This article is from page 7 of the 2011-02-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
PROLONGED roadworks on both entrances to Gort are hampering businesses and may cause a number of premises to close in the months ahead. That is the opinion of prominent Gort businessman who claims that the town’s businesses have suffered a triple blow in recent months.
According to Mr Finn, the combination of the town being by-passed, the on-going roadworks and the bad weather over the Christmas period has made life almost impossible for the business community in Gort.
Mr Finn, who is currently trying to sell his furniture business which was heavily damaged in the 2009 flooding, says he can’t see a future for many businesses in the town if the situation is allowed to continue much longer.
“People have stopped coming into the town, the roadworks are having a devastating effect on businesses in the town.
“This has been going on since November and the information I have is that it is not going to be finished until April or May, a lot of the businesses won’t last that long,” he told The Clare People yesterday.
“The business community up here are very frustrated with the situation. We know that the job has to be done but the timing of the works and the speed at which it is being completed is an issue.
“The town of Gort has been hammered over the last few months. First we had the bypass, the the roadworks and then the bad weather conditions, which delayed the road works and made it nearly impossible for anyone to access the town over Christmas. It has been a real double whammy for the town.”