Richmond Jubilee brought an estimated 5000 residents and tourists into the town last Saturday, resulting in a reported 20-50 per cent spike in business takings and a call for a similar event every month.
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Part spring fair, part Victorian-era carnival, the inaugural event was organised by Richmond Mainstreet Inc.
The event was a triple whammy, with not only town amusements but a toot-tooting stream train provided by Cowra’s Lachlan Valley Railway Society taking 3000 happy punters up and down the line to Mulgrave and the Clarendon Classic Machinery Rally at the showground.
There were also double-decker buses, community stalls, Victorian-era amusements such as quoits, cricket and historic dress-ups.
Windsor Street shops and cafes surveyed by the Gazette quoted a 20 per cent increase in takings, with several reporting 50 per cent, and a number said a monthly event such as this, aimed at the tourism market, would help raise their bottom lines.
It was a “huge” day for Saucy owner, Vanessa Bombardiere, who put on a fish and chips special and asked staff to dress in the Jubilee colours of red, white and black.
“It never stopped all day — many came in from out of area, too, from up and down the coast, and inland from places like Orange,” she told the Gazette.
Richmond Newsagency co-owner, Peter McKenzie, made 20 per cent more than usual.
“We sold out of all the newspapers, which is unusual these days, and people bought Lotto tickets while they were here, too,” he said.
Health Foods And You proprietor, Sue Quin, said her store made double the revenue of a usual Saturday.
“A lot of people from out of town came in to have a look and ended up buying stuff as well,” she told the Gazette.
For Big Red Hen’s Angelina Ginis, business was up 20 per cent on the same day the previous week.
“There were lots of young people and families, and kids everywhere. They came from all different areas, from St Marys to Taree,” she told the Gazette.
Tastify manager, Lee Apostolatos, said patronage at his store rose 50 per cent due to Jubilee day.
“We put on a special called the Steam Train Chilli Burger, with two slices of grilled chicken and Portuguese sauce,” he said.
Kezza’s Kafe owner, Kerrin McKenzie hosted a barbecue on Windsor Street, selling sausages on long rolls, drinks and cakes.
She told the Gazette she made double the profit of a busy weekday. According to Richmond Mainstreet Inc secretary Venecia Wilson, punters clearly had a great time, with steam train tickets selling-out on both Saturday and Sunday.
“People loved it. Every time the train returned and blew its whistle, kids ran across the park yelling ‘the train’s coming back!’,” she told the Gazette.
The locomotives commemorated 150 years of rail between Richmond and Sydney.
“When we roared up through Riverstone and Quakers Hill on Saturday morning, kids and their parents started coming out on to their driveways in their pyjamas to wave at us,” Lachlan Valley Railway Society’s John Healey said.
“We went hard on the whistle all weekend and even had some of the old steam tractor drivers responding to us from the Clarendon Classic Machinery Rally. There was a real carnival vibe.”