Achonry site is now ready for business
EFFORTS are ongoing to attract food businesses to the vacant Aurivo site in Achonry.
The Local Enterprise Office has recently appointed one of its mentors from the food sector to help promote the facility among local and national food producers.
They’re talking to all traders at a number of farmer’s markets and to a number of other players in the food industry.
Head of Enterprise with the LEO John Reilly told the Ballymote- Tubbercurry Municipal meeting that it was “a difficult enough sell” to attract companies to the site.
The 52,000 sq ft site has high speed broadband and in terms of food preparation HACCP is in place throughout the site( Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point, procedures to ensure the food produced is safe), putting it well ahead of other premises that would have to be modified to meet those standards.
Cllr Joe Queenan asked if Aurivo would be collecting the rent.
Mr Reilly said that “there would be an arrangement put in place - Aurivo won’t collect rates. That’s not the plan. A notfor- profit organisation is going to run it.”
He said that if there was demand for the site, a community group would be set up to operate the building and collect rent . He said Aurivo were “making an asset available to Sligo” but nothing was in writing yet.
Cllr Margaret Gormley said it was “unfortunate that Aurivo abandoned Achonry where they started work all those years ago.”
“To get employment in there would be marvellous,” she said.
Cllr Jerry Lundy said if the site was on the East coast it would be “snapped up” right away. He also asked if start- ups could be incentivised to move in there with free rates for the first five years.
Mr Reilly said food producers are eligible for grant aid from LEO but didn’t think there would be any chance of rent rebates.
Cllr Dara Mulvey pointed to the success of The Food Hub in Drumshanbo: “It has a waiting list to get in. Gunpowder Gin has been a huge success for them. It’s a question of getting someone in there ( to Achonry) and more will follow.”
Cllr Lundy added that a highly skilled workforce was already in Achonry.