1. Dermot Fetton of Henry’s Bistro:
“Certainly, you would like to see it as something else other than a car park. It’s a real shame that the market traders weren’t consulted in the first pace. They could have had a say on what went on there and then we could have had a lovely town central market. It’s what it should be. In terms of the future and as a venue, it needs to get back to its original use. Certainly, on Fridays and Saturdays…The traders shouldn’t be charged. They are an integral part of the town centre and they should be at all costs, invited back in to retake their place.”
2. Sheila O’ Connor of O’ Connor’s Newsagents:
“It’s very disappointing really. There’s nothing in there and the whole scene of the market has been taken out… If I was someone in the council, I would be going to the Market Traders and saying ‘right guys we really want ye to come back in.’ Give them whatever they want. Obviously, no rent for a year or two years even. Offer them other incentives to get them back in and getting it back going on a Friday. One or two traders in there is very disheartening.”
3. Mike McGrath of Safeway Tyres:
“The streetscape is lovely, the trees are lovely and the walls are lovely, but the building itself is not fit for purpose. We said it to the council at the design stage. “right idea, wrong location.”
4. Noreen Furey of Food Heaven:
“I would like to see it knocked and have more parking. I have been to meetings upon meetings to do with the building. They tried to have a meeting last January and it was cancelled. There has been no contact since except when they closed the market for a few days… I don’t know what the answer is but it seems to have been a forgotten cause.”
5. Anonymous Business Owner:
“It’s not a market anymore it’s now a car park. It’s just been horrible, they left the windows open for some reason and now they have boarded it with ply, and now it looks like a derelict building. To be fair, the footpaths are fantastic, the roads are very good, and the place is clean and tidy, but the town is crying out for parking. As well, they never put an ATM into it and it’s a market. You have to go all the way up to O’ Connell Street.”
