Less traffic, accessible schools among reasons workers moved to the north west

ACCESS to schools, being closer to family and friends and less traffic. These are the three top determining factors for people who have relocated to the North West, according to a survey released recently.

And almost half (44pc) of those surveyed said they now travel to work in 10 minutes or less – a commute time that is unimaginable for most working professionals.

The North West Relocation Survey, entitled ‘Why I chose the North West’was carried out by National Recruitment & HR Services Group Collins McNicholas.

It might surprise some, that respondents in many cases actually moved to the North West region to advance their career while at the same time benefitting from a new and improved work-life balance that counties like Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal can offer. In fact, 76% of respondents moved into a similar or more senior role than the one they held before moving, which shows the opportunities that exist in the North West.

They now also enjoy a significantly lower cost of living and a high increase in disposable income. More than three-quarters of those who responded said their disposable income had increased since moving to the North West.

Four out of five (82pc) of those who responded hold an honours degree or above which shows the North West is attracting highly-qualified professionals.

One-third of respondents had moved to the North West from overseas of which 10pc were from the UK. Just under one-third moved from Dublin and just over one-third from locations across the rest of Ireland.

RIGHT: The N4 in Sligo.

Eithne, Luke and Jake Cromey of Eithne’s Fitness Studio.

ONE of Sligo’s great strengths is it’s long and continued history of family-run businesses.

They are not as frequent as they were just a couple of decades ago, but it is a testament to the quality offered by those businesses still trading and the high esteem in which the Sligo public holds them.

The word “family” in business can surprisingly have different meanings depending on who you ask. Peter Wynne of For Pete’s Steak butchers in Collooney is a second-generation businessman who applied everything he learned from his father to the successful running of his own business.

Peter said: “This is the continuation of a family trade. My father Noel started his own business, Wynne Meats, in Tubbercurry in 1978. I started working with him there in 2004 up until 2015 when I opened my own shop in Collooney. “I learned a lot from my father and there is a lot of experience working here with me. We also have our abbatoir out here which is one of only two left in the whole of Sligo.

“I also get out to the marts frequently so I have got an insight into a lot of different sides of the business and it has helped in being well set up to serve everyone who calls into us.”

Similarly, Sean Feehily of Feehily Funeral Directors said that their ethos is grounded in the foundations laid by his parents many years ago. Seán said: “Today, we continue premier, at-need and pre-need funeral services with a focus on the client’s family needs at all times. “Our guiding principle then and now is the commitment to treat each bereaved family as we would our own. With sincerity, pride and dedication, our deeply caring team are committed to this time-honoured, third-generation tradition.”

For Daniel McKittrick of Nollaig Nog, his business idea was sparked by an annual family tradition. “When we were coming into the winter (2020) it was apparent that restrictions were going to be in place so it did affect our usual Christmas plans. Eggnog is a big tradition within our family that has passed down from a couple of generations. “We knew we weren’t going to be able to see family in Sligo who we usually gather with every year to have eggnog, so the next best thing was to organise everybody on Zoom so we could still have a drink together.

“It was during this time the idea came about that it would be a lovely, positive thing to come out of this pandemic if we could get this eggnog out there for more people to enjoy.” For Muhammad Jawad of Fixigo, the meaning of family isn’t just rooted in the business which he runs with his wife Romana, but it also means being made to feel like part of the Sligo community which at its best feels like one big family.

“Sligo is a very nice town. We love living and working here. When we opened the shop people were very welcoming, asking us how we are settling into Sligo and how we are enjoying it.

“The people who visit us every day are friendly and we are grateful to have good neighbours and a wonderful landlord here.”

Luke Cromey, one of two brothers who works at his mother Eithne’s fitness studio on High Street, said that there was always an inevitability that he would be part of a family business having watched the business grow since he was a child. “When we were growing up our early memories were of the studio in Chapel Lane.

“When you look back, it was a cool precursor to where we are now, getting to know everybody, coaching them, preparing them for classes. It didn’t just happen by chance that we got involved.”

T+(< say you can¶t put a price on peace of mind. This, of course, is not a saying that any business in digital security can operate by, but 3i[el 6ecurity is dedicated to ensuring you get value for money with every installation. 3i[el 6ecurity was founded in 6eptember by Carl %rennan and :illiam +ogg, a pair of 6ligo natives with more than two decades of e[perience each in this field. 3i[el 6ecurity offers digital security in four main areas – video surveillance, access control, intrusion alarms and maintenance service. Carl specialises in CCT9, access control and intruder alarm systems, while :illiam¶s main focus is to make the technology easier to use and more dependable based on the requirements of the individual customer. ³:e worked together in a local security installations company,” Carl said, in reference to their previous e[perience before setting up their own business.

³, was there for 1 years, involved in day-today running at management level and :illiam was there on a technical level for around 1 years.” 3i[el 6ecurity was a company which evolved out of the first Covid-19 lockdown, but the idea had been forming in the background for a number of years as Carl e[plained. +e said ³$round 6t 3atrick¶s 'ay was the beginning of the lockdown and when things were slowing down it gave us an opportunity, while mulling over things, to go in a new direction. ³:e bounced this idea around for a long time and decided it was time to take a chance and thankfully it has worked out.”

Carl and :illiam both hail from 6ligo and are well-known in the industry both locally and regionally. There was a lot of good will for the business built up on merit and that has translated into regular work with Mobs on sites such as distilleries, farm yards, galleries and hotels right across the north-west. ³+aving been so long working in the locality and throughout the north-west, we were known throughout the industry so that when we set up on our own a number of people came on board right away to support us,” Carl said. ³The main customer base for us is commercial, roughly three quarters. There was a lot of retro- fitting work required at retailers for re-opening after that first lockdown, it really played into our area of work. ³'omestic work was a lot slower because you couldn¶t go into houses for a long time, but that has been picking up a bit more, too.”

3aying for security isn¶t cheap, but Carl said that anyone serious about it are happy to pay for what they are getting and that 3i[el 6ecurity has the licensing to show that they deliver top quality work with durable technology. ³:e have been fortunate to be so well known in the industry, people want quality as opposed to prices. ³+igh skill work stands to the durability of products which is what most people want with the kind of work we do. ³,n our sector, whether it is an intruder alarm or an access control system, that all falls under licensing. ³:e all have to abide by licensing, we have all the stamps to say our work is carried out to the highest level.” The first step of any installation is putting it in place and operational. The second part is making it accessible and easy to use for all who need it. Carl said ³:hen people read about security and technology they might feel they cannot manage it. $ny CCT9 footage can be easily set up on anybody¶s phone. They are accessible for anyone.”

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