Jaybee's Entertainment in Sanctuary Point closes after 32 years

Narrell started the entertainment services and booking agency without intending to when her 'Musos Jam Night' evolved into a fully fledged business.

She had been friends with musicians and entertainers most of her life when one of them let her know there was no representation for musicians in the region.

"I originally planned to just help people out but then it turned into my life," she said.

"It's been 24/7 for all of these years. It's extremely busy as most other places usually have more staff.

"I decided rather than sell the business I would just close the doors. I feel like the business is me and I'm not for sale."

Read more:

Narrell's day to day entailed arranging bookings at venues and events, organising contracts, advising clients and making sure everybody got paid.

Her territory covered as far south as Narooma and she's even looked after clients at Goulbourn, Young and Yass.

Touring artists from all over the country ask Narrell to organise a run of shows when they come to the South Coast.

And there's no one else in the Shoalhaven who does it. Her competition further down the coast contacted Narrell to let her know she had been his benchmark for the entirety of his business operations.

Narrell said closing up was like giving up a child.

"I've got two kids. My daughter is 45 and my son is 40 so this is my third child who's 33 years old," she said.

She first started out doing gig guides for local newspapers, including the South Coast Register.

"Even when I was in hospital I still did gig guides," she said.

With no more gig guides being produced by Narrell, members of the community have reached out to her in disappointment with its retirement.

But she said now was a time to connect with her 16 month old granddaughter Sophia who lives in Queensland and who she had not been able to meet due to COVID.

She also intends to spend more time on her dollhouse building hobby which she said had been therapeutic at night after busy days at work.

She wished a big thankyou to her webmistress Cathy Dunn and her accountant David Sim for helping her for decades.

"And then there's my family. They've sacrificed a lot for this business because I've been a part time mother, partner and daughter because of this business," she said.

"I'm going to try and make it up to them now if it's not too late."