THE VILLAGE THAT BECAME DUBAI’S BEVERLY HILLS
▶ Nick Webster meets the people of Jumeirah, which retains its small-town feel amid Dubai’s luxury hangouts
The evolution from a traditional fishing village to what has become the Beverly Hills of Dubai, demonstrates how much has changed in Jumeirah in the past 20 years.
Residents fondly remember the strong smell of fish drying out on the beachfront when the catch of the day was the livelihood for those who lived and worked in the neighbourhood.
Although many of the original villas remain, plenty have been replaced with two or three-storey alternatives, many grander and gaudier than their predecessors. Despite this, the area – which sprawls along the coast for more than 10 kilometres – has retained a unique feel thanks to its low-rise landscape.
It was also in the spotlight this week when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out plans to bring more murals and open-air canvasses to the district.
Former tour guide Alicia Morris, who moved to Jumeirah from Sharjah 32 years ago, never thought of living anywhere else.
“The place has changed a great deal since then,” she says.
“There were lots of small corner shops, a barber’s, tailors’ shops and a few smaller supermarkets dotted around the place.
“There were lots of locals still living in the area then, with their cows and goats wandering about.
“Cows would often go and drink out of people’s swimming pools. It was that kind of place and we would often have camels walking around.”
The Chicago Beach Hotel was a popular watering hole and became an institution. When it was demolished in 1997, Jumeirah Beach Hotel opened in its place, and remains a landmark after a recent refurbishment.
As rents soared, many Jumeirah residents moved out to the suburbs. Fast-food restaurants, coffee shops and private health clinics moved in to take over the buildings along Jumeirah Beach Road.
This has not stopped the neighbourhood retaining much of its charm, despite the ongoing development.
One of those swimming against the tide of change is Iranian business owner Reza Safdar Poorshamsi. The father of two, who has been in Jumeirah since 1971, said his two shops have not changed that much.
“When I first moved here I had the only shop in this area, and this was just a dirt road,” says Mr Poorshami, who owns two beach shops selling inflatable toys, bucket-andspade sets and shisha pipes.
“Some of my regular customers have been coming here since the 1970s.
“They are like me and just don’t want to leave.”
When the spectacular Burj Al Arab hotel opened in December 1999, the area changed for good.
Inspired by the spinnaker of a sailing boat, the hotel was a welcome nod to the neighbourhood’s seafaring connections, such as the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club which has always been at the heart of the Jumeirah community.
More luxury hotels have sprung up since then and the La Mer beach resort, with restaurants and water parks spread over several kilometres of decking, transformed Jumeirah 1.
Jumeirah is clinging on to its identity and there is still a lot of the original Emirati housing, which is great SAMANTHA HENDERSON Jumeriah resident
The nearby Jumeirah Mosque is an important landmark, and is the only mosque in Dubai that offers guided cultural tours, dedicated to welcoming non-Muslim visitors.
Nadir Shah, from India, is manager at the SeaShell fastfood shop in Jumeirah 2.
“Jumeirah is not like anywhere else in Dubai. It has a special vibe about the community, because of the beach I think,” he says. Further plans include transforming Jumeirah into a cultural hub, featuring houses splashed with murals, regular dhow sailing competitions and a food festival.