Get the look, the love and the life at Gateway Theatre of Shopping
WORDS: SUPPLIED :: PHOTOS: GATEWAY THEATRE OF SHOPPING
When Gateway opened in 2001 it was a pioneer and a trendsetter. The Mall took shape in the sugar cane fields north of Durban. It was quite evident back then that this was going to be something quite different to what consumers had come to expect from a shopping mall.
Gateway Theatre of Shopping was the catalyst for a development boom on the bustling Umhlanga Ridge. There is now residential, commercial, hospitality and even healthcare services in the area.
Trendy hotels, apartments, offices, and mixed-use developments now run from the beach up the ridge to the iconic mall, and it’s easy to see why Umhlanga, with its subtropical sophistication and convenience, is a magnet for relocating millionaires and discerning holidaymakers and home buyers.
Gateway is usually the first option for prestigious discerning brands with limited outlets when they move into the KwaZulu-Natal market. Shoppers have come to expect wider choice and top-end options from retailers’ flagship Gateway branches.
Family-friendly fascinations
Gateway’s DNA has always included entertainment and a sense of excitement, expectation and wonder. The ‘Theatre of Shopping’ includes enhancing family-friendly features which makes it a fascinating experience for the whole family.
The incredibly popular, mind-boggling World of Illusions is in its final weeks, before it makes way for an equally intriguing activation. The World of Illusions Summer Edition is currently making a splash on the Cinema Level, with cheerful tropical prints and the most inviting sparkling pool scene you’ve ever seen!
A fascinating feature worth visiting is the largest suspended glass floor in any mall in the country. Find it in the Food Republic where an abundance of food outlets spoil peckish shoppers for choice; it’s not for the faint-hearted!
Covering 55m2, the floor is made from 40 panels of specialised non-slip structural glass imported from the UK. Each panel is made from several bonded layers of tempered safety glass which results in a 57mm thickness. The glass floor weighs the equivalent of an African elephant, that’s 9 200 kgs! But it’s worth it. Standing on the floor, it’s possible to get a 3600 panoramic view of the outdoors through the glass skylight, glass curtain and glass floor. Looking at the garden 12 m below, it’s comparable to the view through a glass bottomed boat.
Venturing outside to the Palm Court, the Lighthouse & Ocean Play is an imaginative children’s play area developed around endemic sea creatures and the iconic Umhlanga lighthouse. Beautifully constructed, the hammerhead shark and two yellowfin tuna can be balanced on, climbed through, and clambered over. Ascending via an interior staircase, children whizz down a slide from the top of the lighthouse to the depths of the ocean scene below. It’s added something special for kids to explore in the Palm Court.
In addition to these experiences which can be enjoyed for free, Gateway is home to a top-notch cinema complex with the full Ster Kinekor range of theatres, including Prestige, Nouveau, IMAX and regular theatres.
Other activities which can be accessed through ticket purchases include:
- Snow Wonderland
- BeUP Jump Park
- Go-Karting
- Mr Funtubbles
- Sport on Court
- Electric Avenue Bowling
Dining and fast food
You can choose from over 50 eating establishments including fast food and sit-down restaurants at the mall.
At Food Republic, the food and entertainment court on the cinema level, there’s something for every taste in the family and seating indoors or outdoors.
Sit down restaurants in the beautiful outdoor Palm Court are a hit for long lunches and wonderful social dinners.
Further along the Palm Boulevard, the new vibrant, sophisticated tapas bar, La Parada is drawing in the crowds with its trendy vibe and on-trend décor.
Supporting young talent
Gateway is consistently voted as one of the ‘Coolest’ malls in the country. As an active stakeholder in the community, Gateway has valued partnerships with a number of charities and initiatives, many of whom rely on the mall for support for their annual fundraising drives. These include Reach-for-a-dream, CANSA Shavathon, the Santa Shoebox Project, and the Smile Foundation to name a few.
A wonderful new partnership with UNITY Performing Arts has brought this energetic, talented group of creatives into the mall space. Situated on the first floor level overlooking the Palm Court, UNITY reached out to Gateway during lockdown which was a particularly hard time for performing artists left with no spaces to perform, meet or rehearse.
Operating with an inviting collaborative ethos, UNITY hosts workshops for various Arts groups – from painting, to contemporary dance, ballet and other performance skills. Classes are run at a nominal fee and cater to different skill levels.
Affordable luxury brands
This super-regional centre is one of the largest in Africa at over 176,330 sqm and houses more than 410 tenants.
Get Connected
Gateway Theatre of Shopping
1 Palm Boulevard
Umhlanga Ridge, Umhlanga.
@GatewayVIP
@GatewayUmhlanga
