Newtown has been buzzing over the past week, with marquees being set up in the centre of the Johannesburg’s cultural precinct in preparation for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival. The festival officially kicked off on Thursday night, with about 20 000 people expected to attend over the course of the weekend. Ticket prices begin at R280 for one stage for a night. But do the benefits of the party extend to the businesses in the area, or do they stop at the metal barriers?
The restaurants on the festival premises have had progressively busier lunchtimes as the week progressed.
Sylvester Rautlabala, owner of Cappello’s, says the important benefits from the festival are not short term. ‘The festival helps in exposing people to the city,” he says. He also acknowledged that his location is his lucky charm, and had he been off the beaten track, he may not have been as busy.
A walk to the other side of the marquees shows that the financial blessings have not stretched very far. Restaurateurs Brian Shalkoff and Eduan Naude of Gramadoelas, say that the while they have been booked for a function by the sponsors, they have not been involved much further.
Naude pointed out that there is no mention of hospitality in the area on the brochure, saying ‘we could have benefited from this a lot more”.
Traders at the flea market outside the Market Theatre are barely aware of the festival, let alone being involved in it. Fortunate Mfeka, who sells bags and shoes, says it has been business as usual, by which she means rather quiet. When asked what she knows about the festival, she says ‘I know there’s something happening around the corner.”
Susan Mamiane is the coordinator of the Newtown Flea Market, and said that in the past, business did not increase over the festival weekend. ‘It could be a win-win situation,” she says. ‘A big festival could bring business to everyone. But there is no interaction between the [festival] organisers and us. Everyone works on their own instead of putting their resources together.” It’s a pity, she says, that the traders cannot benefit from the increased traffic through the area.
The barriers around the marquees also prevent the flow of potential customers. ‘We are fenced off,” says Mamiane, ‘It’s not expensive for them to just re-route the fencing.” When asked if she has spoken to the organisers about the problem, Mamiane said she is ‘beyond that”.
But Peter Tladi, producer of the festival, said they do involve businesses in the area by holding free events at restaurants Sophiatown and Nikki’s Oasis. On working together with the traders, he said: ‘if they want they can talk to us. They are allowed to sit there if they want.”
According to Jeremy Briar from the festival’s public relations team, more businesses should, and could be incorporated, and that concertgoers should be made aware that there are opportunities to shop and eat in the area. ‘It is a huge pity,” he says, ‘but as much as the festival needs to engage with [the traders], they need to engage with the festival.”