WE NEED ACTION TO SAVE OUR HIGH STREET SHOPS
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Time to send SOS of our own -- before it's too late
A world of bland uniformity awaits us unless we mobilise to Save Our Shops, argues Lucinda O'Sullivan
Sunday May 22 2011
Just as Mary 'Queen of Shops' Portas has been roped in to help the British government revive the flagging high streets and bring a bustle back to town centres, so too some Bridget Banrion of Boutiques is needed here to put a rocket under local authorities in this country before there are no small shops or businesses left to fund their rates and local charges.
However bad the high-street situation may be in the UK, it is even worse here. In my local area, you only have to see the main street in Dun Laoghaire with its long stretch of empty shops either side of McDonald's and Dunnes Stores. It is not today nor yesterday that the local traders pleaded with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to do something with the parking in the area -- they did! They appointed new traffic wardens, who seem to travel mainly in pairs like ravens, dressed like Herr Flick from 'Allo 'Allo.
You have to ask yourself, 'why do people head to the big shopping centres?' It is very simple -- because there is easy parking and everything is in one location.
Local councils need to stop sitting on their backsides whilst 'Rome' burns. Drive through the long main street in Youghal with all of its empty premises, and also in Thurles -- it is frightening.
Over the past couple of years I have been travelling the country meeting the most fantastic sole traders in every line of business from fishmongers to jewellers, artists to artisans, cafe owners to cheesemakers, beauty salons to stained-glass makers. Everywhere I go people tell me how difficult it is to keep the flag flying. There is such a wealth of enterprise and talent in this country and these small businesses, along with tourism and food, are the future for Ireland.
These are what will give us the 'dig out'.
Some of these businesses have been started by people who were made redundant in other areas and their enterprises have to be allowed grow and not be cut down by over-zealous bureaucracy at all levels.
We really need a Boutiques SOS campaign here. We need to Save Our Shops or soon we will all be shuffling around in the same chain-store dresses, eating the same chain-store food, heading for the same labour exchanges.
Supporting business on your local high street is something that customers also must take on board in their own interests. Anne Marie Holland, who has a public house and off-licence on the main street in Bray, Co Wicklow, tells me that Bray does not have as many empty shops as some other towns. They started a Shop Local Campaign two years ago and, in their case, Bray Town Council has been very receptive to suggestions.
The Shop Local traders meet every week and have been promoting events and activities to draw people onto the main street, such as a Farmer's Market -- they have to think of fresh ideas all the time. Anne Marie says that the day people are staying away from the High Street is Saturday -- the biggest shopping day of all.
She points out that people's perception of getting better value in large supermarkets and shopping centres is not always correct. "People are not being realistic on what value is, and on what it means to the community, because if small shops are not around there will be no one to pay for the upkeep of the nice high streets which are funded by our commercial rates."
She also points out that some of the big English chains, and the Irish ones also, are not involved at a local level -- they won't even cough up for Christmas lights. "Ease and cost of parking is crucial -- people do not want to walk any distance -- they want to be able to whirl up and get what they want," she says.
Nuala Woulfe employs 27 people in her Serenity Day Spa and Nuala Woulfe Beauty Salon, spread between two premises in Glasthule Village, Co Dublin.
"I would not want to have to let any of them go because, they have all been fantastically well trained here -- I have great people and I would never get them again," she says.
Nuala points out that "in 2011 rates have been increased by over 50 per cent and, in some cases, have been doubled".
She adds: "Parking is a nightmare. I know there has to be order but if they are going to be so aggressive with their regulations, there should be proper parking provided. I am lucky I have so many loyal clients . . . [But] I can't see what I get for my rates -- I pay for private refuse removal -- nobody sweeps the streets."
Ann Costello, who has a florists in the centre of Dun Laoghaire, says the council "is not business-minded".
"There is demand for the parking from offices in the area so they are getting their money anyway and they don't seem to be concerned about the shoppers and shopping."
