Athlone thread

veryangryman

rn wrote: »

This time planning application was westmeath coco.

What a roaring success the save roscommon campaign has been...

yabadabado

godtabh wrote: »

Any one have any info about the SHD planning application behind SuperValu

Between the back of The Bounty and SuperValu I was told.
The traffic is bad around there at the best of times ,400+ houses could cause havoc.

yabadabado

veryangryman wrote: »

What a roaring success the save roscommon campaign has been...

Care to elaborate?

Plumbthedepths

yabadabado wrote: »

Care to elaborate?

Loss of rates to Ros CoCo prehaps?

dePeatrick

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

No just one retailer, I could name at least 10 separate businesses that objected including a business owner who only operates on the east side of the town and has no interest in setting up in the area.

How shortsighted are these people?

Claw Hammer

dePeatrick wrote: »

How shortsighted are these people?

About as far as their till.

veryangryman

yabadabado wrote: »

Care to elaborate?

2 things stand out sofar.

1) The recent addition of the Athlone area to the rent-pressure zone list only applies to the Westmeath side, eliminating the possibility of this in Monksland

2) The planning application failure for a new retail park with a discount retailer opposite River Village IIRC couldn't get over the line in Roscommon. As has since been shown, it could be done on the Westmeath side. It is no coincidence for me that this is a gee-hair over the county line.

The demand is clearly there in Monksland for expansion, but remaining officially in wild-west country is stagnating it.

And yes Roscommon coco did good work expanding it around 2000-2003. Its been nearly 20 years though. Can't ride the crest of that wave forever.

boredatwork82

Stories from over the weekend of a good few publicans openly flouting the time limits in the pubs around Athlone.

Looks like we will have a second wave soon enough and be in a big old lockdown all over again. The short sightedness of businesses is staggering. A further lockdown could be devastating for the economy.

yabadabado

boredatwork82 wrote: »

Stories from over the weekend of a good few publicans openly flouting the time limits in the pubs around Athlone.

Looks like we will have a second wave soon enough and be in a big old lockdown all over again. The short sightedness of businesses is staggering. A further lockdown could be devastating for the economy.

I dont see what difference the time limit makes to a pub if the social distancing and cleaning rules are adhered to .
The substantial food rule is similar it doesn't do anything ,what anti viral properties does food have.

If a second wave comes(it will) it won't be over the 105 + minutes in a pub.

boredatwork82

yabadabado wrote: »

I dont see what difference the time limit makes to a pub if the social distancing and cleaning rules are adhered to .
The substantial food rule is similar it doesn't do anything ,what anti viral properties does food have.

If a second wave comes(it will) it won't be over the 105 + minutes in a pub.

In my opinion there is no way people drinking in a pub for 6 hours will adhere to social distancing. That I believe is why I think the time limit needs to be adhered too.

yabadabado

boredatwork82 wrote: »

In my opinion there is no way people drinking in a pub for 6 hours will adhere to social distancing. That I believe is why I think the time limit needs to be adhered too.

They were probably better off keeping places closed than issuing the 105 min rule.There is very little that can be done if someone isn't following the guide lines.

boredatwork82

yabadabado wrote: »

They were probably better off keeping places closed than issuing the 105 min rule.There is very little that can be done if someone isn't following the guide lines.

I agree. The rules are nonsense. We should either just get on with our lives no restrictions or continue the lockdown. I put in a tough 3 months of lockdown and it will all be for nothing.
Unfortunately the majority of pubs will not follow or enforce the restrictions. And as such they should not be allowed to re open.

But either way pubs not following the guidelines and allowing groups of people to drink for 6 hours is reckless, irresponsible and putting the whole economy and people's lives at risk.

If the pubs can't implement it, they shouldn't open.

dePeatrick

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

I've heard that The Shack, Gerties, Dead Centre, Murphy's Law and Gertie's are all open.

I can understand a lot of people not wanting to chance the pubs yet, but some are obviously dying to get out for a jar and a bite to eat for the first time in 4 months and more power to them, as long as they and the proprietors don't take the piss.

Having said all that, I actually wish they had waited another 3 or 4 weeks to open up. There are still too many cases floating around the community for this not to cause some sort of a spike, in my opinion. Hope I'm wrong!

Just passed by the Shack earlier and it was closed. Didn't take note of any of the rest, this annoying habit of keeping my eyes on the road

dePeatrick

Claw Hammer wrote: »

About as far as their till.

Aye, ''tis a greasy till they fumble in.

Ruben Remus

The Shack is open - it reopened last week:

"The Shack in Athlone reopened on Monday but it will be "more of a restaurant than a pub" for the next three weeks, according to proprietor Mark Claffey. The premises on the Dublin Road is open from 12-9pm each day but customers have to abide by the Government's guidelines on ordering a meal and staying for no longer than 105 minutes."

From:
https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2020/07/02/it-was-great-to-reopen-and-see-people-we-hadnt-seen-in-a-long-time/

L.Jenkins

Does anyone have any real interest in going to a pub or restaurant at this stage? Granted, I wouldn't mind going away for a weekend or getting out for a night, but I couldn't care either.

Saint_Mel

L.Jenkins wrote: »

Does anyone have any real interest in going to a pub or restaurant at this stage? Granted, I wouldn't mind going away for a weekend or getting out for a night, but I couldn't care either.

Went out with the Mrs last week for food and a few drinks and it was great to get out ... having said that though, if I just wanted a few pints with the lads, or just a quite pint, I wouldn't be @rsed booking a table and getting food.

