Rising above it all…..
Working in a small tourist town gives insights into human nature that those in larger towns and cities don’t get to see. (Generalisation, but you know what I mean).
Clarens is wonderful. You couldn’t ask for a prettier location with its stunning views, mountains and relaxed ambiance. It is therefore rather sad to see how the village has changed over the last 5 years.
I initially ‘found’ the Eastern Free State in 1988 after leaving Sun City to take up a contract in Lesotho. At that stage Clarens was little more than a few buildings around the village square and some general dealers and shops to look after the needs of the locals. After the contract had finished I moved to Johannesburg and didn’t visit for nearly 5 years.
My affair with the area, and Clarens in particular, was rekindled in 1996. The village was then the ‘the real thing’ in fun country getaways, with its amazingly eclectic collection of bohemians, artists & farmers, and only a few tourists who were ‘in the know’ about the area.
Life happens, and I got caught up in 101 different things that kept me away from visiting the area until November 2002, when my housemate (Warren) and a friend, Ron, spent 5 days visiting good friends Lynda – and at that stage, Paul Martin, in Clarens. By this time I was living on the KZN south coast and not having a particularly happy time. By Easter of 2003 I had packed what few belongings I still had left and ‘headed for the hills’, this time to stay!
Clarens had become busier. There were now fun and interesting shops and art galleries, some really worthwhile restaurants and an overwhelming friendliness that permeated everything and everyone. You could not walk around the square without being greeted or waved to by locals and visitors. It didn’t matter if they knew who you were or not, you were included in the community no matter how long you were planning on being in town.
I think that the rot set in when the amount of businesses (especially restaurants) that were opening started to exceed the tourist and local demand; a typical case of jumping on the band-wagon and overextending the ‘pie’. Suddenly there was an undercurrent of negativity, sniping and downright nastiness amongst business owners. Fights for exclusivity on gift lines in shops and even dishes that appeared on menus started, and you could not have a drink in one of the ‘locals’ without overhearing grips and complaints about this person or that business.
Clarens had been featured in various travel mags and newspapers, and the residents had, unfortunately, started to believe their own press. Prices of property sky-rocketed and there were suddenly over 90 B&B’s and self-catering venues to choose from in the area. The fact that some of them were no more than an outside room or converted garage didn’t stop them from charging exorbitant rates.
There was also a constantly changing and self-appointed ‘big 5’. A group of business owners, developers and wannabes, some clever, some not, some kind, and some conniving, who met every evening to decide which way the village should head, what should be allowed or prevented, and who was going to side with who. None of them had been appointed by anyone but they had the money and contacts to change things.
A major downfall in village status and morale happened when a large tract of land in town was sold to the Protea Hotel chain. This went against everything that Clarens had stood for. It had been locally agreed that no franchise groups or neon signs would be allowed in the village – especially on the ‘square’, but this was somewhat over-ridden as the development went ahead. Clarens would never be the same.
This became screamingly aparent when, whereas four years ago local publications would not publish anything remotely negative about the village, all of a sudden, our local ‘free’ newspaper was openly slagging-off locals, bad service practices (read – personal gripes) and businesses in general. I knew that things had gone too far when I had a tourist from JHB tell me that he used to think of Clarens as the ideal destination until he read the local paper.
But actual events and suppositions of what actually transpired to destroy the village are not important. Clarens has now officially gone the same route of many country villages. It is still popular, but with a different tourist demographic. Today’s tourist cannot afford to pay top rates for indifferent goods and services. Businesses are closing down, and many of the out-of-towners with holiday homes have slapped them on the market in the vain hope that they will get their money back. The economic downturn and global recession is only partly to blame for this. The fall of Clarens has been caused by greed, ego and a remarkable inability to see further than one’s own turned-up nose.
Clarens, you are still beautiful, but you need to re-evaluate yourselves if you hope to re-establish the magic that you once exuded.
I am so glad that I only work in Clarens and live 40km away in Fouriesburg. I can rise above it all. If I had to live in Clarens I might just be convicted for GBH.
Until soon……Andrew
Working in a small tourist town gives insights into human nature that those in larger towns and cities don’t get to see. (Generalisation, but you know what I mean).
