HIGHLANDERS Football club is projecting to spend a whopping US$50 000 for sprucing up the dilapidated club house and bar after engaging Bulawayo businessman Phathisani Nkomo.
Nkomo, an award-winning businessman, is the owner of upmarket nightspots Zarah Lounge, Copa Cubana, Havana, and Cosmopolitan.
The club spokesperson, Nozibelo Maphosa said Nkomo came in as a consultant in sprucing up the club house bar which was closed late last year and reopened at the beginning of this year's football season.
“The structure had outlived its glory days. It was dilapidated to a point where the general feeling was that one day it will collapse in the presence of our loyal patrons. Besides, we thought it needed a new feel, an ambiance that will make it competitive in the business,” Maphosa said.
“We identified Phathisani Nkomo, a renowned businessperson in the city, specialising in liquor business to come on board as a consultant. We will benefit from his expertise for the next five years and we are confident that he will leave us with much improved systems in terms of running that business.”
Quizzed how much the project cost, Maphosa said: “The project is not yet complete as we are touching up on a few outstanding areas such as branding- both inside and outside and the inside kitchen for our patrons to be able to buy snacks whilst they are enjoying their beverages. It is only after those areas have been attended to that we will be able to have the exact figure, but our projection is that the project will be plus or minus US$50 000.”
In 2021, a Bosso delegation went on a strategic planning workshop in Victoria Falls, financed by principal sponsor Sakunda and infrastructure development was on the agenda.
“Infrastructure development is a major pillar of our strategic focus. The idea is to revamp all our infrastructure for full utilisation so that we diversify our revenue streams. We have big plans for the sports club, which also includes training grounds for our football teams, and space for various sporting disciplines,” said Maphosa.
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The club house bar has been turned into an upmarket spot, which is now competing with other top bars scattered in the city.
“Our patrons definitely love the new look, and the renovations have also attracted a different set of clientele. We now have people from different walks of life drinking at the club house, which is exactly what we wanted, to have people from all social classes drinking at our club house,” she said.
Past Bosso administrators have in the past promised to renovate the old Highlanders club house whose long lease was secured by the late Ndumiso Gumede led executive committee in 1987.
Reports suggest that Highlanders entered a build-operate-transfer deal with Nkomo that will see the businessman operating the club for the next five years and paying a certain amount to the club, monthly.
Bosso, however, insist that Nkomo is only coming in as a consultant.
“Our working relationship with Phathisani Nkomo is above board. Nkomo comes in as a consultant, and it’s the club that will be paying him from the bar proceeds for his services for the duration of the contract,” said Maphosa.
In 2020, the Bulawayo City Council were on the brink of terminating Highlanders lease after the club breached its lease agreement by subletting part of the club house to house a braai spot.
The club had leased out part of the clubhouse to Bulawayo socialite and broadcaster Babongile Sikhonjwa in 2018, which saw the establishment of Hlabangana Lounge, a braai facility a year later that was eventually closed after operating for five months, after the intervention of the local authority.
“The City of Bulawayo initiated the closure of Hlabangana Lounge. The reason being that the lounge was an illegal activity as it was not authorised by council. The lounge was operating on council land, which was leased to Highlanders Football for amateur sports. It came to our attention that Highlanders had actually sub-let part of the land to Hlabangana Lounge which is a violation of the terms and conditions, which alone is enough grounds to terminate the Highlanders lease,” said council senior public relations officer, Nesisa Mpofu.
