This article is from page 10 of the 2014-03-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
A RECENT spate of business closures in Ennis re-enforces the importance of customers shopping locally.
That’s according to one local businessman who said many small businesses in the town are “struggling to stay open”.
Gearoid Mannion, Chairman of the O’Connell Street Trader’s Association, said the closure of as many as a dozen small businesses in Ennis in recent weeks is “disappointing”.
“Even though there is this talk of green shoots and of an economy being in recovery, it shows that those green shoots don’t extend as far as small businesses who have been living on the edge for the past four years now.
“A lot of the talk about recovery is premature and based on optimism. The reality is a lot different. The reality is a lot of businesses are struggling to survive… We’re certainly not out of the woods yet.”
Mr Mannion said a lot of businesses are being left with no option but to pull down the shutters.
“It got to a point where a lot of people are putting their own personal money into the business just to keep going. That was never going to be sustainable long term and there comes a point where people just have to call a halt. There are a lot of businesses struggling to stay open, to meet their responsibilities and pay their staff,” he explained.
The well-known Leavy’s shoe shop on O’Connell Street is probably the most high profile casualty of the slump in retail activity.
Businesses on Abbey Street are equally concerned about the future with as many as nine vacant units on the street.
Mr Mannion said the spate of closures around the town empahsises the need for customers to support local businesses.
“If anything it just goes to show how important it is to shop local. The level of disposable income available to people to way down and people are certainly a lot more cautious about how they spend money. But what I would say is if you’re going to buy a jacket, or a pair of shows or whatever, shop locally and give the Galways and Limericks a miss,” he added.
Another local businessman Tony Mulqueen believes Ennis Town Council should focus on revitalising Parnell Street in order to breathe new life in the town centre.
“I know they are talking about this new covered market but I think they should put a roof on Parnell Street. It’s ideally suited to it. It could be easily done,” he said.
The Fine Gael councillor estimates that business at his own garden centre is down 80 per cent. “Things are very bad out there,” he added.