Clarens is wonderful. You couldn’t ask for a prettier location with its stunning views, mountains and relaxed ambiance. It is therefore rather sad to see how the village has changed over the last 5 years.
I initially ‘found’ the Eastern Free State in 1988 after leaving Sun City to take up a contract in Lesotho. At that stage Clarens was little more than a few buildings around the village square and some general dealers and shops to look after the needs of the locals. After the contract had finished I moved to Johannesburg and didn’t visit for nearly 5 years.
My affair with the area, and Clarens in particular, was rekindled in 1996. The village was then the ‘the real thing’ in fun country getaways, with its amazingly eclectic collection of bohemians, artists & farmers, and only a few tourists who were ‘in the know’ about the area.
Life happens, and I got caught up in 101 different things that kept me away from visiting the area until November 2002, when my housemate (Warren) and a friend, Ron, spent 5 days visiting good friends Lynda – and at that stage, Paul Martin, in Clarens. By this time I was living on the KZN south coast and not having a particularly happy time. By Easter of 2003 I had packed what few belongings I still had left and ‘headed for the hills’, this time to stay!
Clarens had become busier. There were now fun and interesting shops and art galleries, some really worthwhile restaurants and an overwhelming friendliness that permeated everything and everyone. You could not walk around the square without being greeted or waved to by locals and visitors. It didn’t matter if they knew who you were or not, you were included in the community no matter how long you were planning on being in town.
I think that the rot set in when the amount of businesses (especially restaurants) that were opening started to exceed the tourist and local demand; a typical case of jumping on the band-wagon and overextending the ‘pie’. Suddenly there was an undercurrent of negativity, sniping and downright nastiness amongst business owners. Fights for exclusivity on gift lines in shops and even dishes that appeared on menus started, and you could not have a drink in one of the ‘locals’ without overhearing grips and complaints about this person or that business.
Clarens had been featured in various travel mags and newspapers, and the residents had, unfortunately, started to believe their own press. Prices of property sky-rocketed and there were suddenly over 90 B&B’s and self-catering venues to choose from in the area. The fact that some of them were no more than an outside room or converted garage didn’t stop them from charging exorbitant rates.
There was also a constantly changing and self-appointed ‘big 5’. A group of business owners, developers and wannabes, some clever, some not, some kind, and some conniving, who met every evening to decide which way the village should head, what should be allowed or prevented, and who was going to side with who. None of them had been appointed by anyone but they had the money and contacts to change things.
A major downfall in village status and morale happened when a large tract of land in town was sold to the Protea Hotel chain. This went against everything that Clarens had stood for. It had been locally agreed that no franchise groups or neon signs would be allowed in the village – especially on the ‘square’, but this was somewhat over-ridden as the development went ahead. Clarens would never be the same.
This became screamingly aparent when, whereas four years ago local publications would not publish anything remotely negative about the village, all of a sudden, our local ‘free’ newspaper was openly slagging-off locals, bad service practices (read – personal gripes) and businesses in general. I knew that things had gone too far when I had a tourist from JHB tell me that he used to think of Clarens as the ideal destination until he read the local paper.
But actual events and suppositions of what actually transpired to destroy the village are not important. Clarens has now officially gone the same route of many country villages. It is still popular, but with a different tourist demographic. Today’s tourist cannot afford to pay top rates for indifferent goods and services. Businesses are closing down, and many of the out-of-towners with holiday homes have slapped them on the market in the vain hope that they will get their money back. The economic downturn and global recession is only partly to blame for this. The fall of Clarens has been caused by greed, ego and a remarkable inability to see further than one’s own turned-up nose.
Clarens, you are still beautiful, but you need to re-evaluate yourselves if you hope to re-establish the magic that you once exuded.
I am so glad that I only work in Clarens and live 40km away in Fouriesburg. I can rise above it all. If I had to live in Clarens I might just be convicted for GBH.
Until soon……Andrew
I think the global recession, although having been a hardship on many, is a wake-up call for the rich and greedy. I truly believe it is not impossible that Clarens can still redeem itself. it may take some time, but ...
ReplyDeleteHopefully you are right my dear Lynda!
ReplyDelete