Long shadows stretch across the colonial-era buildings of Speightstown, St Peter, where tourists stroll leisurely along sidewalks, cameras in hand, admiring the architecture.
Yet behind the picturesque nature of this commercial hub, vendors and business owners paint a sobering picture of a town struggling to recapture its former glory, particularly during what should be a bustling Christmas season.
“Speightstown isn’t really considered an actual town anymore, it’s more of a historical site,” reflected Sherylin Edwards, who operates a clothing store in the area. Her words carry the weight of years watching the gradual transformation of this once-vibrant commercial district.
Walking through the streets, there’s a contrast between the steady stream of people admiring the town’s colonial charm and the notably empty shops they pass by. While restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores show signs of life, many retail spaces sit vacant or barely occupied, telling tales of businesses that have come and gone.
Dawn Stuart, a fruit and vegetable vendor who has witnessed over three decades of Speightstown’s evolution, offers a perspective that bridges past and present.
“Speightstown has changed a lot from when I first started. It was actually quite lively,” she recalled, noting that while 2024 has shown some improvement, the town’s current pace is but a shadow of its heyday.
The December air carries little of the traditional pre-Christmas excitement one might expect. Stuart explained that while the holiday season typically brings more activity, it usually doesn’t pick up until “about one or two weeks before Christmas”. Even then, the anticipated surge pales in comparison to bygone standards, she added.
However, for jewellery merchant Dion Dorway, who has operated in the area since 2007, recent months have shown promising signs.
“This month things have definitely picked up. We’re getting a lot of tourists coming down this side,” he said, though he acknowledged that many shoppers still prefer the broader selection available in Bridgetown.
The town’s commercial landscape tells a story of constant flux, with Dorway describing a cyclical pattern of business turnover: “A lot of places that used to operate down here have closed down. Most places open and then a few months later, they close down.”
The departure of major retailers has left an indelible mark on the town’s commercial vitality.
“With big names such as Dacosta Mannings and Mademoiselle leaving, that was the beginning of the decline of business and foot traffic in the area,” Edwards explained. “Speightstown right now is just waiting for the final nail in the coffin.”
Transportation changes have also played a crucial role. One anonymous vendor directly correlated the reduction in foot traffic to changes in bus routing: “Since the buses stopped coming through here, a lot of business dropped and the upbeatness of Speightstown just never returned.”
Yet, amid the challenges, vendors like Stuart maintain their resilience, supported by a loyal local customer base while welcoming tourists who “like to engage in local culture and like to stop and buy some fruit”. Current supply challenges add another layer of complexity to her operations, with Stuart noting: “The problem is that we’re not getting very much things to sell.”
Looking towards solutions, Edwards points to the success of neighbouring areas: “You see like how in Holetown there’s the Holetown Festival that really pushes that area, I think a festival like that can really benefit us down here.”
She also recalled various committees formed over the years to revitalise the area, though their efforts have yet to yield lasting results.
While Speightstown’s historic architecture continues to draw tourists to its streets, the bleak reality facing its business community cannot be ignored. The gap between the town’s appeal as a heritage site and its viability as a commercial centre remains a pressing concern for local entrepreneurs. (DS)
