Cape Town - The City of Cape Town’s support for back to business events, parties and evening soirées in collaboration with local businesses have been driving much-needed foot traffic into the CBD, as dozens of people flock to town.
Over the weekend, the City in partnership with several local businesses in the CBD held yet another event, this time a trendy market in Long Street featuring music, art, food and artisanal produce.
The Long Street Market featured three culturally distinct stages, showcasing local as well as international artists, food trucks, art exhibitions, bars, entertainers and artisanal stalls ranging from art vendors to fresh produce growers.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the market formed part of efforts to revitalise the City’s CBD economy, which was still recovering from the adverse impact of the pandemic.
“We are keen to do what we can to help restaurants and other entrepreneurs contribute to revitalising our local economy. Our support for the Long Street Market is part of an effort to be creative in finding ways to help businesses still suffering from the impact of the global pandemic.
“It is also aimed at ensuring we can revitalise the CBD by providing residents with safe spaces where they can enjoy a good time with family and friends,” Hill-Lewis said.
Over time the City has plans to host more and more such events, motivated by the encouraging reception for the events from the general public, who showed up in numbers to participate.
Safety and Security Mayco Member JP Smith said: “It has been very heartening to see our public spaces being increasingly occupied by events over the past few months after a very long lull due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"It is a great indication that the events ecosystem and the tourism sector are steadily returning to stability," Smith said.