High Street residents problems with traffic
THE decision to cordon off two buildings on High Street in Sligo town due to concerns over their safety has caused huge difficulties for local business owners and traders on the street with precious parking spaces lost and massive traffic snarl ups now a regular feature of everyday life.
While business owners accept that the Council had little choice but to take action, they are keen now to see action taken quickly to resolve the problem, with one owner suggesting that were the issue to drag on it will seriously impact on those creating employment there and running businesses.
Local councillor Declan Bree, who lives on High Street, while accepting that the Council had little or no choice but to cordon both buildings off to ensure the safety of those who work and visit the area, Cllr Bree said there is a need for urgency in dealing with the issue.
His colleague, Cllr Tom MacSharry agrees that apart from the safety concerns issues with parking and driving on the street are so pressing now that action needs to act quickly: “The council need to act with extreme urgency on this issue. Conducting business is getting harder by the day with the cost of doing business going up.
“The Council needs to meet with concerned businesspeople as well as residents on High Street as a matter of urgency,” Cllr MacSharry said.
Cllr Bree, meanwhile, admitted that there are concerns that one of the two buildings cordoned off is unsafe while local businesspeople the Sligo Weekender spoke to say they anticipate that one or both buildings will have to be demolished.
Muireann McDermott, owner of the Hair & Beauty Quarter on High Street picked up on this point when she commented: “Potentially, if that building does come down, I don’t think two streets of traffic will be enough to stop it falling because there is a chance it will come down directly onto the road and straight across.
“The Council are doing their best to protect pedestrians and people driving down the street but, I don’t want to see them close the street either because we can’t afford to do that for fear of a loss of business.
“I’d love to see the building get knocked (down) as soon as possible as you will get the parking back onto the street which is really important for all of the businesses.”
On the immediate impact of the decision to cordon off a sizable chunk of the street (see our photographs) Muireann adds: “Customers will be avoiding the area because it is hard to find parking in the street.”
Muireann, who has been trading for the last nine years on the High Street, said the traffic and parking issues are not new, she and other traders have had to contend with this before on a street which has many unoccupied or derelict buildings.
“This happened to us before - maybe four or five years ago - and the street was cordoned off for at least a year. Not the full street but a chunk of it outside our door.
“Eventually the Council purchased that building and knocked it down, but it was such a lengthy procedure.
“Now, the building across the street is in a similar predicament but then that’s privately-owned. So, while the Council can close off part of the street, I don’t think they can do what they did last time.
MEETING WITH COUNCIL “There’s a group of us [High Street business owners] who are hoping to have a meeting with the Council next week and get a bit more clarity on whether this building can be taken down so that businesses and their customers can get their parking spaces back.
“It’s such a disaster - it looks bad, and it takes up so many parking spaces. So even for the likes of companies who are dropping off stuff, they are finding it hard to get parked to deliver us our parcels.”
Muireann added: “Customers are finding it hard to get parked – even if they just want to come in quickly to collect vouchers or products.
“Even those who want to use the nearby dry-cleaners or go to the fitness studio.
“There are lots of businesses on the High Street who rely on customers being able to quickly park for a few minutes and run in and out of the shop(s).
“Some of our clients remember the last time and are reluctant to come to us just in case this particular building falls down. I don’t think it will, but the street has become so derelict over the years.”
She agrees that groups such as Sligo Tidy Towns have been doing their best to help keep things nice and neat but it’s very difficult to do.
“I suppose the best thing is to get the buildings knocked down and hopefully some new shop fronts will replace them, and we’ll get some of the street back,” she said.
Muireann has a fear about some businesses on the street being able to ride out the delay in getting the problem resolved - she has a real fear of the situation dragging on: “However, I honestly don’t know that if, for example, this process takes a couple of years, would we survive that? I think some of our neighbours are feeling that too.
“Some of us are so reliant on people being able to get parked. There’s been other aspects (of outgoing costs). The minimum wage has gone up, so has holiday pay and VAT went up last year for the hairdressers which is part of our business.
“Everything is rising, and the cost is rising all the time and you’re so reliant on customers coming in right at your door. If the street isn’t looking great, it’s not good for business in general.”
Backing up her concerns, Cllr Tom MacSharry adds: “This is a very serious matter which is having devastating consequences for all the businesses on High Street where the dereliction rate is frightening.
“The businesses on High Street need urgent engagement from Sligo County council to ensure the loss of vital parking spaces and the drastic build-up of traffic is only a temporary measure until the business owner of a building