Will Hermanus CBD survive Covid-19?

Writer: Hedda Mittner.

As the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners are finding themselves in the trenches fighting another war: keeping their doors open.

“Many of us are teetering on our last legs,” says Noel Hunt of Hemingways in Harbour Road, one of the most iconic shops in Hermanus. “Our market is international clients from all over the world, and until our borders reopen, we are in a cleft stick. Without weekenders, visitors or tourists, who knows how many businesses will be able to survive.”

Ian Macdonald of Lembu Gallery, also in Harbour Road, says the variety of speciality shops, galleries, restaurants and wine bars in town are a huge drawcard for visitors. “They are what make Hermanus so appealing,” he says. “The whales and fynbos are not enough – visitors also need to have a good time when it comes to shopping and dining out in town.”

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