SMALL businesses who rely on community support are likely to suffer for weeks after the cyclone passes.
Logan Chamber of Commerce president Arwen McGregor said businesses could be hit by damage caused by high winds and flooding.
But all small business would take a hit by the economic knock on effect of a natural disaster – it’s a pattern and happens every time nature hits us hard, she said.
“There will be those who are cleaning up the mess, which is always a sad result of natural disaster conditions,” Ms McGregor said.
But even those businesses not physically hit by flooding were likely to suffer, she said.
“For weeks, there is only a place for essential businesses, as people rein in their incidental spending.
“People won’t go out for a while, they won’t eat at restaurants for a while. Hospitality and non-essential businesses can bank on a quiet time for a number of weeks to come.”
The knock on effect was that businesses would look to reduce the hours of casual staff, perhaps look to pay out holiday leave, and generally tighten their purse strings.
“There is an ongoing economic burden, not just two or three days during the storm,” Ms McGregor said.
“We only have to look back at the Jimboomba storms in 2023 when people spent weeks in the cleaning process. You can be assured that for two weeks after the event people will be hunkered down in some form.”
She said some businesses could change the way they do things. A cafe, for example, could become a hub for people to gather and talk about what they’d been through.
Big business however, would be fine. They’d pick up the pieces, bring staff back to work, and continue with their work.
“It’s those who rely on community support who will be hurt the most. Hair cuts will be pushed back. People getting their nails done will be pushed back. These things just aren’t going to get done straight away.”
Ms McGregor said it was important for people to be aware that the small businesses they love would be impacted by a disaster recovery downturn.
