WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2010-07-30 Time: 05:00:04 Posted By: News Poster
By Sello Mabotja
The recession has plagued both the domestic and international economies for almost three years. We are regularly bombarded with a slew of statistics regarding the destructive trail of the economic meltdown but hardly any face is put on the facts. Is the recession a figment of some economist’s fertile imagination?
A look at some businesses within the hospitality industry shows that the dreaded ‘p’ word is real, though it affects businesses differently and its pernicious effects can in certain instances be contained by various measures such as innovation and aggressive marketing.
In Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital city, government bookings appear to be the saving grace of most businesses within the hospitality industry.
The five-star Sheraton Hotel‘s two bars in the vicinity of the Union Buildings in Arcadia, Tiffens Bar and Lounge and Union Terrace overlooking the Union Buildings, are experiencing an increase in business. Willie Williams, the sales and marketing director, says their patrons are highly influential people, part of the middle class and a lot of them are powerful. They also attract tourists, international businessmen and senior government officials. Williams says hotel bookings have never slumped.
‘The past two years (2008 and 2009) were not as good for business but 2010 has been a good year. For us the recession is already over.’
But the Manhattan Hotel in the Pretoria city centre has been affected and has seen a decline in revenue from February in 2009 to 2010.
This was attributed to the government cutting its spending and a decline in clientele. During the months of December and January, when business is slow, prices for the buffet were slashed from R170 per person to R140 per person. The hotel admits that government bookings have cushioned it against the detrimental forces of the recession, though it has had to innovate in other areas of its business.
‘We are involved in ongoing efforts to improve the quality of service offered to our guests. For example, we are introducing a cocktail menu targeted at the more cosmopolitan people among our clientele. We are also going to bring blues singers to complement our resident jazz band,’ she says.
The hotel‘s core clientele include middle income earners and managers in government departments and parastatals.
Jozi, the city of cement pavements and neon lights is still like the Manhattan of Africa and offers various hang outs with diverse experiences.
In the plush Melrose Arch, The Meat Co, an eatery-cum-bar that targets high-income earners, has seen business as usual in the past three years.
Nick Vendeiro, the general manager, says, ‘We are fortunate, there is no recession here. We are always fully booked every night from Monday to Friday.’
Part of its business strategy is to offer top notch personalities exclusive services such as personalised drinks (particularly single-malt whiskies) and eating utensils bearing their names. This ‘platinum’ guest list of esteemed regulars includes the nouveau-riche BEE entrepreneurs, corporate lawyers, senior business executives and soccer bosses. Among the most recognisable names on the who’s-who list are Transnet corporate affairs executive John Dludlu, Kaizer Chiefs boss Kaizer Motaung and son Bobby, Orlando Pirates boss Irvin Khoza, BEE mining magnate Sello Rasethaba, stockbroker Andile Mazwai, academic Dr Peter Karungu, marketer Peter Mancer, BEE entrepreneur Saki Macozoma and politicians Dina Pule and Fikile Mbalula.
However, the neighbouring JB’s Corner, which targets the same market, admits to a ‘slight’ change in its fortunes, albeit, this is not attributed to the recession but increasing competition.
‘It is not like before, in the past two years, when we were always fully booked for breakfast, lunch and supper almost everyday. There is a bit of a drop in business this year because after the extension of the mall more bars and restaurants were opened,’ says manager, Theresa Khuboni.
In Rosebank’s Design Centre, the MiBar Martini has been doing roaring business. It extensively uses the social network platform on the internet where clients are able to log-on and check who is currently at the place. This enables the clients to link up and set appointments for their meetings at MiBar Martini. Says partner Shai Evian: ‘The kind of market we target includes black diamonds, students and youth from wealthy backgrounds, lawyers, businesspeople who still go out to relieve stress and enjoy themselves and want to be seen. Also, a recession does not mean there is an end of business activity. We are also slowing getting out of the recession and now is the time to prepare for the boom.’
Despite his success in these tough economic times, Evian points out that the recession is not a far-fetched economic concept. He has experienced the adverse effects first hand in one of his businesses, Liquidchefs, which specialises in providing mobile bar services for corporate and private functions and events.
According to Evian, corporates may have restrained their expenditure because they focused on 2010 aligned projects and also avoided conspicuous consumption.
‘I have been in that business for seven years and for the first time we had a decline of between 20% and 30% last year. The functions are still there but less is being spent per head or guest. I suspect corporates do not want to be seen spending big amounts of money lavishly on entertainment when they are retrenching some of their staff members.’
At the recently revamped Katzy’s Bar (Rosebank); that targets upmarket, high income earners; business activity also remains untouched by the current economic meltdown.
Says Saul Mervis, one of the business partners: ‘We have invested in improvements. We also have five bands and these play on different days of the week.’
In downtown Jozi’s Newtown some businesses admit to the recession. Sophiatown Bar Lounge has taken a dip estimated between 8% and 10% – a drop he regards as not being that ‘drastic.’
‘It appears that our clients are spending their disposable income on other things but we are making efforts to bring people through the door by spending more on our marketing campaigns and creating activity like hosting live jazz bands.’
Original date published: 30 July 2010
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201007300168.html?viewall=1