'Games have been good for the city' - Wolverhampton traders on impact of cycling action
Opinion was split between city centre businesses as to whether the cycling time trial that raced through Wolverhampton was a boost for them.
Thousands of people headed for Wolverhampton city centre to watch the riders from the time trial go by as part of the Commonwealth Games 2022, with plenty of people on both sides of the road at Queen Square and Princess Street.
With so many people in the city centre, it was a chance for some businesses to see higher than usual numbers visiting as people looked for food and drink.
However, the Posada on Lichfield Street was quieter than normal at a lunchtime, with owner Chris Millard saying he felt it has been harder for people to get access to.
He said: "It's been very quiet today and I think it's down to people having a harder time getting access, being able to cross the road as there's nowhere near here that they can do that.
"I'm hoping for some passing trade, but I don't know what will happen, plus I almost didn't get a delivery because they couldn't get on the other side of the road, so we had to rearrange things.
"To me, the benefits from this will be for areas such as West Park and Market Square, whereas I don't think the city centre will see much benefit."
Around the corner on Princess Street was Daisy's Den, for which manager Kerry Organ said she had felt a tremendous boost from the event.
She said: "I think it's been really good today, with lots of people walking by and having a look, then coming in, and I think everyone's just got the hype.
"Business has been good for us and other places and I think Wolverhampton city centre needs that after so many people being stuck indoors due to Covid.
"Our best-seller has been the pulled pork sandwiches, but we've done really well and I think the Commonwealth Games have been really good for the city."
