WHERE THE CITY EATS: SPATIAL CLUSTERING, DISTANCE-DECAY AND PATRONAGE RHYTHMS OF EATERIES IN CALABAR, NIGERIA

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: 2026-06-24
DOI: https://doi.org/10.83374/jesber.vol1no1.2
Keywords:
urban hospitality, spatial clustering, distance decay, patronage rhythm, Calabar City, nearest-neighbour analysis, food-service planning, Eatery geography

Main Article Content

Violet Bassey Eneyo
Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

This study re-examines the spatial organisation and patronage dynamics of eateries in Calabar City, Cross River State, Nigeria, through an urban hospitality geography lens. It responds to the need to understand food-service outlets not only as individual commercial units but also as spatially organised urban services that shape mobility, tourism experience, waste pressure and neighbourhood access. The study used georeferenced field data from 47 operational eateries, proprietor questionnaires, customer questionnaires, field observation and spatial-statistical analysis. Nearest-neighbour analysis showed that eateries were strongly clustered across the city (Rn = 0.37, z = -8.23, p < .001), with a more intense cluster in Calabar Municipality (Rn = 0.27, z = -8.63, p < .001) and a dispersed pattern in Calabar South (Rn = 1.51, z = 2.94, p = .003). High population density, proximity to tourism attractions, security and nearness to competitors emerged as major locational drivers. Patronage declined significantly with distance from eateries (Spearman rho = -.68, p < .001), while time of day significantly shaped patronage, chi-square(2) = 125.23, p < .001, with afternoon and evening periods dominating demand. The study contributes a planning-oriented interpretation of food-service clustering and recommends corridor-based eatery planning, decentralised food-service nodes, transport-sensitive siting, hygiene certification, digital eatery mapping and stronger urban waste governance.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

All articles are published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Users may share, adapt, and distribute the work provided appropriate credit is given to the authors and JESBER.

How to Cite

WHERE THE CITY EATS: SPATIAL CLUSTERING, DISTANCE-DECAY AND PATRONAGE RHYTHMS OF EATERIES IN CALABAR, NIGERIA. (2026). Journal of Enviromental Sciences and Built Environental Research, 1(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.83374/jesber.vol1no1.2

References

Adam, I., Bukari, S., & Amuquandoh, F. E. (2026). Hospitality on the edge: Effects of occupational stress on the psychological wellbeing of hotel employees in Ghana. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 68-78. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.718

Ajake, A. O., Akeh, L. B., & Eneyo, V. B. (2023). Rethinking tourism: The geographic perspective. World Tourism Journal, 1, 73-81.

Akeh, L. B., Bassey, B. J., Odok, A. O., Odok, E. A., Uttah, C., Idika, D. O., Onnoghen, U. N., Akpanika, E. N., Onabe, D. B., & Eneyo, V. B. (2023). Insecurity and its economic impact on Calabar nightclubs, Nigeria. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 12(4), 1603-1617.

Ayatac, H., & Dokmeci, V. (2017). Location patterns of restaurants in Istanbul. Current Urban Studies, 5(2), 202-214.

Christaller, W. (1933). Die zentralen Orte in Suddeutschland. Gustav Fischer.

Eneyo, V. B. (2025a). Ethics and social responsibility in hospitality and tourism education. In Tourism and the environment (Vol. 1, pp. 358-374).

Eneyo, V. B. (2025b). The role of higher education in tourism and hospitality development. In Tourism and the environment (Vol. 1, pp. 340-357).

Eneyo, V. B., & Archibong, A. A. (2023). Cultural and economic impacts of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival. Nigerian Journal of Social and Development Issues, 11(1), 79-98.

Eneyo, V. B., & Essien, D. A. (2023). Economic and social impacts of cultural festivals: A comprehensive analysis of Calabar Carnival, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Social and Development Issues, 11(1), 116-129.

Eneyo, V. B., Akeh, L. B., Ajake, A. O., & Anake, C. B. (2025). Harnessing ecotourism for sustainable development in Cross River State. South-South Zonal Association of Nigerian Geographers, 266-273.

Eneyo, V. B., Ajake, A. O., & Edward, J. (2018). Assessing plastic waste generation by eateries in Calabar, Nigeria. World Environment Journal, 2(1), 95-106.

Eneyo, V. B., Ajake, A. O., Offiong, E. E., Ushie, M. A., & Akpan, N. A. (2023). Exploring spatial pattern of eateries in Calabar City, Cross River State, Nigeria. Spatial Information Research, 31, 167-179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41324-022-00490-1

Eneyo, V. B., Atemgweye, G. I., Imanyi, V. U., & Essien, D. A. (2023). Tourism as a catalyst for entrepreneurial development: Insights from Cross River State, Nigeria. World Tourism Journal, 1, 1-19.

Hooper, J. (2015). A destination too far? Modelling destination accessibility and distance decay in tourism. GeoJournal, 80(1), 33-46.

Kasim, A., & Ismail, A. (2012). Environmentally friendly practices among restaurants: Drivers and barriers to change. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20(4), 551-570.

Mafini, M., & Slabbert, E. (2026). Money matters: Job satisfaction in the South African tourism and hospitality industry. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.713

Mbanza, S., Muhoza, R. O., & Mbabazi, J. P. (2020). Contribution of food quality management on the growth of food service industry in Rwanda: A case of Lemigo hotel. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 1(3), 164-171.

Nkambule, N. M., & Venter, D. (2026). Hiking as soft adventure tourism in South Africa: Insights from a systematised literature review. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.712

Nkogho-Beyeme, R., Thomas, P., & Schachtebeck, C. (2026). Exploring the tourism entrepreneurial ecosystem of Kruger National Park: Opportunities, challenges, and strategic solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 177-185. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.728

Olumide, O. K. A., & Amobichukwu, A. C. (2013). Geographical analysis of eateries: A case of Ibadan North, Oyo State, Nigeria. Brazilian Geographical Journal-Geosciences and Humanities Research Medium, 4(2), 561-583.

Ozturk, I. (2026). If I can't do it, you can't do it: Crab mentality in hotel kitchens. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 242-252. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.734

Seal, P. P., Bakshi, I., & Yadav, N. (2026). Sustainability, ethics, and cultural authenticity: Determinants of tourist satisfaction with street food at religious destinations. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 15(1), 47-56. https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.716

Tobler, W. R. (1970). A computer movie simulating urban growth in the Detroit region. Economic Geography, 46(Suppl.), 234-240.

Udonwa, R. E., Eneyo, V. B., & Asuquo, E. E. O. (2022). Caregivers' variables and health implication of food intake of pre-school children in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. World Environment Journal, 2(2), 44-60.

Udonwa, R. E., Eneyo, V. B., Asuquo, E. E. O., & Itu, P. C. O. (2022). Family socio-demographic variables and child upbringing in Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria. World Environment Journal, 2(2), 61-80.

Udonwa, R. E., Eneyo, V. B., & Iyam, M. A. (2025). Effects of lifestyle factors on weight variations among adolescents in Southern Cross River State, Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Home Economics (NIG-JHEC), 12(10), 25-32.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme. (2010). The state of African cities 2010: Governance, inequality and urban land markets. UN-Habitat.

World Bank. (2022). Urban development: Overview. World Bank.

Yu, W., Ai, T., He, Y., & Shao, S. (2017). Spatial co-location pattern mining of facility points-of-interest improved by network neighbourhood and distance-decay effects. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 31(2), 280-296.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.