Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Ukhuphiswano lwenginqgi iSarah Baartman oluxhaswa ngabakwa-SAB
  • A cry, a smile, a dance
  • A high-functioning high school forsaken by the Department of Education
  • If you’re good enough, you’re old enough
  • Beyond just “16 Days” of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
  • Amazwi Museum celebrates African Language week
  • TEM Mrwetyana faces dire desk, chair and teacher shortages
  • What’s on – 02- 09 February 
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»When the students aren’t around, peace abounds
Uncategorized

When the students aren’t around, peace abounds

Busisiwe HohoBy Busisiwe HohoJune 10, 2010No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

A chilly presence accompanies a silent Grahamstown winter as some 7 000 students are no longer bustling between High and New Street.
 

A chilly presence accompanies a silent Grahamstown winter as some 7 000 students are no longer bustling between High and New Street.
 

Many locals are relieved, while some business owners are feeling their absence. When walking through campus and into the city centre one notices an emptiness that is not found during term time.

Many shops are empty, the shelves at Pick n Pay don’t run out of crackling, and the blaring bass bouncing from packed student cars is no longer heard.

For local business owners, the lack of student trade causes a huge drop in their general turnover, although with the annual National Arts Festival starting on next week, the town is sure to generate business as well as a buzz of festive activity.

Speaking to the manager of Steers Grahamstown, Pierre Pienaar we gain insight into the expectations that the Festival brings and how local businesses adapt to the fluctuation in trade.

“When the students of Rhodes University have left for their holidays in previous years, we have seen a decrease in sales of up to 50%,” says Pienaar.

However, changes have been made to the current delivery system whereby customers will soon be able to send SMSes to place their orders.

Other local businesses such as the Rat and Parrot and Pick n Pay, have also noticed a drop in sales before and after university term time.

The Rat and Parrot’s bar manager, Dudu Nyakotyo claims that the bar does not lose business after the end of term.

“The locals as well as passing trade always back us up,” although he says there is a lack of “sillyness” as seen when the students are out and about.

Vuyiswa Antoni, a local street vendor outside the Drosdty Arch explained how she “suffered a lot last year during the Festival” but that during term time she received a lot of orders for her beadwork.

Grahamstown’s community has a large and lively student population that adds a very different  element to the familial feel of the local city life.

The constant buzz of the students does wonders  for local businesses, but their absence definitely brings a sense of calm.

Previous ArticleStop Press – Relief for the penguins
Next Article Feel it! It’s everywhere!
Busisiwe Hoho

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.