South Bank business 'wary and nervous' as G20 nears Larissa Lee and Ally Wood from San Churro Chocolateria. Photo: Tony Moore South Bank businesses have low expectations from G20 and many will open with skeleton staff because they have been told to open by the South Bank Corporation. In nearby Grey Street and Little Stanley Street, some are nervous, some are opening to "enjoy the experience" while one will close for a fortnight to do renovations. Officially Grey Street and Little Stanley streets at South Brisbane will be closed off from November 10 to November 17. Juma Jackson and Holly Hall at The Beachouse. Some businesses expect the barricades to come in earlier. Bigger South Bank businesses - like the Plough Inn - will operateon a business-as-usual scenario. Some smaller businesses will close. Erin at the Cactus Republic burrito bar. Within one kilometre of the official G20 venue, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, the business mood is absolutely "mixed bag." Back in July 2012, South Bank businesses were optimistic that G20 would bring customers through their doors and dollars through their tills. Fairfax Media went back to re-visit them. Plough Inn's Trevor Seeto. San Churro Chocolateria in Grey Street is one of South Bank's busiest businesses. They are closing during G20 however. "We've taken the opportuinity to shut the store to do renovations," store manger Ally Wood said. Dale Wood from the Treehouse Cafe. "Given all the shutdowns through the city, and people coming in, and all the protesters and everything that are coming in," she said. "A lot of people are already heading in the opposite direction away from here," she said. San Churro runs three chocolate businesses in Brisbane - another at Loganholme and a third at Charlotte Street - and saw the G20 as the best time to do the work to improve access to the store. They will close from November 10 to 22. Initially when the store was built, they did not anticipate us getting as busy as we do. So we are not quite equipped to cope with how busy we get," Ms Wood said. "Our boss has always wanted to change our layout to make it more feasible to cope with the extra people," she said. And the G20 coming up just seemed like the perfect opportunity to time that in. Ms Wood said her business thinks it is going to be quiet for trade. A lot of people that live in Kangaroo Point are planning to leave this area because it going to be very heavily-policed and very congested. Further along Grey Street, Ginga Japanese restaurant manager Tep Fu said most of his customers are locals, not tourists. Overall, he said it was just too difficult Some new customers could come from the G20 delegates, Mr Tep said. "Now they are from around Brisbane, mostly residents," he said. I think they won't come during G20. Maybe some (delegates) could come from around the corner. Nearby, Juma Jackson and Holly Hall co-manage the healthy food and breakfast bar, Beachhouse, just past the South Bank Cinema. They will close for three days during G20 in middle- November. "There is always the possibility of 7000 more customers," Ms Jackson. "But it will be hard for some of the employees to get here," she said. Overall they were undecided what G20 will mean for their businesses. "I think it is a bit 'either or'," Holly Hall said. It is good because it will bring people down to South Bank, a bit of a touristy-experience. Juma Jackson said some businesses were nervous. It could also be bad, because there is also this possibility of closing, just in case there is protest problems. Nearby in South Bank Parklands, Erin is one of the managers at Cactus Republic, a funky-looking burrito bar. She is worried she may have problems with protesters as patrons. "But, I think it is going to be as 'dead as'," she said. I think we are going to lose business more than anything, I believe. The only thing people we are going to have down here is going to be people who are going to want to get involved in the G20; protesters and people like that. She understands there are 4000 delegates and 3000 journalists. Maybe. It might be worthwhile, but as far as normal patrons go, I think a lot of people are going to be steering clear of South Bank. With the reporters we might get something, but other than that I think we will be losing businesses as much as anything. But that is just something we have to deal with. Trevor Seeto is one of the duty managers at the Plough Inn Hotel in South Bank. The heritage-listed Plough Inn is one of the most identifiable sites in South Bank. "It will mean business-as-normal'for us," Mr Seeto said. We are not closing, we are not changing any operation hours. Security is the same, we are just going to be a bit more diligent. Trevor Seeto said it was difficult to judge the impact on the hotel's business during G20. "I think the general public is going to be scared about coming in," he said. But there are going to be 6000 or so delegates who are going to be around. And there are a lot of police and security delegates who might want a drink when they are off-duty. So it is hard for us to say. It is more a 'wait and see' type of approach. Some smaller South Bank businesses - who asked not to be named - said they had been told by South Bank Corporation to remain open during G20. They will operate with 'skeleton' staffs, because they expect people to be scared away. Back in Little Stanley Street, Ole Restaurant - a Spanish tapas bar, with its own "Sangria Bar" - has decided to remain open. Kate Winstanley explained why. "We want to represent South Bank and show the world that it is a fun, bustling type of place," she said. We are not really sure how big business is going to be, but we want to be open anyway. Really we don't quite know what to expect. Ms Winstanley said the business had been to the information sessions run about the G20. Yes, we have, and I'm guessing that everyone doen't really know what to expect. Brisbane is still quite a small city and this is a very big thing that is happening. We are kind of 'excited'. Kate Winstanly said Ole got many tourists as customers, but also a lot of regular residents. It is sort of mixed bag. I'm not sure how many Brisbane people are going to stay in Brisbane, but we are just going to have to see how it goes. The Treehouse Cafe is also on Grey Street. Back in 2012 they were optimistic. In 2014, the owners - despite going to briefings - are unclear about a range of issues. "We've heard that we are unable to have eggs in the fridge, or anything in glass jars, because they can be used as projectiles," Dale Wood told Fairfax Media. Like jam or peanut paste or a spread in a glass jar, because anything in glass can be considered a projectile. So, we are a bit interested about that. Mr Woods said the information sessions provided "vague details" and the business wanted more information. We think the security-type details are going to change, closer to the date, even up to the week of the summit. Many of their regular South Brisbane customers are working from home from the Tuesday to Friday of the G20 week, while the nearby university and TAFE campuses are closed the G20 week. So we will lose all that business as well. Unless it is really busy, I don't think we are going to make up for it at all. South Brisbane's road closures from Monday morning 10 November to 5:00am Monday 17 November: Russell Street: Closed between Grey Street and South Bank Promenade from Tuesday morning 11 November to 5:00am Monday 17 November: Grey Street: Closed between Melbourne Street and Glenelg Street. Glenelg Street: Closed between Merivale Street and railway overpass. From Thursday morning 13 November to 5.00am Monday 17 November: Hope Street: Closed between Peel Street and Melbourne Street. Local access will be maintained. from 7.00pm Thursday 13 November to 5.00am Monday 17 November: Victoria Bridge: Closed. Melbourne Street: Closed between Victoria Bridge and Cordelia Street. Merivale Street: Closed between Melbourne Street and Ernest Street. Merivale Street: Closed between Peel Street and Melbourne Street. Glenelg Street: Closed between Grey Street and railway overpass. Glenelg Street: Closed between Cordelia Street and Merivale Street. Local access will be maintained between Cordelia and Merivale Street. Grey Street: Closed between Peel and Melbourne Street. Grey Street: Closed northbound between Glenelg and Ernest Street. Russell Street: Closed between Cordelia and Merivale Street. Other closures - more information from here.