Reduced operating hours on the Causeway have dealt a crushing financial blow to East End businesses as they can no longer draw clients from across the Island.

was told that many are considering staff cutbacks and reducing operating hours in order to cope with the shortfall of business.

Restaurants and other night-time entertainment venues are particularly suffering in St. George's and St. David's as they are effectively cut off from mainland Bermuda after the 7.30 p.m. Southside Cinema manager Terence Douglas told , his business has plummeted since Hurricane Fabian ripped apart the vital transportation link to the mainland.

“It was like night and day,” Mr. Douglas said of before and after the September 5 storm. “From 100 percent of our normal attendance, I'd say we're down to 15 percent.”

He added: “With the time the bridge closes, at 7.30 p.m., our business is taken completely out. It's a tricky time. The weekend matin?e is the only time that we can do business with people from other parts of the Island. Unless they want to sleep in their cars.”

The theatre manager said he was very disappointed that the Causeway was not yet operating 24 hours a day, more than three weeks after the devastating category three hurricane.

“I would have thought the Causeway, being the only link to the rest of the Island, would have been more important. Or, if they couldn't open it that they would come up with another alternative.”

As it stands, Mr. Douglas said he is facing some difficult business decisions.

“I am going to have to consider whether to close through the week,” he said. “The numbers are just too low.”

Meanwhile, at Tavern by the Sea in St. George's, manager Monica Ogg said the restaurant has been forced to cancel its Oktoberfest celebrations and to draw up a new timetable reducing staff hours.

“We're not doing brilliantly,” she said. “It's been a lot slower, especially for dinner. People are not venturing out after 6.30 or 7.30 p.m. (when the Causeway closes). And returning at 11.30 p.m. (when a final Causeway crossing is available to some) seems to be too late for people.”

Ms Ogg said the restaurant has seen some new faces as east end locals are forced to frequent Old Town alternatives as they can no longer travel into Hamilton. But the influx is not enough to counter the loss of customers from the rest of the Island.

“We did pick up a little at lunch time on Saturday and Sunday,” she said. “People came down. That was quite nice. They said they wanted to come down when they could.”

But, there is little to drawn people to the Old Town anymore, she added: “With Trimingham's and Coopers closed, there is not anywhere for them to shop anymore.”

Fabian has effectively forced the East End into low season, said Freddie's Pub on the Square owner Allen Powell.

“We're doing the best we can,” he said. “But people are not coming across the Causeway. Even I avoid going across for fear I'll get stuck on the other side. A lot of people feel the same way. Business has definitely tapered off.”

Mr. Powell said Freddie's has always had strong support from locally-based customers, but the downturn has still dealt a severe blow to business.

“The people in St. George's stick together,” he said. “And now people in St. George's have to frequent places in St. George's rather than going into town. But there is definitely a reduction in numbers.”

Mr. Powell said he will not be forced to cut staff as Freddie's was already short-staffed before the hurricane. “We're not going to replace those staff members,” he said. “We're going to go on winter staff and winter schedule to reduce payments as best we can.”

But Mr. Powell said he fears things will worsen, with the lack of incoming tourist dollars will eventually hitting Bermudians in their pocketbooks.

“I fear, with Bermuda not being in the tourism business anymore, more locals are going to find their money is also drying up. Our local clients won't even have the money to go out and have a drink anymore.”

While Tavern by the Sea was set to start its annual 11-day Oktoberfest celebration this week but Fabian has foiled their plans.

St. George's Club, where the entertainers from Austria were to stay, was damaged in the hurricane, and the loss of business has proved fatal for the festival.

“It would have started (tonight),” Ms Ogg said. “But, there's no point. People can't come down for it.”