The Dubai Mall – but not as you know it

 London’s ‘Dubai Mall’ provokes laughter among any passers-by who have been to the real mall and shopkeepers say many tourists stop to take photos beneath the signage. Stephen Lock for The National

Ben Flangan

LONDON // Bright hijabs for Dh18, Dh6 cappuccino and haircuts costing Dh30. Welcome to Dubai Mall … west London.

A far cry from the sprawling emporium at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the small shopping centre on the high street of Southall, which has a shopfront less than 10 metres long, is a source of much amusement for passing Emiratis.

Multi-coloured lights flash in the window of the mall’s electronics shop, while a blue sign advertises the No 1 Barber Shop.

There are no magnificent dancing musical fountains, Armani cafes or shark-filled aquariums, but that is no dampener for one regular visitor.

“Welcome to Dubai – in London,” jokes Mr Arha, one of the shopping centre’s most loyal customers.

Like many visitors and most of the shopkeepers, he is originally from Somalia and says the place is a popular hangout for members of that community.

“I call my friends and tell them, ‘I’m in Dubai’,” he says.

“Every day we come. In Dubai, it’s bigger than this, 10 times bigger. But here is better … it’s cheaper.”

The world’s largest mall has Bloomingdales, boutiques and branded cafes.

Here there are only six shops open and three vacant, one of which is being used as a makeshift prayer room.

But while the Dubai Mall of London is undeniably smaller than its UAE namesake, one shopkeeper believes it is by no means the lesser.

Amina works in one of the mall’s two clothes shops, selling abayas for £20 (Dh119), and hijabs for £3.

Many of the products she sells are imported from Dubai, and some of her customers also come from the UAE, she says.

The Somali, who has lived in London for eight years, says she has been to Dubai and visited malls there. But sitting in her humble rented shop, she shows no signs of envy.

“This is better than Dubai,” Amina says. “They have a lot of money but we are happy. It is a small shop, but it is mine.”

Qays Eribay, 27, who works in the Click Satellite electronics shop, says several Emiratis have stopped outside to take pictures.

“I don’t really see any sense behind the name,” says Qays, another Somali, who moved to London 14 years ago. “Maybe it’s to attract rich people from Dubai. They keep stopping here and taking pictures.”

He tinkers with computers and cameras as he waits for customers to arrive, in front of rows of mobile-phone covers he sells for as little as £3.

The London mall’s only non-Muslim shopkeeper is Effrem Tekale, 36, who works part-time at the barbers.

Effrem is from Eritrea and says he has a friendly relationship with the other shopkeepers.

“I’m Christian and these people are Muslim, but we eat together,” he says.

He cannot say how the mall got its name when asked by curious Emirati visitors.

Abdurahman Haji, leaseholder of the mall since 2012, says the mall was named by a previous tenant, probably in 2010.

The French-Somali, who goes by the name Abdi Haji, is director of Dubai Mall Business Centre, the formal name of the mall.

Abdi, 27, says the economic downturn prompted him to reduce rents and he now charges shopkeepers between £500 and £1,100 a month.

He says Emaar Properties, the developer behind the UAE’s Dubai Mall, has not been in touch with him about the name.

Representatives of the Dubai property company did not respond to a request for comment.

“I’d love to keep the name,” says Abdi. “There’s always been a connection between the Somalis and the Emirates.”

The businessman hopes to expand his import-export business to the Middle East. But if he is successful, Southall may lose one of its quirkier shop signs.

“I’d love to have some more business links with Dubai,” says Abdi. “But we might have to change the name first.”

Source: The National