Bring me sunshine say local shops!
0 - 0 • Published 21 May 2009 10:21
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The financial gloom has engulfed a nation as the credit crunch begins to take effect, but will Largs escape the worst of the economic struggles?
The recent Easter Weekend looked highly promising indeed with large numbers travelling to the town with long queues of traffic coming in and out of the town, while cash dispensers ran out of notes.
The likes of Kelburn Country Centre, Nardinis and Ritz Cafe in Millport received an early boost with one of the busiest Easter Weekends in years. Owner of Lounge and Room restaurant operations, Stephen McDonald, reckons that the credit crunch could have a positive effect on local businesses as less people are spending money going on expensive foreign holidays abroad, and are more likely to opt for a short journey "doon the watter".
Another local businessman, John Corrigan of Acre Lettings, reckons that due to Largs demographics of commuters and the elderly, the town will largely escape the ill effects.
The 'News' went around a number of local shops to see how they are coping following the financial downturn following a good sprinkling of visitors over Easter and Bank Holiday weekends.
Sandra Wilson, manager of Happit clothing in Tron Place, said: 'I think Stephen could possibly be right. People are going to go where they can get good prices and value. The arrival of Nardini"s has had a wonderful effect on the local area and it has brought many people to the town. I think that is quite a prominent factor. April was superb. During the three years it was closed, it was abysmal. There have been some negative effects in that we have had to cut staffing hours but that is just the same as elsewhere. May is usually the best month but the weather has been disappointing so far. Summer is still to come and we are confident that it will be a good one.'
Mr David Anton, travel agent at LAH Travel said: 'We have not noticed any difference in sales from last year. In fact, our sales are a little better than last year. We have a lot of local clients and a lot over the internet - it is a mixture of the two. Long haul flights have proved popular. We think more people nowadays are going to Eastern Europe such as Bulgaria, and Turkey, as they are now looking at how much value for money they can get in these specific countries. The package holidays are not selling as well but you are still getting people going to popular spots in Italy and Spain.'
Tracey Pirie of Rodgerson"s shoe shop said: 'The credit crunch has not affected us at all .We had an excellent Easter and a very good Bank Holiday. We had a lot of French people coming in to the shop, maybe because the exchange rate is so good for them it is having a positive effect.'
Colleague Carol Black said: 'I see the Euro has gone up; I only saw that by looking at the travel agent"s window as I wasn"t going to see it from the post office window as it is currently closed!
'The biggest problem we have had is when the post office closed as we also do mail order. We had a customer wanting to know why their shoes had not arrived. I had to go across to my home in Millport and send the package from there. I think the sudden closure of the post office has been detrimental and it must have affected a lot of other businesses.'
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