Two malls in Abu Dhabi emirate have been granted permission to reopen from Saturday.
Yas Mall, on Yas Island, and Al Jimi Mall, in Al Ain, will be the first in the emirate to open – but with measures in place to protect shoppers from the spread of Covid-19.
Opening hours during Ramadan will be 12pm to 9pm to avoid overlapping with disinfection hours that last from 10pm to 6am. Supermarkets and pharmacies – which can be visited in cases of absolute necessity during the disinfection period – will open from 9am to midnight.
“Malls will operate at a limited customer capacity of 30 per cent, reduced parking space and revised food and beverage operations,” said Aldar Properties, which manages the two malls.
Anyone aged over 60 will not be granted entry and all visitors will be required to pass through a thermal scanner set up at the entrance. Guests and staff will be required to wear mask and gloves at all times.
Paramedics and nurses will remain on-site throughout mall opening hours.
All mall staff underwent testing for Covid-19 before they were cleared to return to work. They will also have their temperatures checked often to ensure they are well.
All touch screens have been disabled and lift usage is reserved only for people with disabilities.
Though shops will reopen, cinemas, prayer rooms and entertainment venues will remain closed.
Restaurants, cafes and the food court will reopen but can only cater to groups of up to two people per table. Tables must also be spaced at least 2.5 metres apart. Takeaway and home delivery services will still be available.
Security robots will be deployed inside the mall to further reduce guest contact, while all customer service needs will be addressed through contactless tablet devices.
"Re-opening of other malls within Aldar’s retail portfolio, including World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, Shams Boutik at Al Reem Island, and Remal Mall in Al Ain, will follow once inspections are completed.”
Malls across the country are sanitised each day to keep visitors safe from the spread of Covid-19.
Malls opened in Dubai this week but with measures in place to avoid gatherings.
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
