Your say / Business
‘Summer is a season to endure for small independent businesses’
Love Saves The Day, St Paul’s Carnival, Pride, the Harbour Festival, the Balloon Fiesta, Upfest: Bristol’s summer festival programme is in full swing and this year has had the weather for it too.
We love it. It makes Bristol a creative, dynamic and joyful place to live.
But, en route to whichever festival floats your boat, suncream in hand and backpack full of cans, have you noticed the scores of cafes void of customers?
Just three months ago, the windows of those cafes were steaming with the condensation of hot coffee that was handed out to loyal customers, anxious to stay dray and warm their hands.
Where are they now? Weekend after weekend, Bristolians and visitors alike have filled our public spaces, congregating in our parks, squares and harbour side for entertainment, street food, pop-up venues, market stalls, craft beverages and general gathering and frolicking.
But, believe me, all this summertime flocking and aggregating of swathes of people outside in the sunshine, is tough on high street businesses.
Shops and cafes with premises and teams of staff are struggling. Businesses with monthly outgoings, rent payments, rates bills, payroll and pension contributions.
In our cafe, sales are down 40 per cent. They have been for weeks now. An independent business can’t sustain that very long. Summer is a season to endure.
Where are our usual customers? Everyone’s in Eastville Park. Everyone’s on the harbourside. Everyone’s at Ashton Court, or so it feels at least. It’s easy to walk past an empty cafe.
Oh, to own an ice cream van or a food stall with queues five deep! In the midst of it all. One day here, one day there. The promotion, hype and thronging crowds. There is nothing like a queue to attract business.
There are always winners and losers, I hear you say. Indeed, but the loss on our high streets could be great and lasting. Not swathes of revellers, but swathes of closures.
Tough times. Unpaid bills. We’re not alone in feeling the squeeze. Please don’t forget your local retailers. En route to the festival, say hello to your old friend and stop in for an iced coffee!
The writer of this piece, who wants to remain anonymous, is the co-owner of a cafe in BS6
Main photo by Jelena Belec
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