The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A “fed up” retailer yesterday said she was making plans to leave Bay Street, describing the area as “a mess” following a Christmas shopping season in which business was down.

Several Bay Street merchants told Tribune Business that sales were reduced compared to previous years, with one citing persistent challenges in attracting Bahamians and tourists for her decision to seek an exit.

Sarah Hug, owner of Sarah’s Secrets in the Prince George Plaza, told Tribune Business she was “fed up” talking about the issues plaguing retailers on Bay Street only for nothing to be done.

“I’m fed up with talking about. I’m making moves now to get off Bay Street,” she said. “I just can’t do it any more. It’s just a mess.

“It started a long time ago. If they had put a plan in a long time ago we wouldn’t have lost all the commerce. If we would have had parking we wouldn’t have lost all the commerce and our city centre.”

As for the Christmas shopping period, Ms Hug said: “I’m very lucky I have a local base, but as far as tourists, I even came on Boxing Day and there was no one shopping. I think we had one tourist shopper the whole season.”

Reiterating the calls of the Bahamas Federation of Retailers (BFR) for the Government to implement VAT ‘exclusive’, as opposed to ‘inclusive’, pricing, Ms Hug said: “We have to have exclusive VAT. I have had a business close opposite me, and basically every business in this arcade is talking about the possibility of closing because of the complication of inclusive VAT. If it is exclusive it will make it so much easier and smoother for this roll-out. People are so confused and really scared.”

Marcie Tannous, manager of the Perfume Shop, told Tribune Business: “Business was down compared to last year. I have an issue with the parking here, as everyone else does. People don’t want to come downtown because of parking.

“We have a lot of issues that we are dealing with. We have got the bleachers down here that go up the busiest week of the entire year. People are tried of this.

“Then we have got the tourists coming in complaining about being told on the ship that the prices are higher in town than on the ship, and not to get off the ship because of the crime. I mean you just have to pick a reason.”

Ms Tannous added: “Now we have VAT starting on the 1st, so we will see how many stores last the year. No one I have talked to is optimistic about it. We are all just holding our breath. 

“You can keep doors open when your business can’t pay the bills. We already have electric bills of $9,000 - $11,000 a month, and then we are going to have VAT on top of that.”

However, Collette McKenzie, manager at Brass & Leather on Charlotte Street, said holiday business for the retailer was better than last year.

“We did pretty well this Christmas. I believe that we did better than last year. Business was much improved,” she said.