Shopping centres like the Waterfront Market provide the “perfect atmosphere for families”, Dubai’s ruler said.

A month after opening its doors, Dubai’s new fish market has welcomed its first VIP customers.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, took a tour of the Waterfront Market this weekend.

The state-of-the-art facility, located near Hamriya Port, replaces the 60-year-old Deira Fish Market. Spread over more than 100,000 square metres, it sells fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and meat, and will eventually be home to restaurants, cafes, shops and a hypermarket.

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While the now-closed fish market will always hold a sentimental place in the city’s heart, the new market is said to be a neater, cleaner food environment, with air-conditioning, odour control, covered parking facilities and stricter hygiene regulations.

Sheikh Mohammed reportedly said he was “pleased” with the market, which is expected to serve as many as 500,000 visitors a month.

He inspected the fishing boat and water taxi piers, as well as the taxi reception area that will cater to tourists visiting the market.

These snaps from Khalifa Saeed show the royals examining the wares:

Sheikh Mohammed was said to have emphasised the importance of indoor shopping centres in serving the needs of the public, and providing a “perfect atmosphere for families”.

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