Braderie de Lille 2016 cancelled

[Cendrillon]

http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/la-braderie-de-lille-2016-est-annulee-ia19b0n3666574

[Loiseau]

Yes, I just saw that in La Voix du Nord, too.

There has already been the cancellation of an annual August music-fest due to take place over a few days on the seafront promenade at Berck.

And quite a few smaller braderies seem to have been cancelled in the north, too.

Angela

[Chancer]

That is going to hit a lot of people in economic terms, for the bars and restaurants its a big part of their turnover, there are others that have hired catering trucks etc who will be even worse hit, all the hôtels will now have 90% of their bookings cancelled.

I am too far away to be affected and ironically may even benefit from people that cant cancel their ferry/tunnel bookings and will still make the trip but look for another destination.

[Pierre ZFP]

The music fest at Berck has been cancelled? 

There's nothing about that on the tourist office website

[pomme]

There is a map showing some of the cancellations in France

[Loiseau]

Quote

The music fest at Berck has been cancelled?

END QUOTE

Yes, Pierre, that was in La Voix du Nord a few days before the announcement that the Braderie de Lille might also bite the dust.

A bit crazy if the Tourist office has not announced the annulation.

Angela

[Chancer]

They are probably all on Holiday like our office de tourisme staff [:(]

 

I Wonder what safe haven they have chosen?

 

I am beginning to feel what I think is a result of the fear and paralysis, last year I was at 98% in august, this year it all got booked very very early despite me doubling my prices, there are always a lot of cancellations but they would normally be snapped up by someone else even the last minute ones.

 

I have had a lot more cancellations than usual, these are all 1 night stays which might just be co-incidence but they are not being re-booked by anybody else despite my lowering the prices, I know that I dont have the usual business travellers in August who only book a week maximum in advance i wont know till the end of the month but I reckon that occupancy will be drastically down on last year, I have 3 nights available as from tonight, the cancellation was made 10 days ago, they would normally have been snapped up even following a no-show i.e. no notice at all.

 

Financially I am no worse off as I had raised the prices to try and reduce demand, it didnt work but the state of fear, if that is the cause has given me what I wanted, a little breathing space.

 

Businesses around Lille, or other cancelled events or people who work all year to sell their créations at these events will be really feeling hardship.

 

I had someone looking for a longer term rental, they wanted to move in on 1st August, as the apartments were at that time fully booked and I was getting lots of calls I would have said no and put the studio up for tourist rental instead until the 1st of September, he seemed a decent chap (and has proved to be so) my gut feeling was to let him move in on August 1st and accept a €2K loss in revenue as its not about money for me, with what has since followed I made the right decision.

[Loiseau]

Gosh, amazing that the effects are even filtering down to you, Chancer. I suppose it's a reflection of what must be happening to France's tourism generally.