Hotel
By Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Some traders around the old Bristol Hotel in the Central Business District of Lagos Island, on Wednesday said sales had been encouraging since its renovation four years ago.
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Some traders around the old Bristol Hotel in the Central Business District of Lagos Island, on Wednesday said sales had been encouraging since its renovation four years ago.
The traders, who expressed their excitement while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the dramatic transformation of the hotel gave a boost to their sales.
They said that before the renovation, the old Bristol hotel abandoned for years, served as hideout for hoodlums and that all sorts of atrocious acts were committed within the gigantic building.
NAN reports that the old Bristol hotel was unfortunately pulled down due to a racist clash between Nigerians and expatriates who were the owners then in 1948.
Mr Ivor Cummings, a distinguished African-Caribbean, was scheduled to visit Nigeria while accommodation was reserved for him in the then old Bristol hotel.
Unfortunately, Cummings was denied access into the prestigious hotel on knowing that he was a Black; this generated some violent reactions by some blacks and gave account of how Bristol hotel was destroyed.
Bristol hotel which was abandoned for years after this incident was renovated and leased to a Nigerian, who changed its name to Hotel Lawa.
Upon renovation, it was divided into two with a part used as shops and the other half for the current Hotel Lawa.
Mr Emeka Nweke, a trader who sells men’s shirts, said that the hotel’s renovation transformed his business as his customers from Liberia, Ghana, and other countries in the West African sub-region all lodged there at affordable rates.
“The hotel has made it convenient for most of our customers to patronise us, and we have built good relationships as it made possible for them not to lose cash or valuables to hoodlums because of its proximity to our business premises,” he said.
Also, Miss Afolakemi Jaji, who sells belts by the road side, said that though she was keeping some of her stocks in the demolished building while selling but she had found the renovation more advantageous because of security.
“I am very happy because cases of bag snatching has reduced drastically since the hotel’s renovation and one can see that there is no place for hoodlums to hide again,” she said.
Another trader who sells shoes, Mr Saheed Oluboashiri, said that the security beefed up by the hotel management had given most traders like himself huge confidence.
“You know most of my customers come in the night so that they can buy their stock the next morning and leave, they come with a lot of money but there has never been cases of robbery since it was renovated.
“You will always find armed security men around at all times, so this has scared most of the touts away,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs Muslimat Aiyelabowo said that traders and buyers transacted their businesses without fear of being robbed around the hotel.
The Manager of the hotel, Mrs Aramide Alabi, said that the hotel had enjoyed huge patronage since it was renovated.
She said the management was working to ensure that clients were given satisfactory services. (NAN)
PTB/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)
(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)