4570 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Downtown Victoria tourism businesses hit the hardest with 95% revenue drop, report shows

 

Government Street has had a tough year with few tourists and government workers staying home

 

In April, it’s estimated that visitors to Government Street decreased by 78% from the same time last year, according to a new Block Report by Vancity and the Canadian Urban Institute. And with this year’s cruise ship season a bust, tourism businesses have been hit the hardest with revenues dropping 95%. Other businesses are also struggling, with those who relied on daytime office workers facing unsustainably low revenues.

 

Businesses with a strong social media presence have fared the best, especially during the early stages of the pandemic, as many relied on online sales and curb-side pickup. While visitor numbers are slowly increasing — up 43% from April to June — 4 out of the 67 businesses on the street (including a general store, clothing store, law office and souvenir shop) have closed their doors since the pandemic started.

 

report:  https://static1.squa...nd #1 FINAL.pdf

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 August 2020 - 06:24 AM.

[exc911ence]

You know who else is not going to downtown Victoria? Me. I have an aversion to needles and insane ideology. Lots of other municipalities in the CRD to choose from that are acting responsibly and deserve my spending money.

[Hotel Mike]

^ 

Don't sell yourself short exc. There is a new liveliness about downtown, with all the patios and people walking along Government Street. There are also lots of locally-owned shops trying to survive. At least while it's summer, come downtown and you may surprised.

[spanky123]

^ I wish the best for local businesses and I empathize with those struggling to survive. 

 

There is an economic shift occurring in Victoria and you can either hope that it doesn't occur or you can anticipate it and try to get out ahead of it. 

 

Tourism at the levels we have seen it in past years is not coming back. Office workers are not coming back at any scale. Younger people and families are moving out of the City. Although those trends are being magnified in Victoria with the deterioration of living conditions in the City, they are trends that are playing out across North America.

[Barrrister]

I can sympathize with the businesses downtown but neither my wife or I feel comfortable or safe with all the druggies downtown. We are spending our money in Oak Bay and Saanach and the West Shore. I suspect that we are not the only ones that feel this way.  

[spanky123]

The CEOs of SIPP, the Chamber and the DVBA will be smiling and glad handing folks right up until the last business in the downtown shutters. None of them are going to do anything to upset the Mayor and put any funding or support at risk or damper any future public service aspirations they might have.

 

That is unfortunate as the only action which is likely to change the downtown trajectory is a consolidated effort by those leaders and their members to push back on the Mayor's activist agenda.

[Wayne]

I can sympathize with the businesses downtown but neither my wife or I feel comfortable or safe with all the druggies downtown. We are spending our money in Oak Bay and Saanach and the West Shore. I suspect that we are not the only ones that feel this way.  

 

My wife have been downtown twice since last winter. We do support the local businesses the best we can. Plus we both feel comfortable masking, social distancing and washing our hands repeatedly. So the Covid aspect, in our minds is doable.

 

But now there is too many folks we do not fell comfortable seeing and dealing with.  Being called a F..ing A..hole because we do not hand over money or crossing a street, then being yelled to F... Off.

 

We are done.

 

Feel sorry for the businesses but it will be some time before we go back downtown. 

 

A shame!

Edited by Wayne, 06 August 2020 - 02:53 PM.

[SimonH]

My wife have been downtown twice since last winter. We do support the local businesses the best we can. Plus we both feel comfortable masking, social distancing and washing our hands repeatedly. So the Covid aspect, in our minds is doable.

 

But now there is too many folks we do not fell comfortable seeing and dealing with.  Being called a F..ing A..hole because we do not hand over money or crossing a street, then being yelled to F... Off.

 

We are done.

 

Feel sorry for the businesses but it will be some time before we go back downtown. 

 

A shame!

We're in the exact situation, been out downtown once. Car park stunk of pee, harassed  by panhandlers and continually checking out dodgy people on the streets.  We don't take that crap anywhere. Sorry you won't be getting my cash.

[Casual Kev]

The raw amount of housing stock going up in the downtown area means the area will remain plenty lively, the growth has been exponential with thousands of units coming down the pipeline. It will hardly be abandoned. 

[SimonH]

The raw amount of housing stock going up in the downtown area means the area will remain plenty lively, the growth has been exponential with thousands of units coming down the pipeline. It will hardly be abandoned.

