Cairns business: City traders welcome Queen memorial holiday

A public holiday to mark mourning for Queen Elizabeth II has been condemned by national trade and health organisations. How the break was actually received by Cairns traders.

CITY traders have wholehearted endorsed a last-minute public holiday to honour the Queen amid a school holiday cash splash at a bustling Cairns Esplanade on Thursday.

Critics of the public holiday, including Australian Retailers Association, predicted a small loss of trade leading into the special break, however Cairns hospitality businesses reported a solid flow of customers out and about enjoying fine weather in the city.

Wild Vibes Nutrition owner Blythe Trout welcomed Thursday public holiday. Picture: Nuno Avendano.

For most food-based business on the Cairns Esplanade the call to open on Thursday was a no-brainer, despite having to pay staff double time penalty rates.

Wild Vibes Nutrition owner Blythe Trout said her Cairns Esplanade shop had enjoyed a cracking day’s trade.

“It was a really busy start to the day,” she said.

“It was a very strong start. We opened at 7am and it was just like for a few hours straight making smoothies and making loaded teas.

“I know there was a few businesses that did choose to shut down and that’s totally OK. That’s your choice. But for me opening was definitely never a question

“I love being open for the public holiday, it’s good to be able to give people something they’re looking for and not have everything closed like a ghost town.”

The Esplanade Lagoon was packed with families on school holiday getaways, Abbott St Woolworths and Cairns Central traded as usual and though Shields St was quieter than a usual weekday the Esplanade was buzzing.

Copper Bar and Grill manager Tovah Wildman pulls a beer from the Cairns Esplanade restaurant on Thursday. Picture: Nuno Avendano

Given the promise of a lie-in on Thursday morning Copper Bar and Grill manager Tovah Wildman said the business had a huge dinner service on Wednesday evening.

“People are going to have their days off so more people will have their families around and want to go out to restaurants,” she said.

“And everyone wants to work with double penalties anyway.

“It’s probably a positive thing.”

Cold Rock Ice Creamery owner Maya Aing serves from the Aplin St shop on Thursday. Picture: Nuno Avendano

Around the corner on Aplin St, Cold Rock Ice Creamery business owner Maya Aing said people out and about in the city had kept the cash register ticking over.

“Because of the school holidays and also the public holiday, it’s very busy,” she said.

“And the pay is good, public holiday wages are very high, so they are willing to work.”

Ahead of the one-off break holiday Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said future Queen’s birthday public holidays celebrated on October 3 will go ahead as usual but the name of the holiday could change.

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Originally published as Cairns business: City traders welcome Queen memorial holiday