A COUNCIL official has said that the popularity of online shopping has changed the ‘bricks and mortar’ of town centres over the past 15 years.
Municipal District Manager for Bandon Kinsale, Padraig Barrett, made the comment at last week’s municipal district meeting.
Councillors were discussing about improving the retail strategy for Bandon and attracting new businesses to the town once the drainage and streetscape works were completed.
Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) queried if seeking a retail strategy for the town is something that they as a municipal district can progress.
She also asked if there were any mechanisms through which Cork County Council could reach out to commercial enterprises.
‘We have a few vacant properties in the town centre and it’s all about selling Bandon. Customers will still come but we need a better offer, too. We need to attract new businesses and we need footfall in the town which will be beautiful once the works are finished,’ said Cllr Coughlan.
She said this is the next big challenge for Bandon following the flooding and the T-REP (Transportation and Public Realm Enhancement Plan) project.
‘We need to lure people back in. The town could do with another hotel and a swimming pool in the town is needed too.’
Cllr Coughlan had raised the issue at a previous meeting and Padraig Barrett said it’s something that the Council will look at it once the works are completed.
He also said a marketing campaign showing that the town is open for business would be beneficial, and that he would consult with the economic development section in the Council, but warned that town centres have changed significantly over the past 15 years.
‘They are not what they were compared to 15 years ago. All of us have bought items online even in recent weeks and that didn’t happen before,’ he said. He added that the type of offerings of town centres needs to be re-imagined. ‘We can only do so much and there are a lot of parties to this equation.’
Mr Barrett also told councillors that a report on parking proposals for Bandon is currently being concluded and he would update them at the next meeting.
Cllr John Michael Foley (Fine Gael) suggested that the completion of the town’s bypass would also improve the town’s economic standing.
