Will businesses in St. Lawrence Gap survive?

There is a common phrase, ‘When the dust settles...’, and COVID-19 has left many businesses in St. Lawrence Gap floundering with many owners and patrons wondering what will happen when things reopen in the popular nightlife tourist spot.

In reality, it could be said that The Gap has been struggling for years, with many bars and clubs changing hands or failing to adapt in order to stay current with the times. Years ago, the one street wonder was the talk of Barbados, where tourists and locals alike could take a drive and find ample places to chill, relax, party or get something to eat. However, in recent times, there is not as much foot traffic, local or otherwise, as previous years.

The one-month pause, mandated by the current Government administration, has been necessary for the protection of all residing in Barbados. The issue is that with no business allowed for restaurants, clubs and bars alike, what was a struggle before, could possibly be the ‘last going down’ for some local entities in the St. Lawrence Gap. Today, March 1, the phased reopening begins and restaurants will be allowed to reopen for curbside pickups and orders, so that is a positive. Hotels have remained open but with less and less visitors arriving, due to lockdowns in major source markets, the battle is uphill, especially after a harsh 2020 for owners and employees alike.

Unfortunately, bars will remain closed and with only curbside pickup on the cards for the restaurants, it will be possibly another quiet month for the once immensely popular street. Government has declared that it will help small businesses with financial support during the down time, but realistically, despite the genuine gesture, it may not be enough to prop up or save all of them.

So the important but sombre question is, who will survive the hardship caused by COVID-19, amplified by the necessary National Pause? Who will be around when patrons are finally back on the streets to socialise from a distance? Will the favourite hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, vendors be open, or just a distant memory when the dust settles? (AS)