News Report: Chamber: Businesses lost revenue amid royal visit closures
Written by Chester Robards, The Nassau Guardian, October 28th, 2026
Some Bahamian businesses were forced to close during the visit of King Charles III because they were not given sufficient notice of road closures, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) Chairman Don Williams told Guardian Business yesterday.
Williams said that the BCCEC received calls and messages from businesses affected by the extensive traffic restrictions, with the disruption extending from established downtown firms to roadside vendors, transportation operators and small suppliers.
“As the Chamber, we’ve gotten complaints from our members about the short length of time that was given in terms of the road closures,” Williams said. “That didn’t allow businesses to properly adapt.”
He acknowledged that a royal visit is an uncommon event requiring special security and logistical arrangements. However, Williams argued that the government and other relevant authorities could have communicated the plans earlier.
“There are some things that we understand do not happen every day. The king is here, but there could have been a lot more communication,” he said.
“It could have been done in a more timely manner.”
Williams said the Chamber had heard directly from downtown businesses, many of which also used social media to advise customers of changes to their operating hours.
“If you go online, you would see that many businesses have had to put out warnings that either they’re closing for half a day or they’ve closed completely for one, two or three days,” he said.
“Quite a bit of our members have done so. We’ve been experiencing the phone calls and the messages from businesses, and so that is deeply concerning.”
No estimate of the financial impact was immediately available. Williams said businesses were potentially losing multiple days of revenue.
“You’re talking about days of revenue. The number is something that is difficult to calculate,” he said.
Williams added that some affected operators questioned whether part of the expenditure associated with the royal visit could have been used to provide relief.
“Maybe some of the funds being spent in terms of this event could have helped to offset some of the difference,” he said.
He conceded, though, that the suggestion “may not be as realistic”.
The Chamber chairman said the disruption had created a “trickle-down effect” throughout the business community.
“Even down to the non-members, the roadside vendors and individuals in transportation and other industries, it has been a trickle-down effect,” Williams said.
He explained that even larger companies that remained open could have been affected if the smaller businesses providing goods and services to them were unable to operate.
“It doesn’t matter what size of business you are or the industry; this is something that has affected everyone in some way, shape or form,” Williams said.
Bank of The Bahamas announced on Monday that its downtown and John F. Kennedy Drive branches would close early yesterday. Sysco Bahamas released a statement to customers alerting them that traffic changes could affect the timely delivery of their goods.
Williams cautioned that the economic effect was not necessarily entirely negative, as some businesses may have benefited from activity generated by the visit.
“We’re also still waiting to see what the net effect of this is,” Williams said. “While not all businesses may have experienced issues, we understand that some may have benefited from it.”
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