Is Ennis turning into a ghost town?

Palmach

MrsD007 wrote: »

I agree with the previous poster, the council are not helping business owners by increasing parking charges.

There is a Road train in Kilkee. I am surprised no one has tried such a thing in b8gger towns to help people get around. Brightens the place up and helps those less mobile. Pedestrianize the place and keep cars out. It is sad how car dependent irish people have become.

onthebrink

As our county town it is sad to see premises vacant on the main streets, the council should make the owners keep these buildings in good repair whether they are let or not, just look at that building in the market that was "Bowsy Caseys", it is a total eyesore. Parnell st is slowly closing down despite the best efforts of the business people there. Kielys vacant building is not helping things or that scaffording thats been there for months, with a bit of effort Parnell St could be lovely, with a cafe or restaurant and outdoor seating a nice atmosphere could be created.

Lady Chatterton

A "Clare Champion" report this week, confirms that 70 shop units are lying idle in Ennis town;

http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5147:70-vacant-shop-units-in-ennis-&catid=74:general&Itemid=60

maiden

There is a meeting being held in Ennis this week, about saving jobs in Ennis town::

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002071203987&sk=wall

ennisforum

Hi Guys

A few of us business people in the town have got together to arrange a meeting with all the candidates going forward for election this wednesday evening in Templegate at 6.15pm.

Ennis is closing down because the rates and rents are far too high for business people to sustain.

We had a protest two and half years ago over rates and high parking charges etc in Ennis with the Ennis town Council. Over 200 people attended but as you can see with the way our streets have gone we didn't get very far.

The only way we can see out of this is to go national and put Ennis and Clare on the map that we are no longer going to put up with this.

New rate calculations are now in and rates are up in Dublin between 40% and 80%..These new rates calculations will close every small business in the country.

We need to stand up and be counted...
We need people in the next goverment to fight for us the people of Clare.
Please get your friends to follow us on facebook and we'll see what we can do for the businesses in Ennis and Clare.............

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=100002071203987

Please tell everyone about our meeting and lets save our Town

ennisforum

Attached is poster for the meeting

CptSternn

I must dig up the article from the Irish Times they posted a few weeks ago. It was about how dozens of businesses in Dublin were closing because of rent and rates.

The problem is the same there, they just had a bit more detail on some things many people might not have realised.

For example, we all know the council(s) are charging the same rates they did during the boom. In fact, they have raised rates and are now even charging more in many areas, which is insane consdiering sales across the board are down 30% on average, and even more in some areas/industries.

Then the rent issue. Many landlords can't lower rent as they are still paying on the loans the used to buy the property and lower rent devalues the property and thereby the banks investment, so they are locked into an upwards only rent scheme.

Then you have the third issue - some landlords that outright own the property are lowering their rent, but only for new tenants. This screws existing businesses as the new businesses are getting in at lower rent and thereby lower rates. This means they can immediately sell products/services for about 20% less than their competitors because of this advantage and adds further problems to existing businesses.

We are seeing the same thing happen here.

I would be interesting if someone were to post what links the council has to various businesses in town. It's a lot easier to see the motivation of many individuals if you can see where their money is at sure.

Balagan

ennisforum wrote: »

Hi Guys

A few of us business people in the town have got together to arrange a meeting with all the candidates going forward for election this wednesday evening in Templegate at 6.15pm.

Ennis is closing down because the rates and rents are far too high for business people to sustain.

We had a protest two and half years ago over rates and high parking charges etc in Ennis with the Ennis town Council. Over 200 people attended but as you can see with the way our streets have gone we didn't get very far.

The only way we can see out of this is to go national and put Ennis and Clare on the map that we are no longer going to put up with this.

New rate calculations are now in and rates are up in Dublin between 40% and 80%..These new rates calculations will close every small business in the country.

We need to stand up and be counted...
We need people in the next goverment to fight for us the people of Clare.
Please get your friends to follow us on facebook and we'll see what we can do for the businesses in Ennis and Clare.............

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=100002071203987

Please tell everyone about our meeting and lets save our Town

Congrats on organizing this. I hope you have someone capable and not beholden to anyone and with excellent chairing skills for the event.

Claregirl

Sad to see Little Silvermines has closing down signs up:(

dixiefly

Claregirl wrote: »

Sad to see Little Silvermines has closing down signs up:(

I am very saddened but not shocked to hear of the shops closing in Ennis. We have visited the town many times & lovd rambling around the town's streets and the little shops. Much preferable imo than big shopping centers. We were last in Ennis late summer 2009 and I remember wondering would some of the smaller shops survive the recession as I was acquainted of similar shops in other towns closing.

Fair play to ye in trying to stop the rot. BTW, was Little Silvermines a jewelers?

Claregirl

Lovely little jewelery shop used to send the other half in for Christmas and Birthdays.

