Solar eclipse gives West Sussex businesses a boost - 'it's put me on the map'
The solar eclipse has given West Sussex businesses a boost.
Tonight’s (Wednesday, August 12) solar eclipse will be the largest in more than 25 years, and another of a similar scale will not be seen until 2081.
Pubs, restaurants and retailers have seen a boom in bookings and sales associated with the astronomical phenomenon.
It comes as locals, desperate to witness the event, scramble to find specialist glasses which protect your eyes from harmful solar radiation. Many people have reported being unable to buy them in-person and struggling to find an online retailer that’ll deliver them in time.
The Longshore in Brighton Road, Shoreham, invited customers to a viewing event on Wednesday (August 12) evening.
In a post on social media, the pub also offered extra glasses out to non-customers. However, five hours later, the business had to rescind the offer due to the popularity of its event.
Karen Dawson, manager of The Longshore in Shoreham, said she ‘genuinely didn't realise how popular [it] would be’.
"[We] ordered 100 glasses thinking it would be a great way to raise money for Prostate Cancer and could sell them for the event.
"We were fully booked for the 100 spaces within five hours and sadly have had to disappoint a lot of guests.
“But we can’t wait to welcome everyone.”
A ticketed event at The Beach, in Sea Road, Littlehampton, is also fully booked. The business even had to warn customers against ‘non-genuine’ resellers.
Wendy Doherty, owner of Handmade By Wendy, in Arundel Road, Littlehampton, said her success selling eclipse glasses has ‘put me on the map’.
She said: “I thought I’d take a punt and see if I could sell some glasses in the shop, and my Facebook just blew up with people wanting to buy them.
"I sold them and thought I’d buy another 150, which gave me 200, and everyone wanted them. I could’ve sold a lot more.
"What it’s done for me is put me on the map.
"People were queueing outside the shop. We had to let them in one at a time.
"I’ve always dreamed of a queue outside my shop.”
The rare astronomical phenomenon, visible across Britain and Ireland, will occur when the New Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, leaving only a thin crescent of sunlight visible.
In Sussex, the eclipse begins at 6.18pm, reaching maximum coverage at 7.14pm and ending at 8.07pm.