I'm not suggesting it Will be abandoned. Some people settle for mediocrity.

[Mike K.]

The raw amount of housing stock going up in the downtown area means the area will remain plenty lively, the growth has been exponential with thousands of units coming down the pipeline. It will hardly be abandoned.

Keep in mind that the businesses need far, far more density to survive.

Downtown is geared towards a daily influx of workers and tourists. Without them the volume of businesses cannot generate enough income, even if 10,000 people live downtown. Currently there’s what? 5,000 maybe in downtown and HG?

[Victoria Watcher]

that’s right. downtown could never survive just from resident purchases.

[spanky123]

The raw amount of housing stock going up in the downtown area means the area will remain plenty lively, the growth has been exponential with thousands of units coming down the pipeline. It will hardly be abandoned. 

 

It won't be abandoned, we will just go through another cycle as we have each decade over the past half century or more. Vacancies will shoot up, developers will stop building and then there will be a shortage. Rinse and cycle.

 

The disappointment will be for those who think higher vacancy rates will mean that rental prices will drop substantially. They won't. There may be some incentives to rent and rents may moderate a little but the rental stock isn't owned by small local owners anymore. The REITs and corporations who own the buildings are well capitalized and own properties across the country. They need to get paid a price for their asset and rent controls will ensure that they don't rent below that price and then get stuck.

 

What I can see is short term rental restrictions being lifted and rental housing requirements in new buildings to ease the surplus.

[Redd42]

Wondering whether the rise in stores requiring masks (Walmart, the Gap) will push even more business to online shopping? Or just less business over all? I hate buying clothes online but not crazy about wearing a mask while shopping in person. So I haven't bought any new clothes since this began.

 

Today will be my first time wearing a mask as I have a medical appt for which a mask is required.

[spanky123]

Keep in mind that the businesses need far, far more density to survive.

Downtown is geared towards a daily influx of workers and tourists. Without them the volume of businesses cannot generate enough income, even if 10,000 people live downtown. Currently there’s what? 5,000 maybe in downtown and HG?

 

And instead of doing something positive to change the outcome, the Mayor and her minions who read this forum will just dismiss the negative comments as coming from trolls and other naysayers.

 

Business in the downtown core was built to support the daily influx of workers and seasonal tourist business. What are the numbers 30,000 a day workers and how many million a year in tourists? 5,000 downtown residents are going to replace that? To support people living downtown would require about 5% of the current retail and hospitality trade.

[spanky123]

Wondering whether the rise in stores requiring masks (Walmart, the Gap) will push even more business to online shopping? Or just less business over all? I hate buying clothes online but not crazy about wearing a mask while shopping in person. So I haven't bought any new clothes since this began.

 

Today will be my first time wearing a mask as I have a medical appt for which a mask is required.

 

I think that folks have just stopped buying clothes period since they are working from home in their jammies. There may be some people who refuse to wear a mask and shop online but I think that most will just follow the flow.

Edited by spanky123, 07 August 2020 - 06:40 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

that's right.  and as even this city council will tell you, we are the least prosperous municipality by per household income.  we are least likely to have money for drinks at a pub.  we need saanich residents to come in and do that.

 

on facemasks:

 

cities or provinces that already require them for all transit and all indoor public spaces seem to have no real issues.  all of Quebec, all of Toronto.  ontario is also experiencing record low new cases for the last week or two.  per capita even smaller than british columbia.  maybe it's working.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 August 2020 - 06:51 AM.

[Mike K.]

Yesterday at a downtown restaurant we stood at the entrance, and stood some more, then finally left when nobody from staff came up to allow us in.

Staff were looking at us as they went about their business but never came to the door or acknowledged us.

That’s not good. I can’t see this restaurant pulling through.

[Mike K.]

Actually, that was my first time dining downtown since March. I’ve been downtown multiple times since but never to dine.

Chatting with our server once we found a spot, she said the situation economically for her restaurant and those of her colleagues who work in the service industry was grim. And this is a place with the outside seating newly installed along the street, but most importantly along Government.

[Redd42]

 she said the situation economically for her restaurant and those of her colleagues who work in the service industry was grim. And this is a place with the outside seating newly installed along the street, but most importantly along Government.

 

Though we will still have some nice outdoor sitting weather, we are already seeing hints that we are headed into our cooler weather. Once that hits, I think we will see more closed eating and drinking establishments.