Le_Dieux

dixiefly wrote: »

I am very saddened but not shocked to hear of the shops closing in Ennis. We have visited the town many times & lovd rambling around the town's streets and the little shops. Much preferable imo than big shopping centers. We were last in Ennis late summer 2009 and I remember wondering would some of the smaller shops survive the recession as I was acquainted of similar shops in other towns closing.

Fair play to ye in trying to stop the rot. BTW, was Little Silvermines a jewelers?

Hi

Forgive me for butting in here: I am from 'up country', my Wife is from overseas, and we have up to 4 different groups of relatives visit us every year. We kind of have a ritual tourist trail & this includes Your beautiful county. We always used to go to the Cliff, Kilbaha, Bunratty Castle, and always stopped off in Ennis. NO MORE...SADLY! We stopped going to the COM due to their rip-off prices, and now it's disturbing following this thread. We always loved strolling down the narrow streets in Ennis, but now it seems there is no point any more.

Please believe me, Ennis is not on it's own. There is a town near me, and it had a Superquinn smack bang in the middle of the town. That supermarket shut down 2 weeks ago, and the centre of the town is DEAD.

I don't think councillors will be happy until they have nobody left to rip off.

This once beautiful country is being totally destroyed by a greedy few, and soon the tourists that we NEED DESPERATLY, will be totally turned off by the lack of life in towns all over the country.

REALLY SAD!!!

Hawk Wing 2

Le_Dieux wrote: »

Hi

Forgive me for butting in here: I am from 'up country', my Wife is from overseas, and we have up to 4 different groups of relatives visit us every year. We kind of have a ritual tourist trail & this includes Your beautiful county. We always used to go to the Cliff, Kilbaha, Bunratty Castle, and always stopped off in Ennis. NO MORE...SADLY! We stopped going to the COM due to their rip-off prices, and now it's disturbing following this thread. We always loved strolling down the narrow streets in Ennis, but now it seems there is no point any more.

Please believe me, Ennis is not on it's own. There is a town near me, and it had a Superquinn smack bang in the middle of the town. That supermarket shut down 2 weeks ago, and the centre of the town is DEAD.

I don't think councillors will be happy until they have nobody left to rip off.

This once beautiful country is being totally destroyed by a greedy few, and soon the tourists that we NEED DESPERATLY, will be totally turned off by the lack of life in towns all over the country.

REALLY SAD!!!

Charlie Bird's programme last night reflected the same issue all over the country in towns similar to Ennis like Drogheda etc, since the the huge development contributions from developers have tried up, all these urban and town councils are now screwed for money, however the course of action they are now following in totally counter productive

Palmach

Claregirl wrote: »

Sad to see Little Silvermines has closing down signs up:(

I was told, by an Ennis businessman, that the landlord wouldn't reduce the rent. Same rent since 2006.

maiden

Thats disgraceful! I think Tony's Fashions closed for the same reason.

Palmach

maiden wrote: »

Thats disgraceful! I think Tony's Fashions closed for the same reason.

Yet no mention was made of rates last night during the leaders debate. Only Gormley mentioned it to his credit.

Lady Chatterton

maiden wrote: »

Thats disgraceful! I think Tony's Fashions closed for the same reason.

Tony Molloy (Tonie's Fashions) was interviewed by Clare FM prior to his store closing. It is well worth a listen.

http://www.clare.fm/music/MorningFocus

dixiefly

Le_Dieux wrote: »

Hi

Forgive me for butting in here: I am from 'up country', my Wife is from overseas, and we have up to 4 different groups of relatives visit us every year. We kind of have a ritual tourist trail & this includes Your beautiful county. We always used to go to the Cliff, Kilbaha, Bunratty Castle, and always stopped off in Ennis. NO MORE...SADLY! We stopped going to the COM due to their rip-off prices, and now it's disturbing following this thread. We always loved strolling down the narrow streets in Ennis, but now it seems there is no point any more.

Please believe me, Ennis is not on it's own. There is a town near me, and it had a Superquinn smack bang in the middle of the town. That supermarket shut down 2 weeks ago, and the centre of the town is DEAD.

I don't think councillors will be happy until they have nobody left to rip off.

This once beautiful country is being totally destroyed by a greedy few, and soon the tourists that we NEED DESPERATLY, will be totally turned off by the lack of life in towns all over the country.

REALLY SAD!!!

Where / what is the COM?

Lady Chatterton

COM = Cliffs of Moher

dh0661

MrsD007 wrote: »

Tony Molloy (Tonie's Fashions) was interviewed by Clare FM prior to his store closing. It is well worth a listen.

http://www.clare.fm/music/MorningFocus

Thanks for that MrsD - indeed it was well worth listening to.

IMO these shops are going to be under greater pressure as this recession progresses.

