Pandemic pain felt at every level
IVOR Saywell has lived in Broadbeach for eight years and says he hasn’t experienced tougher times – not only in his neighbourhood but across the world.
“This is amazing, it’s a oncein-a-lifetime event,” the 77year-old says as he casts a lonely figure in what weeks ago was one of the state’s busiest social hubs.
“It’s going to bring the whole world down financially.”
Gary French, 60, was buying supplies in Broadbeach for his partner and one of his 26year-old twin daughters who live with him on the Gold Coast.
He says his other twin daughter lives in Sydney and is unable to see her family because of the Queensland border lockdown.
“It’s quite upsetting for all of us,” he says.
Georgina Kirkwood, 18, says she walks to Broadbeach for lunch when she needs to escape the confinements of her small apartment.
“I’ve just been watching Netflix and every now and then go for a walk to the beach,” she says.
Luke Dempsey-Ceh from Hand Coffee and Lincoln Testa from Madison’s cafe have been battling on as many businesses around them close.
“There are 12 storeys of offices above us that are slowly shutting down and there will be a lot more coming,” Mr Dempsey-Ceh says.
Mr Testa says Oasis Shopping Centre “management have been doing all they can to help us”.
“We have had to change our whole business model from being able to seat 160 people to takeaway only.”
Hair salons in Broadbeach have been suffering from confusion about restrictions, with the Prime Minister backflipping on regulating haircuts to 30 minutes.
“People will be confused until they’re notified, so hopefully people are watching the news,” Ricochet Hair’s owner Jeffery Muller says.
“We’ve been posting on our social media to get the right message out, but our business has dropped easily by half.”
Oasis Barber’s manager Stuart Tahitahi says: “People are scared to come in.”