‘It’s not what it used to be’: Has Rodney Bay lost its appeal?

At 9:30 on a Friday night, Rodney Bay should be buzzing with nightlife. Instead, parked cars outnumber pedestrians, and restaurant tables sit mostly empty.

Reaching out to St. Lucia Times to express frustration over what he described as Rodney Bay’s deteriorating environment, a local businessman said he misses what Rodney Bay used to be.

“If you drive, you will see there’s a different feeling altogether.”

Familiar with Rodney Bay not just as a recreational hub but as a property manager and realtor overseeing multiple spaces in the heart of what Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire has described as Saint Lucia’s “premier entertainment strip”, he believes the area has changed dramatically.

“There were a lot more restaurants open in the area before, and some other spaces have been knocked down,” said the businessman, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Some were converted to accommodation, and some spaces are still vacant.”

Just a few years ago, he said, there was heavy foot traffic in the area, but that seems to have dwindled, leaving behind not only quiet streets but also a sense of unease.

A drive around the area on a Friday night at around 9:30 pm paints the same picture. Along the long stretch of road commonly referred to simply as “the Strip” — flanked by the Rodney Bay Police Station, the Rodney Bay Pavilion and an empty lot where the now-demolished Mystique Hotel once stood — hardly anyone is seen walking. Now and then, one or two people step out of parked vehicles before making their way into one of the few restaurants, where a handful of tables are occupied.

‘For Sale’ signs hang from the gates of closed properties, including the Ginger Lily.

“You find all the guests who would frequent the area, there would be a lot more going down the Strip, but right now, you find that void. The streets are empty.”

The concern, however, extends beyond whether Rodney Bay still has the same Friday-night buzz.

The businessman argued that the void created by vacant lots overgrown with bush, where hotels like Mystique and Starfish once stood, has also affected how safe the area feels. Without visitors constantly moving from hotels to nearby restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, the quieter streets leave those who walk the area more vulnerable.

“…It creates somewhat of a risky situation for people walking there, especially people who are not from the area… Being robbed is the last thing they would expect, and it has happened because a lot of the areas are not exactly brightly lit. I know at least three of my guests who were robbed in that area,” he said. The incidents reportedly occurred while visitors were walking near the main road and, in one instance, near the Airbnb where they were staying on Flamboyant Drive.

His concerns are not limited to the Strip itself.

A second, busier road runs through Rodney Bay, bordered by Baywalk Mall, Domino’s, Republic Bank and smaller restaurants and bars such as Keebees. Aside from patrons trickling from Domino’s and small groups of men, some near cars with open trunks and roadside trays, Keebees is the only establishment with every table occupied. Inside, patrons are watching a World Cup match.

He believes Rodney Bay’s character has been affected by the emergence of informal vendors who sell their goods from car trunks and along the roadside.

“There are certain places where guys sit down selling cigarettes, [and] rum…informally.”

He speculates that other substances could also be sold before adding, “It doesn’t look good. It doesn’t look or feel safe either, and you find the sort of people it attracts [are] the sort of people who normally would engage in untoward activities.”

The businessman has called for increased police presence and greater regulation.

“You cannot have the guys just setting up any sort of little vending area there. It’s unsightly, and it’s not the safest thing. You have families going by sometimes, and they would make remarks to the females in the group or something like that. All of these things you see happening.”

While his observations are based on personal experience, data suggest concerns about visitor safety in Rodney Bay are not unfounded.

As recently as June 30, a robbery involving two visitors near the entrance of a hotel in the area was reported to police.

The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) has also acknowledged a spike in robberies targeting visitors in Rodney Bay during 2025.

According to Superintendent in Charge of the Northern Division Eldeen Henry, incidents involving visitors spiked during two periods last year.

“We noticed a trend in January of 2025. Between January and March, there was a very high spike in incidents against visitors, and it resurged between October and December in 2025,” he said during a police press conference on July 2.

In March 2025, the RSLPF, along with tourism and business stakeholders in Rodney Bay, convened to debush the area. “For a crime to occur, three components are required: location, a victim, and a motivated offender. In this case, we’re removing one of those aspects as a means of prevention,” then Northern Superintendent Stephen Victorin told St. Lucia Times. 

Though he did not provide figures, this week, Henry said reports of robberies have since declined.

“We have put measures in place in terms of intelligence-led target operations in the Gros Islet area, which has resulted in the arrest of several individuals, some of whom are on remand and some of whom are before the court,” he said. “This has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of incidents of that nature.”

Speaking about the June 30 robbery, Henry said police intercepted suspects travelling in a vehicle in Anse La Raye during a multi-station operation.

“As a result of that interception, all the items which were stolen from the visitors were recovered… investigations are ongoing, and the suspects are in custody.” 

Responding to concerns about criminal activity and the possible sale of illegal substances, Henry said police continue to maintain a strong presence in Rodney Bay.

“Police continue to provide that level of surveillance [through] patrols in the Rodney Bay area, and again, these incidents have since decreased. I would also like to credit the Rangers Unit since they have personnel who work the beaches in that area. The number of incidents in relation to drug offences has decreased significantly over this period as it pertains to 2025…”

However, whether increased policing alone can restore Rodney Bay’s atmosphere remains another question.

The businessman believes the area’s physical landscape also needs attention. Large vacant lots where hotels once stood have become visual reminders of inactivity, and he argues they contribute to the sense that the area has lost some of its vibrancy.

Revival through redevelopment, however, appears to be some way off.

The Starfish Resort and Mystique by Royalton hotels have both been demolished and are expected to be replaced by two new properties. Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire told St. Lucia Times that developers are currently finalising designs for submission to the Development Control Authority (DCA), with construction expected to commence before the end of the year.

Hilaire also expresses the belief that Rodney Bay is due for renewed attention.

“Well, I think we need to give some focus to Rodney Bay and the experience at Rodney Bay. We’ve received quite a lot of complaints from persons who would say that they believe the experience at Rodney Bay, as our premier entertainment strip and a place where most of our restaurants are situated, is not what it used to be,” Hilaire said.

He added that developers have agreed to “take the lead in the redevelopment of the Rodney Bay Strip,” with a “very clear master plan … as to how to elevate and uplift it.” 

The article ‘It’s not what it used to be’: Has Rodney Bay lost its appeal? is from St. Lucia Times.