People are now travelling out of town to charity shops to buy new clothes of one sort or other.

steph1

Very saddened to hear this about Ennis I lived there for a few years and loved the town and still visit each year. I live in Ballina Co Mayo now and believe me it is the same scenario here. Buinesses are closing and an awful lot of people on the dole and business people complaining about rates and rents etc. Plus the bad weather over the Christmas and New Year period did nothing to help either.
Parking in towns seems to be a big issue. Here in Ballina you can park for a minimum charge of 30 cent which is great if you are just running into one particular shop. In another town in Mayo the main tesco carpark is free and you should see that most days of the week its full.
I hope the meeting goes well and hopefully will get to visit again this summer.

maiden

I see Scarlett Bridal shop is closed,<snip>

dasium

maiden wrote: »

I see Scarlett Bridal shop is closed,<snip>

Any reason to believe 'Scarlett's' closing is linked to its high profile libel case?

Lady Chatterton

dasium wrote: »

Any reason to believe 'Scarlett's' closing is linked to its high profile libel case?

Utter rubbish. That action was dimissed by Judge Frank O'Donnell. In actual fact Scarlett were found to have acted very reasonably in that case.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-happy-ever-after-for-bride-whose-designer-dress-didnt-fit-2428495.html

I reckon that the reason why they closed is due to the fact that a lot of brides are buying on line, in the North or in New York. I have heard of some brides who try on a dress in a bridal boutique and if they were happy with it, they order it on line.

CptSternn

MrsD007 wrote: »

I have heard of some brides who try on a dress in a bridal boutique and if they were happy with it, they order it on line.

Thats what my family does with pretty much everything.

Find an electronic product you like in town? Go online and buy it half the price, even with shipping. Find a nice coat or pair of jeans? Try them on in the shop and then buy em online.

For everything we buy these days that cost more than €50 we get it online.

Xbox controllers, xbox recharge kit, HDMI cables, DVR, speakers, car stereo, boots, winter coat, jeans, kettle, camera, memory cards, auto parts, and those are just the last few things I can think of I recently picked up online.

I like supporting local businesses, but I'm not paying treble the going price of anything. In this economy one needs to use what little dosh one has to support their own family!

Lady Chatterton

CptSternn wrote: »

Thats what my family does with pretty much everything.

Find an electronic product you like in town? Go online and buy it half the price, even with shipping. Find a nice coat or pair of jeans? Try them on in the shop and then buy em online.

For everything we buy these days that cost more than €50 we get it online.

Xbox controllers, xbox recharge kit, HDMI cables, DVR, speakers, car stereo, boots, winter coat, jeans, kettle, camera, memory cards, auto parts, and those are just the last few things I can think of I recently picked up online.

I like supporting local businesses, but I'm not paying treble the going price of anything. In this economy one needs to use what little dosh one has to support their own family!

I understand where you are coming from but unfortunately, I personally couldn't in good conscience go in to a small retail store and ask for advice from a retail assistant knowing that I had no intention of purchasing from them. I think that things are hard enough for people working in retail at present.

Having said that I do purchase a lot of goods online, books, dvds, cds, make-up etc. The one major advantange I find about online shopping (for me anyway) is I only tend to buy what I actually need, where as if I go shopping on the high street I end up coming home with loads more than I need.

If you get a chance you should listen to the Tonie's Fashions podcast on the Clare FM website, it is heartbreaking stuff.

http://www.clare.fm/music/MorningFocus

BeeDI

CptSternn wrote: »

Thats what my family does with pretty much everything.

Find an electronic product you like in town? Go online and buy it half the price, even with shipping. Find a nice coat or pair of jeans? Try them on in the shop and then buy em online.

For everything we buy these days that cost more than €50 we get it online.

Xbox controllers, xbox recharge kit, HDMI cables, DVR, speakers, car stereo, boots, winter coat, jeans, kettle, camera, memory cards, auto parts, and those are just the last few things I can think of I recently picked up online.

I like supporting local businesses, but I'm not paying treble the going price of anything. In this economy one needs to use what little dosh one has to support their own family!

No problem with buying online. I do it a bit. But to be fair, to walk into a high street shop, specifically to try on clothes for fit, with absolutely no intention of buying, and toddling off home to buy on line, is really, really taking the piss. Mean spirited in the extreme.

dh0661

CptSternn wrote: »

Thats what my family does with pretty much everything.

Find an electronic product you like in town? Go online and buy it half the price, even with shipping. Find a nice coat or pair of jeans? Try them on in the shop and then buy em online.

If we all followed that logic, all the retail places are going to close up shop and go online.

Where are you going to check out your intended purchase then.

poppyvally

Topaz, opposite St. Flannan's closed
OTT clothing, O'Connel St...Closing down.
Lots of charity shops opening up. Theres my latest findings on this subject

Clareboy

I am very saddened to see our county capital becoming like a ghost town with all the closed down shops and business. Many parts of Ennis are now showing the early stages of dereliction and urban decay. I feel that the root cause of many of our problems in this country is that we have become too car orientated as a society. Its all about finding parking and not having to walk even a few metres. Going forward, the centre of Ennis should be pedestrianised, as it would encourage cafes to provide outdoor seating and would also provide more space for buskers and street entertainers. Ennis also needs a town bus service, which would enable people living in the suburbs to leave the car at home.