24 April 2024. Plettenberg Bay, South Africa –
Plett Tourism is pleased to welcome new businesses and investors to the region. It is an exciting time as investment in the town signifies the region’s growth, faith in Plett’s resilience and reinforces its position as a premier destination for tourists and investors alike.
At the forefront of these developments is the new Plett Quarter in vibrant Main Street. An elegant mixed-use location featuring boutique hotel, luxury apartments, various restaurant and retail spaces creating a lively hub that suits the social atmosphere of its location. Developed by the Lion Roars group, visitors can look forward to freshly baked goods from Dough & Co, a sleek shopping experience at Hannah Lavery, and a unique, memorable dining experience at The Sanctuary Restaurant, in addition to the rooftop pool deck and bar, exclusively for guests to enjoy.
Plett Tourism CEO, Patty Butterworth expressed her enthusiasm for the project and others, “After the economic downturn in the tourism sector following Covid, we are thrilled to be meeting and greeting new investors to our community. As tourism is the primary economic driver in our small coastal town, we are honoured by the support of local and out-of-town investors and appreciative to Bitou Municipality who have been so helpful to these.”
Plett’s Main Street continues to get the attention it deserves as The Grand Old Dame has been reinvented as a serene boutique hotel: The Ivory Haus – complete with new The Palms Restaurant and a freshly built upper deck with near-panoramic views of the lagoon, bay and mountains. This transformation is thanks to the dynamic Teubes family: Clive, Michelle, sons Dean and Dylan, and their wives Lauren and Lexi. The hospitality-driven family’s special connection to Plett became a full-time passion when they learned that The Grand Rendezvous and Rooms was on the market. Since then, they’ve been busy and have been pleased with the support of locals: ”People have been very encouraging and supportive,” Lexi told The Times Plett & Knysna. “The locals have been popping in from day one to see what we’re up to and we’ve learned so much about the hotel and Plett as a result.”
Food and drink continues to bring about exciting additions to Plett’s full-bodied dining experiences with the introduction of new restaurants Zoox – on the up-and-coming Telluric Wine Estate, Mamzo’s Tshisanyama and the Robberg Distillery. Continuing the theme of out-of-town investment, Telluric and Zoox have been developed by Pierre and Cecily du Preez, owners of the acclaimed Beau Constantia.
Popular market-come-venue, the Market On Main, made the move down to Sewell Street to become Market Off Main and found immediate popularity as a local hangout. The venue is open and the vibe is fantastic, complete with Rumours by Seakrit Spot, Sanga by Nguni, NPod, Asian Kitchen, African Crafts and Curios, and more. The move to make way for The Plett Quarter development has proved fruitful as The Market Off Main has buzzed since it opened its doors at the end of 2023.
The sporting front has seen the launch of two new Padel courts: one at the Plettenberg Bay Country Club and one at the new Telluric Wine Estate. Pickleball can now be found riverside at the lovely Down to Earth. As semigration to the coast continues, the new storage facility at Green Valley is sure to offer a welcome service to those relocating to the Bitou area. Kevin Evans’ popular Bike Shop has expanded to include a Trail Shop which fits perfectly with 2023’s launch of the Plett Trails app and the formation of the Plett Community Guiding Network which aims to pair local guides with visitors for maximum enjoyment of the region’s many exceptional hiking and walking trails.
According to an article in the summer issue of The Times Plett & Knysna, the real estate development sector is also in a period of growth with the new Boardwalk Estate, Langdown Ridge, Eden View Lifestyle Estate, and The Jetty, a lifestyle retirement estate with a Cape coastal theme located between Bitou Vineyards and The Quartet.
To cap off these good news stories, the tender for the development of Plettenberg Bay Airport has been awarded. rsa.AERO, the company also overseeing operations at the Cape Winelands airport, has secured the contract. The announcement was made by Bitou Municipality in February 2024 and marks the culmination of an extensive evaluation process and the completion of the legally mandated appeals period.
Butterworth concludes: “We are so pleased to see economic growth in Plett. This growth, especially in the tourism and hospitality sector has far-reaching consequences for the economic health of the entire Bitou region creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. We would like to thank the Bitou Municipality for their support of both local businesses and external investors as they navigate the beginning of their new enterprises. This support has been recognised and appreciated.”
