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Bendigo’s business community is planning different approaches to Friday’s public holiday, with some placing extra staff on stand-by and others opting to shut-up shop.
The manager of one CBD bakery – which is closing for the day – predicted down town would resemble “ghost town” on the second AFL grand final eve public holiday.
“We always close, every public holiday,” Bakery Express Caffe manager Debbie Robson said.
“We get a lot of repeat customers, people who work around here and come in every day for lunch and a coffee.
“I think it’s going to look like a ghost town around here on Friday.”
But across the road La Cecil's Pizzeria, staff were preparing for a busy Friday night.
“We’re expecting it to be flat chat – it usually is during school holidays,” Celeste Vella said. “We don’t believe business will be down and, even if it is a bit, we’re still expecting plenty of takeaways.”
Bendigo Business Council chief executive officer Leah Sertori said she thought the majority of local traders in the hospitality industry would opt to stay open and cop paying penalty rates.
But she said the state’s 13th public holiday had broader economic impacts.
“Bendigo’s regional economy is worth $5.6 billion a year and, of our economic output, more than 30 per cent of that comes from manufacturing,” Ms Sertori said.
“So when our manufacturers shut down for a whole day...the cost to them in terms of lost production is very significant.
“We think that the concept for a day when we can take time out to celebrate the Australian spirit and culture around sport is great – but the reality is that the cost in terms of lost productivity and penalty rates is a real impost on business.”
She called on the community to support local traders in the face of that impost.
“Many will stay open and I think that's great,” Ms Sertori said. “But the business council's message to the community is that, when you're out and about on Friday, support local traders who chose to open and be understanding around public holiday surcharges.”