Bad weather hampers economic climate

Local business owners say the bad weather in recent months, likely caused by the La Nina event, has kept people away from Bondi and taken a significant toll on their profits. La Nina brings cool and wet weather conditions to the Eastern seaboard.

Spokesperson for the Bondi Chamber of Commerce and owner of Max’s Shoes, Max Siano said:  “When it’s overcast, there are more seagulls at Bondi Beach than there are people.”

“The whole front suffers when it rains. And it doesn’t have to rain, actually – all it has to do is become overcast and … everyone disappears.”

Bondi retailers often derive their annual profit solely from the summer months. At Max’s Shoes, trading was down 50 to 60 per cent on a rainy day. That meant inevitable stock surpluses.

“As far as fashion is concerned, if you don’t sell it during November and December, you have to go on sale to clear the decks,” Mr Siano said.

Yvonne Kral of Sussan Bondi on Oxford St agrees the weather has shifted consumer spending patterns. Due to the cold summer temperatures, the women’s fashion retailer ordered its winter stock much earlier than expected, with a variety of discounts introduced before the traditional post-Christmas sales.

However, not all business owners felt the La Nina pinch. Carole Hart, from the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Bondi Junction, said her business was not deeply affected by the weather because yoga is based on long-term commitment and dedication.

“Despite the fact that the weather has been miserable, our business has remained constant and unchanged,” she said.

Sunny Singh of Sweetheart Florist said a downturn in Christmas sales was more closely linked to poor consumer confidence.

“It has been fairly consistent but people don’t want to spend that much anymore,” he said. “Overall, people are starting to decrease their spending around Christmas time.”

Mr Siano said the wet summer was most damaging for hospitality businesses along the Campbell Pde strip.

“Council charges for outside seating $780 per square metre per annum, and whether it rains or shines, you’re going to pay it,” he said. “So if you’ve had six weeks of bad weather, and nobody’s sitting there, you’ve made a major loss.”

These losses also mean inevitable cut backs in employment.

“If you know the weather is going to be this bad, you don’t have locals and tourists come to work. You ring them up and you cancel them, especially if they’re casuals. So we all suffer.”

While La Nina may be unavoidable, Mr Siano believes Waverley Council could do more to support local businesses during the difficult winter months. He told The Bondi View that parking meters should be turned off during May, June and July to encourage more visitors to Bondi.

“The only way we can survive and get people coming down, is to turn off the meters,” he said. “They’re not going to pay for parking if the weather’s inclement.

“And take it easy with the parking fines. If people come down in winter, they don’t deserve a fine, they deserve a medal.”

By Michael Koziol & Daniel Paperny