Cafes report big surge in trade during regatta week

HOSPITALITY businesses in Henley say they received a big boost in trade thanks to this year’s royal regatta.

But other retailers say they didn’t experience any particular benefit from the six-day event, which ended on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of people visited the town but many remained by the river watching the racing and enjoying the atmosphere without coming into the centre.

Lorraine Hillier, owner of Hot Gossip café in the Reading Road, said it was the best regatta for business she had known.

“We were flooded with people,” she said. “We had people who came last year and we had a lot of the rowers in, so we ended up looking at their races on YouTube while we were busy making sandwiches. We knew who was racing and had got to know them and fed them.

“It was lovely for us and there was a very nice atmosphere in here. It was our best ever regatta in 16 years.”

Staff at the Chocolate Café in Thames Side also reported being busy during the week.

Harry Syrett said: “It’s been busy inside and outside. In the mornings we had massive queues that wound round the entire shop. We had quite a good mix of locals and tourists. A couple of weeks before the regatta, the crews would come for breakfast so we had Dutch, Irish, Americans, Australians and New Zealanders.”

The Daisy Love café in Station Road had a £7,000 increase in sales on last year.

Barista Hannah Cooper said: “It got busier each day and on Friday and Saturday, we took triple what we usually take on those days. People bought everything — sandwiches, coffees, cakes and milkshakes. There wasn’t anything we didn’t end up doing.

“There were lots of queues. We had a lot of Americans, Australians and Canadians coming in because I think they were staying just around the corner. The visitors were super-friendly.”

Charlie Beech, who runs Buddy’s Burgers at the station with his brother Josh, said: “We did really well this year. We had most of our custom from people coming in and out of the station. We had queues out of the door pretty much every morning and evening. We also had our horsebox down at regatta.

“The most popular products were the beef burger and naughty fries.”

Zoe Ferreira, who owns the Henley Larder in Bell Street and opened the Henley on Toast café next door just a week before the regatta, said: “At times it was full to the brim with people either getting over hangovers or getting ready for the day. The town definitely felt busier.

“We had local people supporting us by pre-ordering picnics and things like that. We also had a lot of people who were new to the town buying souvenirs.”

The new landlady of the Anchor pub in Friday Street said her first regatta was very busy, particularly on Friday. Theresa Parker said: “People were trying to come in from 10am before the races — they would be trying the door and knocking on the window. Business was mainly drinks. We had an outdoor bar in our beer garden so we utilised that well.”

Naughty Mutt Nice in Reading Road was selling branded T-shirts and merchandise with Henley slogans on them.

Owner Karole Robertson said: “The T-shirts were popular. We sold more than 15, which for us is a big number because we are only a small, independent business. We saw a lot of Americans who were happy to come and have a chat and a laugh. They bought lots of gifts to take back home.”

Jo Lawrenson, who runs FourState café in Duke Street with Patrick Brown, said: “We did a lot of iced lattes because it was warm early on in the week. No disasters. We came down one day to a pile of sick outside the front door and the other morning there was an empty bottle of vodka outside but apart from that it was all good. Locals tended to avoid Henley last week, so we had visitors in and mostly did takeaways. Our locals are back this week, which is good.”

Mr Brown said: “It’s not a retail event. I think it would have probably been next to nothing if we didn’t have the hospitality side. Most shops were pretty dead.”

Elie El-Choveiry, owner of Henley Menswear in Duke Street, said business was similar to last year.

He said: “We mostly had visitors. People came in for ties, shirts and jackets. Everyone forgot to bring ties. Some weren’t aware that they had to dress nicely for the regatta.”

Laurence Morris, of Laurence Menswear in Duke Street, said his trade was down compared with 2022.

He said: “Because last year it was the first six-day regatta since lockdown a lot of people, I think, checked their wardrobes and realised they didn’t have the clothes or they didn’t fit, so we had an exceptional year.

“It was always going to be difficult, from a turnover perspective, to do the same. However, business was still very good this year. We had locals and tourists, particularly Americans.”