THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s human resources committee has agreed to extend the management deal with Bel-Essex for the McArthur Pools for a further 10 years that will see major renovations and the possible enlargement of the restaurant if approval is given by the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority.

The committee endorsed a recommendation without discussion.

The intention, if permission comes from the heritage agency timeously, is to have the new restaurant opened by May 1, the goal being that by the time visitors arrive for the World Cup, “the McArthur complex should have asserted itself as the premier quality entertainment and dining spot on the beachfront”.

The new restaurant is projected to employ 50 full-time and contract staff.

Sketching the history of the upgrading of the complex in a report to the committee, city corporate services chief Rio Nolutshungu said the municipality had entered into an agreement with BAE Systems Operations for the upgrading and renovation of the facility. In terms of this, an operator had to be appointed and Bel-Essex was given a nine-year contract ending on October 30 next year.

To allow the firm to “plan ahead effectively”, they sought an extension of the agreement for 10 years “with a view to investing a considerable amount of capital” that included the possible extension of the restaurant by 45m². This would allow negotiations to be finalised with a national chain that was willing to invest.

Bel-Essex was also seeking approval to upgrade the facility together with Auspex Property to ensure “the beachfront remains attractive, clean, safe and vibrant and to promote and develop the tourist trade”.

Auspex, the main owner and developer of the Radisson Hotel, has a 30% share in the venture.

In their motivation to the committee, the companies note that for Port Elizabeth to become a tourism destination “it must firstly be attractive to local tourists and be sustained by locals before we can expect international visitors to consider PE as a viable tourist destination.

“The intent at this stage is to grow PE as a preferred coastal tourism destination for (domestic visitors). PE offers a higher quality experience than most other costal cities.”

The proposed new investment “will surely ensure that other restaurant outlets and establishments on the beachfront reinvest in their operations and this will result in an overall increase of quality outlets and establishments on the beachfront”.