Brighton Businesses Experience Decline in Christmas Trade

A number of businesses in Brighton experienced a notable decline in trade during the current Christmas period. Business owners have attributed this discernible reduction in activity to the ongoing cost of living crisis. Lawrence Alkin, who owns Enter Gallery, stated that a “make or break” sale was initiated to secure funds deemed necessary to “keep us going.” He further commented: “For the last 33 years we have survived several recessions, a pandemic and Brexit, but we have never experienced as low footfall and sales as we are now.” Mr. Alkin clarified that the overall footfall in 2024 has been considerably lower compared to prior years. He elaborated: “People are admiring the art but are being much more careful with their money and holding back when they would have ordinarily spent much more. “There is a lot of uncertainty.” Rashed Zaman, operations manager for the Cupp Bubble Tea branch in Brighton, reported a 40% decrease in both sales and profit. He detailed: “During previous Christmas periods, we typically employed three to four staff, but this year we are down to just two staff members.” Mr. Zaman expressed his belief that the cost of living has played a significant role in affecting business during what is typically their most active season. Henry Luk, proprietor of Mooboo Bubble Tea within the city, noted that in comparison to 2023, turnover had fallen by 25%, the average expenditure per order had declined by 10%, and footfall had reduced by 50%. He suggested that a greater proportion of funds is now allocated to necessities rather than “comfort food.” Red Eye Brighton, a vape store, reported a turnover of £7,600 during the initial 13 days of December this year, in contrast to just under £12,000 for the corresponding period last year. A spokesperson for the store commented: “Takings are massively down. [It] doesn’t feel like Christmas shopping at all.” Kyriakos Baxevanis, who operates the restaurant Nostos, indicated a reduction in footfall of approximately 15-20% compared to the previous year. He stated: “While we’ve noticed strong support from our loyal customers, overall dining numbers have been impacted, likely due to the rising cost of living and tighter budgets.” Mr. Baxevanis, who additionally manages Little Jasmine Therapies and Spa and Simply Urban Nail and Beauty, mentioned that his wellbeing establishments also experienced a decrease of around 10% in footfall compared to the previous Christmas. He added: “Gift voucher purchases and premium treatment bookings have remained strong, which has helped balance the impact of the reduced footfall.” In contrast to several businesses in the city experiencing a downturn in trade, Verity Craig, co-owner of the cocktail bar and restaurant Bohemia, reported that footfall remained consistent with prior years, and party bookings had increased. Peter Allinson, director of Whiligig Toys, similarly noted that business had stayed stable across their outlets in Brighton, West Sussex, and Kent. Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brighton BID, commented: “There’s no doubt that we aren’t yet back to pre-pandemic levels of footfall, and shoppers are still feeling the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. “However, it’s not a level playing field, and some businesses are faring better than others.” For further updates, follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.