Council move coffee dock out of Listowel’s Square
THE plight of a coffee business that was moved out of the Square in Listowel by the Council last week is leading to calls for a new legal basis for casual trading operations – within reasonable limits – in the large civic space.
Kettle & Cup barista coffee dock enjoyed a thriving business over six days in the Square as COVID restrictions eased last week.
Owner Allison O’Neill believed she had been given the go-ahead from the Council to operate, but an official from the local authority informed her she would have to move off as her business was not permitted due to it operating from a unit with ‘wheels’.
Kerry County Council told The Kerryman this week that the unit was operating on a ‘daily basis without a permit from Kerry County Council on a pedestrian area and from a motorised vehicle’.
A spokesperson said that people could apply to trade casually – outside of the Friday morning Farmers’ Market which is currently being reconfigured – in designated casual trading areas in the town.
However, both Ms O’Neill and Chairperson of the Listowel Municipal Authority Jimmy Moloney told The Kerryman this week the designated casual trading areas are not suitable for any business.
Cllr Moloney is now calling on the Council to revisit the legal basis for casual trade in Listowel with a view to allowing Kettle & Cup, and others like it, operate from the Square – provided rates payers’ business would not be impacted. He said Kettle & Cup added no end to the fine-weather atmosphere of the Squre as restrictions eased last week.
Ms O’Neill told The Kerryman that she felt she even had the support of local cafés and restaurants while trading in the Square. Kettle & Cup was started in May 2018, with the business seeking a permit to trade casually immediately.
“We were told by the Council that there ‘wasn’t a hope’ of us getting a permit, that the casual trading area was in the free carpark by the Council offices in Listowel and that the only place we could legally trade outside of this was as part of the Farmers’ Market,” Ms O’Neill told The Kerryman.
Though designated a casual trading area, few if any have ever operated from the Council carpark at the rear of Charles St. Nevertheless, Kettle & Cup set up shop there as directed by the Council but, after selling just one coffee over the course of an entire day, felt it was a waste of time.
Kettle & Cup joined the Farmers’ Market in June 2018, operating there until December last. Like so many, Ms O’Neill lost her job in the pandemic, when she hit upon opening in the Square as restrictions eased. “On Thursday we received a phone call (from a Council official) saying that ‘wheels’ would no longer be allowed in the Square, citing an old bylaw. We finished trading at 2pm and at 4pm the bollards that were previously removed to allow us to drive in, were secured.”
“Surely a good business idea should be given every chance to succeed? Regardless of whether they are a brick and mortar building or a converted horsebox. We are completely willing to work with those people in power and pay a fair price for a permit. We are heartbroken that we can no longer trade in the Square,” she added.
Cllr Moloney said he feels it would be of ‘ big benefit’ to allow some outlets that would enhance the Square to trade there, and has called for the legal structures governing casual trade in Listowel to be revised duly:
“Ideally I think it would be of big benefit to the Square to allow them in, Kettle and Cup being a case in point. It was a nice addition and gave people a bit of normality. We proved with Revival that the Square can be used as much more than a carpark and I think we should look for a revised legal basis to allow certain operations, while recognising the concerns and welfare of the rate payers of the town.”