Between group chats and the odd zoom call I've probably talked more to groups of friends since lockdown than before it, so even if we did get to the pub we'd have nothing left to talk about

Plumbthedepths

L.Jenkins wrote: »

Does anyone have any real interest in going to a pub or restaurant at this stage? Granted, I wouldn't mind going away for a weekend or getting out for a night, but I couldn't care either.

Yes I'm looking forward to having a pint and going for a meal. I've been lucky enough to work throughout this crisis so very little time to dwell on it. I now look forward to normal stuff again. Booked a restaurant in town for Saturday night my favourite place Dei Bella. Also I think it's important to support business even pubs and restaurants, they employ people too.

yabadabado

L.Jenkins wrote: »

Does anyone have any real interest in going to a pub or restaurant at this stage? Granted, I wouldn't mind going away for a weekend or getting out for a night, but I couldn't care either.

I've been out a few times since pubs/restaurants opened.
A meal and a few drinks is great and a nice change after 3 months of lock down.

Hopefully in another few weeks,pubs will be open and the booking/ordering of food is gone and can just tip to the local for a few pints.

dePeatrick

Anyone notice people feeding feral pigeons in Burgess Park recently, I have noticed this year that there is at least two people feeding them. There must be about 200 birds now and if this feeding continues there will be ten times that amount.

This has become a problem in many towns and cities around the country. Pigeons carry a lot of disease and their droppings can be toxic, feeding especially in summertime leads to over breeding and their numbers rapidly multiply because of this.

As an aside their droppings are acidic so if you have a nice car...it will damage your paintwork.

It appears there is a law against it, creating a public nuisance, and people being brought to court about it. I don't want to go that route but have talked with one person who does it to no avail, I will try again.

I'm curious as to whether any other locals have views on this subject.

A 12 bore is the solution!

dePeatrick

Deleted User wrote: »

A 12 bore is the solution!

For the birds or the people feeding them...asking for a friend

TomOnBoard

dePeatrick wrote: »

Anyone notice people feeding feral pigeons in Burgess Park recently, I have noticed this year that there is at least two people feeding them. There must be about 200 birds now and if this feeding continues there will be ten times that amount.

This has become a problem in many towns and cities around the country. Pigeons carry a lot of disease and their droppings can be toxic, feeding especially in summertime leads to over breeding and their numbers rapidly multiply because of this.

As an aside their droppings are acidic so if you have a nice car...it will damage your paintwork.

It appears there is a law against it, creating a public nuisance, and people being brought to court about it. I don't want to go that route but have talked with one person who does it to no avail, I will try again.

I'm curious as to whether any other locals have views on this subject.

Write to the Council/Local Authority and have them erect signage to prohibit feeding under whatever laws apply.

Then, if the feeding continues, it becomes an enforcement issue. Generally, individuals take more notice of regulations when they're enforceable by the local Council, rather than by some bloke who approached them in a park.

dePeatrick

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Write to the Council/Local Authority and have them erect signage to prohibit feeding under whatever laws apply.

Then, if the feeding continues, it becomes an enforcement issue. Generally, individuals take more notice of regulations when they're enforceable by the local Council, rather than by some bloke who approached them in a park.

Yeah, that's good advice, not some random person though, I know them but telling them the facts about how bad feeding birds is fell on deaf ears. I'll try one more time and then take it up with the council.

You're absolutely correct, I've read on the other thread about this problem how when there is signage put up there are people being prosecuted under a public nuisance act IIRC

Ceirseach

Did anyone hear Mary O’Rourke on Brendan O’Connor radio show this morning saying that her brother Brian Lenihan played soccer for Ireland?
I was only half listening and missed the context.
This is news to me and I can’t find anything online to say when or how often.

yabadabado

Ceirseach wrote: »

Did anyone hear Mary O’Rourke on Brendan O’Connor radio show this morning saying that her brother Brian Lenihan played soccer for Ireland?
I was only half listening and missed the context.
This is news to me and I can’t find anything online to say when or how often.

Is she so far gone she thinks Brian Lenihan ex Cork City and Hull player was her brother.

Claw Hammer

Ceirseach wrote: »

Did anyone hear Mary O’Rourke on Brendan O’Connor radio show this morning saying that her brother Brian Lenihan played soccer for Ireland?
I was only half listening and missed the context.
This is news to me and I can’t find anything online to say when or how often.

Brian Lenihan was quite a good soccer player until he became a fat drunkard.

The Little Book of Westmeath, by Ruth Illingworth, mentions that he played soccer at UCD and played for the amateur Republic of Ireland soccer team

veryangryman

Councils to apply for cycling funding

Is there much scope in Athlone to add more cycle lanes .

Alot of narrow roads inside the central area. Maybe some short stretches along Dublin road. Awkward though

roosterman71

veryangryman wrote: »

Councils to apply for cycling funding

Is there much scope in Athlone to add more cycle lanes .

Alot of narrow roads inside the central area. Maybe some short stretches along Dublin road. Awkward though

Most likely be a white line painted on the road and a stickman drawing of a lad on a bike. And we'll be told of all the cycle lanes in town and everyone will be delighted, except the cyclist who will still be on the road with cars!

horseofstone

I've a question, If you park in an Athlone town council area that has a parking metre which you didn't notice and hence didn't pay for parking does the traffic warden put the parking ticket on your windscreen or do they instead post it to your home address?