Ever since it opened its doors in 2010, The Point Shopping Mall has sought to create a space for everybody to enjoy. A decade later the mall was forced to close for 42 days because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Point CEO Edwin Borg explains how the team is working tirelessly to make it as safe a destination as possible during these challenging times.

The Point is a place where people go to spend time and enjoy a leisurely stroll between shops, followed by a chat over a coffee in the square. 

But COVID-19 has changed this shopping experience, amongst so many other things. 

“Customers now visit to get what they need, and certain categories of people have been afraid to visit for fear of contracting the virus. What we’ve seen happening in recent months is a definite shift in the people who come here and what they do. We’ve seen a drop in footfall, but an increase in average spend,” says Borg.

The Point CEO Edwin Borg

“I think the main challenge is the prevailing uncertainty and fear of the unknown with respect to the future. On a medical front, there seems to be a solid plan of how the virus can be contained and eradicated, but from a business point of view, it has brought along a significant element of disruption which will take much longer to sort out ,” he says.

Since the pandemic first came to Malta in March, the mall was forced to close for over a month – when nationwide restrictive measures were in place to control the spread of the virus. Once things calmed down and the measures were lifted, the mall reopened with a range of safety measures in place.

“The Point is following – to the dot – the guidelines and regulations issued by the government and health authorities,” Borg says, adding that the mall and its 60 individual outlets are doing all they can to ensure a safe environment for shoppers. 

Retailers have put measures in place following discussions with health authorities. These include closing the fitting rooms, sanitisation of returned garments and of the entire shop, temperature reading of staff, sanitisers at each entrance, and ensuring social distancing is maintained by controlling the amount of people allowed inside each shop. 

From the mall’s point of view, common areas – including lifts and restrooms – are sanitised on an ongoing basis. Hand driers in the restrooms have been turned off, masks must be worn at all times and sanitising gels are provided in all key areas. As an extra precaution, the mall ensures that the number of people entering the building at any one time is no greater than the aggregate amount of people safely allowed in all the shops. 

“We have done an internal educational campaign with all our workers so that everybody knows what is expected of them and what measures they must follow. It’s as safe as it possibly can be within the circumstances – so we expect that as part of the community, all customers that visit should work towards keeping it that way, and keeping themselves and each other safe,” he says.

Borg stresses that, despite the business challenges, the mall places people’s safety at the forefront. “We do not want people to congregate. So we are now working against our core mission which is to bring people over. Even in terms of important upcoming activities like Black Friday – where people enjoy pre-Christmas promotions – we understand that people shouldn’t congregate so we have decided to extend the event over a number of days so that customers can still benefit from the discounts and offers while feeling less rushed and pressured to do so.”

“COVID-19 has been an eye opener for all of us. Among the various lessons learnt, it taught us how to march on, even in the face of substantial adversity. We have learnt to appreciate the important things in life like good health, family, friendship and good times. What we are working to achieve at The Point is providing a safe space where customers can do so and safely enjoy themselves.” 

The Point’s Safe Space Customer Survey – October 2020

“The cleanliness of the mall strikes me the most, and the staff are very welcoming. There are sanitisers in every shop and in general, I feel safe.”
Visitor

“The mall is very spacious and it’s not overcrowded, so there’s less chance of contamination.”
Visitor

Win a VIP shopping experience 

You can win €300 worth of shopping vouchers from The Point Shopping Mall by entering a Facebook competition. To participate, find The Point on Facebook, "like" their page, and tag three friends in the comment section of the competition post.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 25 – just in time for the Black Friday sales. The winner will be invited, along with a family member from within their safety bubble, to enjoy a day of shopping and free parking. Visit The Point's Facebook page to find out more. Terms and conditions apply.