Anger of farmers: the first economic repercussions of the dams are felt in Nîmes

Depuis le blocage de l'A9 et les difficultés à circuler au KM Delta, la galerie marchande Nîmes Etoile est moins fréquentée. Y. B.

L'autoroute A9 est bloquée au niveau de l'échangeur de Nîmes ouest depuis jeudi 25 janvier. Ce qui a des répercussions notamment sur la zone du Km Delta, de la galerie marchande de Nîmes Etoile.

Since Thursday January 25, in the early morning, the blocking of the A9 motorway at the Nîmes west interchange by angry farmers has caused a drop in attendance at the Nîmes Étoile shopping mall. "We are seeing a 50% drop in attendance. Farmers even came to eat at our place. Let them continue because they are poorly paid. The customers also support them,” emphasizes Aurélie who works for a fast food brand.

For many, the most complicated day was last Thursday when farmers flocked in large numbers to Km Delta with their tractors.

Business Support

But that's not enough to take away the support of traders like Lilou who works in a pizzeria: "For three, four days, it's been very calm… I can understand the farmers' movement. They get up early, go to bed late and in the end they don't have enough to live on. We walk on the head ! How can we blame them ?"

For some traders, the blocking of the A9 and the jolts that this causes at the Km Delta roundabout have caused customers to flee, which adds an additional difficulty to the shopping mall which isn't living his finest hours either.

"With Carrefour, there is always traffic, but there is 30% less turnover since Thursday. But I support the farmers because I find what is happening to them to be disgusting. They carry  a noble cause", recalls Théo who runs a service business. “Thursday, it took me a lot longer to access my work. The gallery is less dynamic these days. Some clients have canceled their appointments, says an employee of a beauty institute.

Arrivals down

At Carrefour, the locomotive of Nîmes Étoile, the shelves are well stocked at the start of the week, which gives no sign of supply problems. The local management, which was unable to respond to our requests, was however confronted with action by the farmers. According to employees, demonstrators filled trolleys with foreign products before leaving them at the checkouts and leaving. An access was also closed on Saturday by deposits of bags, earth and stumps.

If the Km Delta and Nîmes Ouest sectors suffer the most, the countless traffic jams on the secondary road network and the blocking of the A9 motorway near Nîmes have harmful repercussions in the city active but also in activity zones like that of Saint-Césaire. On site, arrivals and activity have been declining since Thursday.

More to the east, in the Grézan area, the Actiparc business association deplored a major incident on Thursday at Maison Johanès Boubée, Carrefour wine subsidiary, when individuals carried out a violent action with breakage.

The president of the Actiparc de Grézan Business Association Jean-Antoine Bunoz gives the point of view of the local economic fabric. "It's deplorable to attack a production line. For the moment, I have no particular opinion on the economic consequences of the dams. At Actiparc de Grézan, we are all behind the farmers who are waging a just fight. Like us, they are fed up with administration."  The economic community hopes for a positive outcome to this crisis which adds to that of recent years.

An economic point at the Agglo Nîmes Métropole

Interviewed by Midi Libre, Olivier Fabregoul, mayor of Caissargues and vice-president of the Agglo in charge of economic development, met farmers on the dam of the Caissargues ;A9 this Monday. He will participate in an economic point within the Nîmes Métropole agglomeration community this Tuesday. The opportunity to note a slowdown in activity currently.

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