W@WWomen at Work
By Aamna Mahboob
Shops are usually busy this time of the year. Yet, this year it seems that business is not as good as it has been in the past years. Some shops have done fine, but some are complaining. The cost of living seem to have kept many away from too much shopping this year . Due to lack of customers many shops it seems have also shut down. A visit to ‘Premiere Pacific’ at Duplication Road, only confirmed this. Most of their shops have shut down completely.
“Compared to lat year, this year has not been good” said, the manager of a shoe shop at Liberty Plaza. He explained that the last year 2005 the sales were good and this year the cost of living may have kept people away.
Some shopkeepers say that the high security and the inability to park have led to a lot of loss of business. As the cost of living has also increased, people cannot buy much.
“Children’s toys are the most expensive” said Nandini Perera, a working mother.
A shop assistant of a toy shop pointed out that toys were expensive because they were imported and they had to pay duty.
Some shopkeepers however, expressed satisfaction over their business. These were mostly gift shops where one can buy small items for a reasonable price.
“We don’t know what will happen in the future in our country - the prices of goods are so high and the conflict situation is always bothering us ”, a school teacher Dirshani Soza said. She added that the things are cheaper on the pavement and other shops on the road side rather than big shopping centers, but she thought that people were coming to big super markets for relaxation and also because the convenience of parking.
“Prices have gone up - vegetable, rice and other prices of food items are increasing rapidly” said I. Fernando, a house wife. She hoped that the coming year will be better and bring better hope for the country .
Ayami Wickramasuriya said middle class and poor people can buy things from small shopping centers and pavements but now in some areas the state had removed people from pavements and poor people are have difficulty getting what they want..
“Our business is running at a loss as our shop is on the road side and the police does not allow vehicles to park due to security,” said Ananda Dahampath, the manager of a clothes shop at Bambalapitya. He said that the designated parking area is 2 kl away from the shop. Some areas are one way now and that is also a problem, said a shop owner
By Aamna Mahboob
Shops are usually busy this time of the year. Yet, this year it seems that business is not as good as it has been in the past years. Some shops have done fine, but some are complaining. The cost of living seem to have kept many away from too much shopping this year . Due to lack of customers many shops it seems have also shut down. A visit to ‘Premiere Pacific’ at Duplication Road, only confirmed this. Most of their shops have shut down completely.
“Compared to lat year, this year has not been good” said, the manager of a shoe shop at Liberty Plaza. He explained that the last year 2005 the sales were good and this year the cost of living may have kept people away.
Some shopkeepers say that the high security and the inability to park have led to a lot of loss of business. As the cost of living has also increased, people cannot buy much.
“Children’s toys are the most expensive” said Nandini Perera, a working mother.
A shop assistant of a toy shop pointed out that toys were expensive because they were imported and they had to pay duty.
Some shopkeepers however, expressed satisfaction over their business. These were mostly gift shops where one can buy small items for a reasonable price.
“We don’t know what will happen in the future in our country - the prices of goods are so high and the conflict situation is always bothering us ”, a school teacher Dirshani Soza said. She added that the things are cheaper on the pavement and other shops on the road side rather than big shopping centers, but she thought that people were coming to big super markets for relaxation and also because the convenience of parking.
“Prices have gone up - vegetable, rice and other prices of food items are increasing rapidly” said I. Fernando, a house wife. She hoped that the coming year will be better and bring better hope for the country .
Ayami Wickramasuriya said middle class and poor people can buy things from small shopping centers and pavements but now in some areas the state had removed people from pavements and poor people are have difficulty getting what they want..
“Our business is running at a loss as our shop is on the road side and the police does not allow vehicles to park due to security,” said Ananda Dahampath, the manager of a clothes shop at Bambalapitya. He said that the designated parking area is 2 kl away from the shop. Some areas are one way now and that is also a problem, said a shop owner
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