The Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs (BARVEN) is stepping up its promotional efforts to boost customer turnout and increase sales at Bridgetown Market over the Foreday weekend.
Preparations are continuing for the three-day event, which is being staged in collaboration with the National Cultural Foundation, beginning a week from Friday, said BARVEN former vice president Erskine Forde.
“We need more patrons coming; that’s something that we are working on. We have to do up some ads and so on.”
While customer numbers have been slower than hoped, Forde said he expects attendance to improve as the event draws closer, particularly with more overseas visitors arriving on the island.
“Once we have the people come in, we will have a better intake, but so far we don’t have that volume as we want it to be at this point in time, but we believe that as the days go on, we will have more intake; now we have people who are coming from overseas.”
The BARVEN representative acknowledged that visitor traffic has been lagging, but said vendors have still recorded an increase in business.
“There is an uptick in sales, and there’s always room for improvement, but they’re happy.”
Comparing this year’s performance with the same period last year, Forde told Barbados TODAY the figures “could be a little better, but it’s close to the same”.
He said vendors are looking forward to welcoming both residents and visitors to sample a range of authentic Barbadian products that are not readily available elsewhere.
“We have a lot of visitors coming down there and sampling our different items down there, our no-dairy ice-cream. We have a variety of things down there that the people come to experience from us. Those things that they wouldn’t get back home.”
Forde also expressed hope that BARVEN members will be included in future indoor markets.
“We haven’t yet gotten the confirmation from the [organisers], this time we hope they will include us down there when that day comes.”
Last year, some vendors complained that after years of participating in Bridgetown Market, they were no longer allowed to choose their preferred vending locations and were instead assigned spaces.
While acknowledging that the change may have caused inconvenience, Forde said vendors sometimes have to adjust to new arrangements.
“Certain times it’s not everything that you want that you’re gonna get; sometimes certain things happen that you have to divert one way or the next but change is something that occurs and something that we try to work with.”
He said he hopes any issues surrounding vendor placement can be resolved amicably this year.
(LG)
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