Cheap day trips could cost local jobs

January 1982

There are fears that jobs could be lost in Wexford this month because of cheap pre- Christmas day trips from Rosslare to Wales.

The trips took hundreds of Wexford people out of the town on shopping sprees and had a significant effect on certain areas of business locally, according to Mr Arthur Kelly, chairman of the traders’ sub-committee of the Chamber of Commerce.

The trips to Fishguard were priced at just £11 per adult, and this included a voucher entitling the holder to a one-litre bottle of spirits in the duty-free shop on board. This was an offer not to be missed, as the price of a one-litre bottle in local off-licences is generally in the region of £11 anyway.

Mr Kelly confirmed that off-licences were worst hit by the day trips, and said toy shops were badly affected too, as people could buy toys at significantly cheaper prices in Fishguard.

‘If you estimate that 400 people travelled from Wexford and spent £100 each, then that’s £40,000 lost to the local economy,’ he pointed out.

‘But you can’t blame people for trying to save money,’ Mr Kelly added. ‘Although people may not have realised that in some cases they weren’t really saving, especially with the Sterling difference.’

A number of people also travelled in the opposite direction, coming from Wales to Wexford to shop, and oddly enough, their main item of interest was jewellery. ‘Some people also came over here, so in a way, it’s a case of you win some, you lose some,’ Mr Kelly said.

Overall though, he said most retailers were ‘ happy enough’ with their Christmas trade for the festive season just gone by.