Considering everything that has happened this year, the situation is “difficult”, according to Mireille Rahmé-Bley. The president of the UCVL blames the coronavirus pandemic but also the protests against the government’s coronavirus measures for the challenging situation faced by the capital’s shops.
There are also not enough tourists, especially those from outside the European Union. However, Rahmé-Bley stressed that Luxembourg’s residents have not abandoned the Grand Duchy’s shops.
The protests against the Covid-19 measures, which have increasingly taken place on Saturdays and Sundays as of recently, are “anything but helpful”, she criticised.
Due to the protests, fewer people come to Luxembourg City on weekends, particularly those with children because they are afraid, Rahmé-Bley deplored.
According to the UCVL President, the situation was much more favourable for the capital’s businesses back when the protests were still organised on Friday evening.
People “would stroll down to the city centre” and sometimes “have a drink or something to eat” on one of the terraces, which Rahmé-Bley described as “very nice” for restaurants and bars.
Nevertheless, Rahmé-Bley thinks that the authorities and particularly the police took the right decision to keep the protests in check.
Everything has “slowed down” due to the Covid-19 situation, the UCVL President stated. She explained that the CovidCheck regime has not made things better, especially for businesses in the hospitality sector, which cannot even offer outdoor seating to guests who are neither vaccinated nor cured.
Telework is also hurting commerce, Rahmé-Bley added, as people are no longer going shopping or having lunch/dinner in between or after work hours.
As far as the capital’s business owners are concerned, a new lockdown “must be avoided at all costs”. Rahmé-Bley stressed that businesspeople are “optimists”, who always hope for better days after times of difficulty.
Most businesses have placed their orders for the near future, and another lockdown would thus put a lot of them in financial jeopardy, the UCVL President pointed out.
Several shops were forced to permanently close their doors this year, but not just because of the pandemic, she explained. On the other hand, a lot of new businesses have been launched.
The municipality of Luxembourg City’s support for pop-up shops, which allow people to test out business ideas, is also helping a lot, Rahmé-Bley acknowledged.
