AT least two shops and a pub on the Main Street in Letterkenny are due to come on the market soon as businesses struggle in the area, it was claimed this week.
Councillor Victor Fisher, a long standing businessman in the town, made the claim at Monday night's meeting of the Town Council where members discussed the imbalance between the 'new town centre' on the Neil T Blaney-Paddy Harte Road and the traditional town centre.
Cllr Fisher claimed that businesses on the Main Street were struggling.
"I know two shops and a pub that will go on the market soon. I am not saying this to scare people," he said.
He added that should the Courthouse move from its current location it would further hit business in the traditional town centre.
Agreeing, Cllr Jim Lynch put forward a motion calling for a meeting between town councillors, planners and Letterkenny Chamber to address the imbalance.
He stressed that this was an issue that he felt very strongly about as retail units moved from the Main Street to other locations.
Cllr Dessie Larkin said while he fully accepted Cllr Fisher, was at the 'coal face' it was the members of the council who had approved the development of the area along the Blaney and Harte roads. He said were it not for the development of this area businesses in the town would have suffered as major developments would have gone to other towns.
Major retail units such as TK Maxx and Home Base could never have located on the Main Street.
"Where else would you put them?" However, he did not understand why Mark and Spencer had to move down to the new town centre stating that the store could have built on Letterkenny Main Street due to the size of the unit.
Cllr Neil Clarke stated that the issue should be discussed with developers in an effort to revitalise the Main Street.
Cllr Lynch said that the there was certainly an imbalance in the town but that the motion he had put forward had resulted in some good ideas being put forward.
He hoped that all relevant agencies should sit around the table and discuss the motion and that the subject could be further considered when the review of the Town Development Plan took place.
