A BANDON-based councillor has said if she had her way she would bring the retail giant Penneys into Bandon to help boost the shopping offering there.
Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) was speaking at a recent meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District after she raised a motion calling on Cork County Council’s economic development directorate, along with the IDA and other relevant agencies, to formulate a retail and employment strategy for the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District.
Cllr Coughlan said there has been a decimation of retail offering in Bandon, in particular since the last floods in 2009 and the boom in online shopping hasn’t helped.
‘Our local shops were busy during Covid times and people used them but now we see the decline again. I really would like to see a focus on attracting retail businesses to Bandon. If I had my way I’d bring Penneys into South Main Street,’ said Cllr Coughlan.
‘We need to see youngsters in and out of shops buying their bits and pieces in Bandon and not getting the bus to Wilton or Cork city.’
She pointed out that if people worked where they lived, there wouldn’t be the congestion on the roads like Innishannon village experiences most early mornings.
‘It’s really not sustainable for people travelling two hours a day to work. As a county we need to have a strategy where people work close to where they live and sustain that community with their wages and lunch break.’
Cllr Coughlan said Bandon needs a big employer where people live and work in the same area and boost the town with a retail strategy.
‘We need a major new employer to be lured to Bandon and to encourage other businesses to expand.
‘Our town is looking well now and it’s going to look even better but we need something to attract people to the town,’ she added.
Cllr Alan Coleman (Ind) said one size doesn’t fit all and the fact Bandon is so close to Cork city means it needs economic development to sustain it, putting pressure on retail.
‘Employment is very important for both Bandon and Kinsale as the populations are increasing too,’ said Cllr Coleman.
Municipal district officer Brian Dunne said that there is a countywide draft retail strategy in progress and Council members will be consulted on this.
Cllr Coughlan added that there is a need for land and units to attract new businesses and said they should invite the IDA for a meeting.
‘We should create another industrial estate as we have the structures and resources here and we have excellent schools too in Bandon.’
