Local support for late night coffee shop campaign

ALMOST 100% of people surveyed by the Dundalk late night coffee shop campaign have supported calls for an evening venue to socialise aside from pubs and clubs.

Local man Ross Burlingham, who launched the campaign early in 2016, conducted a survey locally over the last few weeks to assess the level of interest in late night venues that don’t serve alcohol.

‘When asked if Dundalk should have a late night coffee shop, 98% of people said yes,’ Ross told the Argus.

There was a particular interest among young people, he added, with 70% of those who responded to the survey being aged between 19 and 34.

‘Over 95% of people who responded said they would go along to a local coffee shop which stayed open until 11pm or 11.30,’ said Ross.

‘Further results showed that more than 60% of people would go along to a late coffee shop at least one night a week.’

Ross first launched the campaign back in January, with he explained the goal to ‘give people the opportunity to be able to socialise in different ways apart from bars and nightclubs.’

The Mount Avenue native added: ‘In places such as Dubai and Austrailia the coffee shops remain open late at night so why would Ireland be any different than other countries?’

Closer to home, Newry has a late night coffee shop which is doing really well, and in Dublin there is at least one late night coffee shop.’

Ross explained that he first came up with the idea when he heard a radio debate about the lack of late night coffee shops in Dublin. ‘ That’s when it struck me that we don’t actually have any here in Dundalk. So I thought it was time to put the word out and see what might happen.’

Since then a number of local businesses including Eskays, Park Street, Cafe 37, Clanbrassil Street and Coffee Time in Park Street have supported the campaign.