‘We hope it will bring trade in the form of tourists’

In TERMS of the economic benefits of having the World War Z production here, I would have to say that they have been positive for local traders and for the city as a whole.

Being part of the set on Cochrane Street has meant that at times a lot of our usual customers haven’t been able to get in, but we also had plenty of new customers coming in who we hope to hold on to. Overall, I would say our sales have gone up a notch.

Certainly, we’ve lost a few pounds here and there because of the production, and there have been some customers who have been told wrongly that the shop was closed, but I cannot see having Brad Pitt and a Hollywood blockbuster being filmed in this city as being anything but a good thing. Having the film’s production team basing themselves in the building has been a positive experience in itself, but because all the on-set catering has been provided free, we haven’t been providing them with food, but when they’re looking for a decent cup of coffee they come to us.

Looking long-term, when the film comes out, there is the possibility that it will bring further trade to us in the form of tourists visiting the locations that appear in the film, and I’m hoping that we can get some memorabilia from the production itself.

But it is going to be strange when the production finally leaves town, and I have had to remind myself that this will end soon and that it will be business as usual again.

n Nigel Glover is the proprietor of Fressh.