BYAMYROSE HARTE
NOT enough is being done to attract more shoppers to Letterkenny's Main Street, according to local businesspeople.
A number of traders issued fresh appeals to the Letterkenny Chamber and Town Council this week, claiming that the authorities need to introduce more incentives in order to make it a more attractive shopping district.
Conal Kelly, proprietor of CK Locksmiths, told the Donegal News that the Main Street would become a "ghost town" in two years time unless a concerted effort is made to attract more retail business to the area.
"The shops are being attracted from the main street down to the new retail parks and it's killing the main street. Look at the last two years, any of the new developments are nearly all offices and financial services. I've only seen one or two new retail units. If the council and the chamber don't sit down together and look and see where the street is going to be in two years time, it'll be a ghost town."
Hairdresser Patrick Gildea, whose flagship salon has been on the main street for over 20 years, said the biggest problem was the lack of public awareness around car parks near the main street.
"Car parks around the street aren't being profiled and highlighted enough, and there's more than adequate car parking spaces in these places. Another thing that should be considered is the installation of electric signs at all the main arteries in the town, which would inform motorists where the car parks are, how many spaces are available in each, thus making people feel comfortable coming into the town. Rather than creating this image that there's not enough spaces for people, it would make Letterkenny far more enticing for people and make it more friendly."
Mr Gildea also suggested the council consider a 'two-hour parking scheme' to replace the current one-hour system on the main street.
"They should increase the fee a little and extend the time, this way the council still get their revenue and people can stay around a bit longer.
"One hour just isn't enough for people who might want a bit of lunch, and pop into a few shops on their way back to the car. There's possibly even a situation if somebody is using the main street nearly everyday of the week, say an old woman going into a chemist, those sort of people should be able to buy a weekly parking pass."
A new Town Development Committee has been set up by the Letterkenny Chamber and Toni Forrester, the Chamber's new CEO, said traffic management and car parking are on the committee's agenda for the year ahead.
"We are gathering information and taking soundings from members and others on parking issues in the town, but we haven't come up with any hard fast policies or statements yet. But we are talking about traffic as an issue, and in that, car parking is always going to be an issue," Ms Forrester said.
While she refused to be drawn specifically on the main street issue, Ms Forrester said she wasn't aware of any "major concerns".
"A lot of people I've spoken to say the main street is very vibrant and haven't got many major concerns. Everybody has got the aim of making Letterkenny an attractive place to shop, work and be in, and it's obvious we want it to be a vibrant commercial area. Trade was up at Christmas in Letterkenny so we're doing very well. I think you can only build on that."
