Boks score big — and so do Nelson Mandela Bay businesses

Beyond the 45-0 drubbing of the Italians at the NMB Stadium on Saturday, the Springboks brought a week of gees, good vibes and a major cash injection for the local hospitality industry.

Some of the Bay’s most popular establishments said they had not seen this kind of support for a sporting event since the 2010 Fifa World Cup, and bookings were made weeks in advance to secure seats in front of the big screens.

Some rugby fans might have enjoyed the gees a little too much. At least 12 rugby fans had a less than ideal weekend after they were arrested for drunk driving when leaving the stadium on Saturday night.

Business bonanza

Barney’s Tavern, a beachfront institution in Gqeberha, had a bumper weekend, with the first fans arriving from as early as 8am on Saturday.

Owner Craig Mittens said the rugby season was crucial for business in the winter months, and while they expected good support, this past weekend had been exceptional. 

“I don’t think we’ve seen this kind of business since the 2010 World Cup. We had guys flying into Gqeberha stopping by for breakfast at 8am, and the last customers walked out of here after 1am on Sunday.

“And at 8am on Sunday, we were almost packed again as guys stopped by for breakfast before catching their flights back home. It was crazy.”

Mittens and his team ran a shuttle service that transported 120 people between Barney’s and the stadium before and after the game.

While he still needs to crunch the numbers to determine exactly how good business was on Saturday, Mittens said he would not be surprised if they reached record-setting figures.

In Good Company, a hospitality collective based in Gqeberha, also believed they reached record numbers as their establishments showed an increase in activity for the entire week leading up to the Springbok-Italy clash.

“We had bookings coming in for the rugby about a month in advance, and even our stores not showing the rugby were packed. It just goes to show the ripple effect that an event like a Springbok game can have on business,” operations manager Anle Marais said.

With one of its beachfront restaurants, Something Good, only a stone’s throw from the Springboks’ hotel, Marais said they had fans coming and going the whole week as Siya Kolisi and his teammates frequented the establishment.

Bridge Street Brewery collaborated with Castle Lager as an official fan park and was bursting at the seams until closing time at 2am.

Meanwhile, despite not even having TVs, business at Hello! Beach and Hello! It’s Me Walmer was also booming.

“Some people came for a bite before going to watch the game, while we definitely saw some wives come out while their husbands were at the rugby. The knock-on effect of these big events is immeasurable,” Marais noted. 

Safety and security

Director of Traffic and Licensing in Nelson Mandela Bay, Warren Prins, applauded establishments that offered shuttle services to and from the stadium as it helped to reduce the number of inebriated drivers.

“From the Metro Police, we had upwards of 40 officers manning 22 points around the stadium before, during and after the game. We also had officials at the event to help other law-enforcement agencies to monitor and manage the crowd.”

Prins said besides a handful of petty crimes such as pickpocketing, the event was a major success from a safety and security point of view.

“No major incidents, especially violent incidents, were reported to us, and we arrested 12 people for driving under the influence after the match. Overall, I believe the crowds were generally well-behaved and we saw little need for serious intervention,” Prins said. DM