The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Laundromats yesterday described business since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions as slow, with one owner saying the sector was expecting to get a boost from the hotel sector's imminent opening.

Widlyne Melidor, Shirley Plaza laundromat's general manager, told Tribune Business: “Right now it is very, very slow. We barely had five customers for the day. But before COVID-19 it was good, it was manageable, but now it is slow.”

Disclosing that hotel workers account for a large portion of her customer base, Ms Melidor added: “A lot of persons used our drop off and delivery service because they were busy at work. But now since they are all home they decided to either do it themselves at home or come into us to do it themselves."

While hoping for an end-of-year boost, with Atlantis, Baha Mar, the British Colonial Hilton and Comfort Suites all set to open before Christmas, she acknowledged that many Bahamians remain unemployed or have suffered income cuts and reduced hours.

Another laundromat owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Business has basically been suspended. Business is basically dead. Some days you have your busy days, and some days you have slow days, but yesterday was a very busy day. But I know today business would taper off quite a bit.”