Road closures to put brakes on business
HUNDREDS of Gold Coast businesses will be cut off from their customers due to road closures during the Commonwealth Games.
Some businesses are considering shutting their doors as a result of the unprecedented traffic measures, which will make more than 30 roads off limits.
Cougar Cars owner Harry Robert said he may have to close his Southport car yard for the first time in 10 years.
“It’s going to cost me a lot of money either way, whether I decide to open or close,” he said. “It’s bad for me, but it’s worse for the boys (who help clean the cars) because I can’t pay them. They’re out of work for three weeks and there isn’t much I can do about it.
“Really this problem of road closures should have been dealt with way back ... I’m still waiting to hear back from the council about car permits on my vehicles.”
Mr Roberts said he makes about 10 sales a week, with hundreds of customers stopping by his yard.
In Broadbeach, manager of Spar Express on Surf Pde Brittany Wilkie said residents unable to travel further afield had told her they will be dependant on the store during the Games.
Ms Wilkie said while her usual 30 minute journey to work will turn into a twoand-a-half hour trek, customers were dependent on her.
“It is going to be really tough even for me, just getting to work, but a lot of people around here will be feeling trapped by all the road closures,” she said.
“The other tough thing is knowing if we will have enough for everyone.”
Ms Wilkie said there would be daily deliveries of milk and weekly deliveries of produce.
She described the event as a “complete blackout” for residents.
Carrara and Nerang will also face major disruption, but Emerald Lakes Golf Club manager Chris Bagley said the business would not need to close.
“It would be far too expensive to close the doors ... Just because the Commonwealth Games will be next door doesn’t mean we will let it interrupt a good game of golf – people still need to live their lives,” he said. “We have thousands of people walking through our doors a day, it would be impossible to close.”
Mr Bagley said that on busy days about 200 golfers play a round and more than 700 meals are served.
“Over the past six months there has been a lot of Chinese whispers going on about whether we will close, because of the roads to our front gate, but we have other entrances we can use,” he said.
“Our biggest issue will be the traffic and it is something that comes up a lot in our monthly meetings.
“Truck deliveries have to be done at a certain time of day, whereas we usually have them coming and going all day everyday, now there is a specific window of time.
“But no matter what, it will be business as usual here.”