the launch event.

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, previous CEO of Cape Town Tourism, owner of marketing agency Destinate and resident of Somerset West addresses the audience at the launch.

The revamp of the Forum building and 42 New Road, attracted sought-after tenants and an exciting new wine emporium, WYN, will open soon.

The Village Collective operates within the Somerset West City Improvement District’s boundaries, spanning the precincts of Main Road, Caledon, Drama and Bright Street with the Village Garden forming the green heart of the area.