Bridgetown Retail Sector Surges in July Boost, Fueled by Crop Over Festival, Says Business Leader

Bridgetown’s retail trade has experienced a significant boost in activity during July, primarily attributed to the Crop Over festival, a business leader has told Barbados TODAY.

Eddy Abed, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s Revitalisation of Bridgetown Committee, said a diverse array of events was crucial in attracting consumers to the capital. But even as the capital seeks to build on the success of this year’s season, Abed was quick to point out that the challenge remains to sustain and expand The City’s appeal throughout the year.

“Generally speaking, businesses in the Bridgetown area and further afield in the retail sector saw an increase in activity during the month of July,” said Abed, managing director of leading fabric store Abed’s. “Predominantly, of course, because of the season of Crop Over.”

He highlighted the expanded calendar of events, organised by both the National Cultural Foundation and the private sector, as a key driver of business. The variety of functions, ranging from calypso competitions to morning parties and afternoon limes, created multiple opportunities for consumer spending.

“Historically, people tend to get dressed for these events,” Abed explained. “So not only the person selling garments, selling fabric, selling eyelashes, hair, makeup, shoes, etc. Not only did they benefit, but of course, those also selling food and drink benefited from this.”

While some businesses may not have seen the returns they anticipated, overall feedback was positive. “There’s no one I’ve spoken to who has told me that the season was not keeping up with what they expected. And the returns have been fabulous,” Abed reported.

The chairman expressed optimism about the impact of events like Bridgetown Market on The City’s revitalisation efforts. He noted that music, costumes, and varied entertainment played pivotal roles in attracting crowds to the capital.

“Anything that drives traffic to Bridgetown is a plus,” Abed said. “The mere fact that there’s so much variety in The City drives people into The City just to see something that’s different.

“Whether it is something that you would never, ever expect to be able to walk and meander on Broad Street and see young entrepreneurs selling all sorts of knickknacks and stuff that they have created in their market is a plus,” he added.

“There was music, and that’s always extremely encouraging to get people into a venue. And of course, as one would expect with the season, there were costumes; there were all sorts of entertainment that brought people in. Food is a big one.”

But Abed pointed out a critical shortfall in The City’s offerings, particularly in the food and beverage business. “The City sadly lacks so much food or variety of food that we have been cracking out to get people that will open beyond five o’clock in the evening to get a track and evening trade,” he observed.

Looking ahead, Abed called for continued efforts to establish Bridgetown as a hub of culture and entertainment. He emphasised the need for more events that cater to different clientele and offer unique experiences.

“We need more of these sorts of things,” Abed said, warning that without such initiatives “we’ll be talking about this for a long, long time, and nothing will happen”. (RG)