Oasis

We were out last week and went to have a look in the sales office, we overheard a PW rep telling a couple that the Foro would be opening in March 2009 and that Oasis would be in 2 years time.  The Foro is open to residents only and Oasis is open to the public.

I personally think it will be a good thing, we did a lot of driving to find any decent shops.

The Foro Town Centre, measuring 8,500 m2, is currently nearing the end of the construction phase and will soon be offering the following to the public and residents:

- Restaurants and bars
- Bank
- Supermarket
- Shops
- Crèche

I have just found this on PW web site so not just residents

 

 

 

The Foro Town Centre, measuring 8,500 m2, is currently nearing the end of the construction phase and will soon be offering the following to the public and residents:

- Restaurants and bars
- Bank
- Supermarket
- Shops
- Crèche

I have just found this on PW web site so not just residents

 

 

 

Hi, we were over last week and were told that the Foro would be ready for May time and that the Oasis would be started by mid to late 2009 with completion early 2011.
 

I think that because we never get to hear first hand from PW about what's happening, everything should be took with a pinch of salt, because when we were in the sales room last month, we were told they were starting the first third of Oasis now, even though it will only be PW garden centre and Homestyle -- On the PW website it does say, as Cats mentions, that the Foro is nearing the end of construction and that it is for residents AND public? Thought this was supposed to be private to residents? I only just realised the "bar" has a name, Manzanos snack bar. lol

Foro - nearing completion ??? Now that would be a miracle. Although any of us who follow the events on this forum, or have seen the development in the flesh know that Polaris have made remarkable progress, we also know that the foundations for the Foro have only just come out of the ground as the most recent photo's show. 
Can't think why there would be a problem making these facilities open to the public as well as residents until the Oasis is developed. An under-used facility tends to be a boarded-up facility eventually. With the prices everyone seems to have noticed, I don't think there will be too many locals from the surrounding areas making a bee-line for Condado. Anyone who has already been will also be aware of the fact that there is not too much in the way of built up population centres in the near vicinity. Alas, I think the main target group for the customer base of the said facilities is ourselves the residents. Anyone who has stayed at La Torre will know that for a lot of the time, the facilities on that resort were under-used because it is mainly the residents who frequent the places (some of whom have imposed a partial boycott because of the prices) and at any one time there might only be up to 30% occupancy of the resort. There are some good value eating places and bars just outside the complex ,which when we were over in September were doing extremely brisk trade. It is my hope that Polaris learn the lessons from La Torre and get their pricing competetive because the facilities are first class and it is a shame to see them half empty. I think for the standard of the facilities I have seen on La Torre and await on Condado, I would of course expect to pay more than you would in the local village bar, but everyone knows that a place that is full and 'buzzing' will continue to attract people and more patrons = more profit.  Simple business logic really. 
I have recently come back from a long W/E at La Manga and anyone who knows golf knows La Manga is world renowned and has been established for 30 years. When I purchased with Polaris, I got the impression that this was the concept that Polaris aspired to match or even surpass. I have to say La Manga was superb and if we get to that level with Condado I will be well happy. As a way of comparison, the two bedroom apartments that we stayed in were on the market for up to £400.00 and villa's at the £1.8 million mark. In this resort (which I think we can classify up-market) the cost of a beer in the bars was 3 1/2 euros to 4 if you were looking for Guinness or Magners etc. We also found the restaraunts more reasonably priced than we expected. I think I read of people being charged 7 euros for a cider at La Torre. My point is - this is what Polaris need to compete with as well as all the other developments that are coming on stream around us. There are only so many customers to go round and most of them tend to look for good value and fair prices. Even Mark's & Spencers have reduced food & drink prices of their quality goods to keep the customers from drifting away. Here's hoping that the management get in the real world by the time the Faro opens next year and we will all be happy then. Keep your prices right and we will all spend more - get them wrong and it will be the supermarket followed by a slow couple of drinks streched out over the evening. Simple isn't it !

Regards,

Surely the problem with making the Foro accessible to the public is that we will no longer own property in a secure, gated community.  The Foro is within the security gated area, so if they are going to allow the public access to it, then effectively the public will have access to our garden areas, swimming pools, etc.  

The original advertising literature from PW all referred to the Foro being for residents use only and the Oasis being open to the general public.  We were told that this was part of the planning permission granted to PW - that they put something back into the local community and provide facilities for the community as a whole.   Can't see how it is going to work allowing the public access to the Foro in the meantime.

Fair point Payton,
                               Like I said, I can't honestly see any locals coming to the Foro on a regular basis. I think it would be purely for inquisitive reasons and was imagining them having to drive through the gated security like the rest of us. When we have stayed at La Torre and visited Mar Menor, you just drive up to the gate and then the barrier goes up and you are in. No proof of ownership asked for then. I think you would probably find that some of the cars that drive in are just popping in for lunch etc. so technically are just a member of the public. You know how it is with Polaris as well don't you-one minute the literature says one thing and the next it is different. I think it is just going to be a case of 'suck it and see'.

Regards,

May be the term 'public' means people renting on Condado rather than general public, and golfers maybe as well as owners/residents. Not sure how access is restricted though as we've heard no more about the gizmo's we were told each owner would have to operate electronic gates. At La Manga, La Torre and Mar Menor we just drove in and out, no-one checks if you are a resident, they just copy the number plate. But they have hotels (or la Torre soon will) so that would make restricting access difficult.

The restaurants on La Torre are open to the general public. They are constantly being advertised on local radio and visible on advertising boards. Can't see the Spanish public paying the prices though.

I lived in Greece for a while and there was always 2 different prices to pay in all the bars, restaurants and shops.  One for the Greeks and one for the tourists, don't know whether this would be the same in Spain.