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Individual shopping preferences and retail statistics come together in resoundingly positive alignment at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. Public testimonials consistently praise the destination as their favourite – its Victoria Wharf shopping centre has been ranked as the best mall in South Africa out of 13 malls by the Urban Studies Shopper Index (USSI) – while retail sales show that December 2024 was the V&A Waterfront’s best sales month ever for this time of year.

It follows that being named as this popular neighbourhood’s top store, restaurant or small business by those who shop and eat there is a desirable accolade indeed.

Members of the public are invited to nominate their favourite eating and shopping destinations in the 2025 People’s Choice Award, which forms part of the annual V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards recognising and rewarding various aspects of retail excellence. ‘We acknowledge the importance of our visitors’ views and we want to know what they think,’ says V&A Waterfront retail executive Alex Kabalin. ‘Through these three trophies in the People’s Choice Award, we’re giving our visitors the power to support and acknowledge the establishments that make their V&A Waterfront experience a special one.’

One restaurant, one store and one small business in the precinct will each receive a People’s Choice award. Last year, the awards celebrated one restaurant and one store only and the winners honours went to Spur and Woolworths, respectively. For 2025 the V&A Waterfront retail team has elected to show support for small businesses, seeing as the neighbourhood is a longstanding and well-known business incubator, incorporating destinations such as Maker’s Landing, The Alfred and V&A Watershed.

There’s a window period in which members of the public may make their nominations online, ending on Thursday 21 August 2025. Any place they like to shop at or experience (whether a big transnational brand, an emerging or family-run business), and any restaurant, whether it’s a sit-down affair or a casual takeaway, is eligible, as long as it’s a tenant in the neighbourhood. 

To  encourage nominations, the V&A Waterfront is running a lucky draw. Everyone who nominates their top restaurant, store and small business will go into a draw to win a R1 000 V&A Waterfront shopping voucher. The nominations competition winner will be announced on the V&A Waterfront’s social media channels after 25 August 2025.

To nominate a store or restaurant visit:  https://awards.waterfront.co.za/nominations

After the nominations phase closes, the most-nominated destinations will make it onto a Top 5 shortlist, and the public will be asked to vote to decide the winners from the Top 5. The voting opens on 26 August 2025 and closes on Thursday 14 September 2025. Voters will be entered into a second lucky draw, this time, there’s a R5 000 voucher up for grabs. The voting competition winner will be drawn and announced on the V&A Waterfront’s social media channels after 17 September 2025.

And then, there’s the big moment we’ve all been waiting for - the final announcement of the People’s Choice award winners, as decided by the public. These names will be revealed as part of the V&A Neighbourhood Awards ceremony on 1 October 2025.

For more information about the awards, visit: https://awards.waterfront.co.za