Mary Portas has put out an appeal for people to contact her with sugges-tions. We in Ireland also need the input of the ret-ailers themselves, the local authorities, the Government and you the customer.
Originally published in 
Sunday May 22 2011
Just as Mary 'Queen of Shops' Portas has been roped in to help the British government revive the flagging high streets and bring a bustle back to town centres, so too some Bridget Banrion of Boutiques is needed here to put a rocket under local authorities in this country before there are no small shops or businesses left to fund their rates and local charges.
However bad the high-street situation may be in the UK, it is even worse here. In my local area, you only have to see the main street in Dun Laoghaire with its long stretch of empty shops either side of McDonald's and Dunnes Stores. It is not today nor yesterday that the local traders pleaded with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to do something with the parking in the area -- they did! They appointed new traffic wardens, who seem to travel mainly in pairs like ravens, dressed like Herr Flick from 'Allo 'Allo.
You have to ask yourself, 'why do people head to the big shopping centres?' It is very simple -- because there is easy parking and everything is in one location.
Local councils need to stop sitting on their backsides whilst 'Rome' burns. Drive through the long main street in Youghal with all of its empty premises, and also in Thurles -- it is frightening.
Over the past couple of years I have been travelling the country meeting the most fantastic sole traders in every line of business from fishmongers to jewellers, artists to artisans, cafe owners to cheesemakers, beauty salons to stained-glass makers. Everywhere I go people tell me how difficult it is to keep the flag flying. There is such a wealth of enterprise and talent in this country and these small businesses, along with tourism and food, are the future for Ireland.
These are what will give us the 'dig out'.
Some of these businesses have been started by people who were made redundant in other areas and their enterprises have to be allowed grow and not be cut down by over-zealous bureaucracy at all levels.
We really need a Boutiques SOS campaign here. We need to Save Our Shops or soon we will all be shuffling around in the same chain-store dresses, eating the same chain-store food, heading for the same labour exchanges.
Supporting business on your local high street is something that customers also must take on board in their own interests. Anne Marie Holland, who has a public house and off-licence on the main street in Bray, Co Wicklow, tells me that Bray does not have as many empty shops as some other towns. They started a Shop Local Campaign two years ago and, in their case, Bray Town Council has been very receptive to suggestions.
The Shop Local traders meet every week and have been promoting events and activities to draw people onto the main street, such as a Farmer's Market -- they have to think of fresh ideas all the time. Anne Marie says that the day people are staying away from the High Street is Saturday -- the biggest shopping day of all.
She points out that people's perception of getting better value in large supermarkets and shopping centres is not always correct. "People are not being realistic on what value is, and on what it means to the community, because if small shops are not around there will be no one to pay for the upkeep of the nice high streets which are funded by our commercial rates."
She also points out that some of the big English chains, and the Irish ones also, are not involved at a local level -- they won't even cough up for Christmas lights. "Ease and cost of parking is crucial -- people do not want to walk any distance -- they want to be able to whirl up and get what they want," she says.
Nuala Woulfe employs 27 people in her Serenity Day Spa and Nuala Woulfe Beauty Salon, spread between two premises in Glasthule Village, Co Dublin.
"I would not want to have to let any of them go because, they have all been fantastically well trained here -- I have great people and I would never get them again," she says.
Nuala points out that "in 2011 rates have been increased by over 50 per cent and, in some cases, have been doubled".
She adds: "Parking is a nightmare. I know there has to be order but if they are going to be so aggressive with their regulations, there should be proper parking provided. I am lucky I have so many loyal clients . . . [But] I can't see what I get for my rates -- I pay for private refuse removal -- nobody sweeps the streets."
Ann Costello, who has a florists in the centre of Dun Laoghaire, says the council "is not business-minded".
"There is demand for the parking from offices in the area so they are getting their money anyway and they don't seem to be concerned about the shoppers and shopping."
Mary Portas has put out an appeal for people to contact her with sugges-tions. We in Ireland also need the input of the ret-ailers themselves, the local authorities, the Government and you the customer.
Originally published in