NATCHEZ &045;&045; Bad news for coastal residents meant great news for Natchez Wednesday as thousands fleeing Hurricane Ivan settled in town.

&uot;Every hotel and bed and breakfast is full,&uot; Chamber of Commerce President Laura Godfrey said. &uot;We’ve placed over 10 families in private homes and sent people to RV parks and camping areas. I’d say, there are conservatively 4,000 to 5,000 people in town.&uot;

Zelma Murray of the Louisiana Welcome Center in Vidalia said the number of visitors that came through that center easily tripled that of a normal day.

The center gave out information on places to stay, restaurants and routes, handing out maps of the region.

At the Natchez Visitor Reception Center, visitor numbers had topped 1,000 by just 2 p.m. &045;&045; 2 1/2 times the normal number for this time of year.

The high number of visitors was something merchants could attest to. Pig Out Inn filled every table and stayed open until they ran out of food Wednesday.

&uot;I’d say (business is) quadruple,&uot; Anne Vidal said while preparing the next meal at the Canal Street restaurant.

Elaine Daniels of Daniels’ Basketry said she’d seen non-stop business all day Wednesday.

&uot;It’s bad for them, and I feel for them, and I would have run, too, but I’m glad they ran here,&uot; Daniels said.

Ann Paradise, who worked at Cover to Cover Wednesday, said some of the customers seemed a little nervous but were still making the Natchez rounds.

&uot;It’s wonderful in a horrible kind of way,&uot; Paradise said.

Babs Johnson said she jumped at the chance to come to Natchez when she was forced to evacuate her Covington, La., home.

&uot;We love Natchez,&uot; Johnson said while shopping. &uot;This is the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.&uot;

Mike Byrne of Main Street Marketplace agreed that the customers seemed very willing to spend money but were just a little wary of the storm.

&uot;They like to watch The Weather Channel,&uot; said Byrne as the station played at the end of the counter.

Main Street extended its hours into the night to accommodate the visitors.

Kim Forman of Tickfaw, La., said she was making the best of the situation. Forman and her family ended up in Natchez when no hotel rooms were available anywhere in Louisiana.

&uot;We left yesterday (Tuesday) because I didn’t want to be in all that,&uot; said Forman as she shopped. &uot;We have friends here and I decided to come see the town.&uot;

Godfrey said the Chamber gave out numerous visitor guides and city maps to those sharing Forman’s mentality.

&uot;This is going to have a huge impact on our restaurants, hotels and hopefully retail businesses,&uot; Godfrey said. &uot;Even though it is unfortunate that these people have had to leave their homes it certainly is a shot in the arm to our local economy.&uot;