Shop owners in North East Hamilton say they desperately need more help to attract tourists and locals into the area.

Several businesses told The Royal Gazette their section of the City requires urgent development, with many calling for entertainment activities that can compare with Front Street’s popular Harbour Nights.

In recent months, authorities have been encouraging businesses to take part in a consultation over the future of the neighbourhood, to help put together a “Local Plan of North East Hamilton”.

However, some people working in the area said they were not aware of those workshops and meetings at Magnolia Place, while others were frustrated at what they described as years of inaction developing North East Hamilton, despite its status as an Economic Empowerment Zone.

This newspaper approached businesses yesterday to ask for their thoughts on the local plan, which is due to be finalised later this year.

Nadine Dillas, the owner of Nadz Beauty Enterprise, said: “The North East Hamilton area needs to be developed more. Instead of spending so much money and time on Front Street, they need to come around here.

“People are afraid of coming around this area so something needs to be done. Just how they have Harbour Nights on Front Street — they used to have something like that on Thursday nights.

“They need to bring it back so that they’ll have more people come to the area.

“In general they need to pay more attention to this side of town and the people here.

“Create something positive for the guys to do instead of them hanging around all day on the streets.”

Nicholas Lawif, the owner of Next Level barber shop, said: “This area needs more things opened, more businesses that can bring in a crowd — more businesses that can attract tourists and profit.

“With the businesses I’ve run in this country, sometimes things are slow, other times things move faster.

“On Front Street this year everything is lively. They just need to add a little bit more flavour to this place, with little bars or clubs on the corner, coffee shops, barber shops and tattoo shops.”

Qurna Smith, who opened Accessory Stash two weeks ago, said: “This area needs something. It’s very quiet but I’ve had no problems so far.

“There needs to be more entertainment up this way though.

“They used to have a Harbour Nights up here — they should bring that back.

“I’m new here but I do see the potential in this area. I’ve even seen the Town Crier bringing the tourists through the area and in the heart of North East Hamilton, touring and walking up and down.”

Trevor Waite Jr, owner of Caribbean Food Market, said: “I heard about the workshops that Planning had but nobody physically came around to the businesses about them which they probably should have.”

Some shop owners said the area needed better general maintenance, with some pointing to the negative effects of crime. One said: “My shop was on Angle Street and I lost a lot of customers down there after the shootings, which is why I decided to move further down this side of town.

“If I would have known about the workshops at Magnolia Place, I would’ve went to put my little input in, but unfortunately we didn’t know.”

The Local Plan meetings have been organised by the Department of Planning, with support from the Corporation of Hamilton and Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

Director of planning Aideen Ratteray Pryse previously said: “The intent of the plan will be to manage and facilitate development in accordance with the community’s vision.”

Anyone wanted to make a contribution should e-mail planNEH@gov.bm to set up a one-on-one meeting with department officials.