Owners must be penalised
MOVES by City Hall to attract new business to the city centre are being hampered by their own failure to penalise owners of vacant shop units, claims a leading city auctioneer.
Pat Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers, told the Limerick Post that he has had approaches from leading retailers to identify premises in Limerick
-”but it is embarrassing on walkabouts when confronted with unsightly posters, boarded up units, bushes growing out of facades of buildings, etc.
“It can be a difficult sell. Who would want to take on a decent looking shop placed on the market when the units around them have that neglected look.
“Take Marks & Spencer for example. If they fail to get permission at the Crescent, and the Opera Centre is further delayed, where else could they open? They would run from the city.
“We need instant regulation of vacant city centre units to present a clean face”.
He has been supported by Green candidate in the Local Elections, James Nix, who, in an effort to revitalise the city centre, has called on the authorities to provide half rates to new tenants in their first year in operation.
And a Limerick businesswoman, who asked not to be identified, called for drastic action to improve the image of the city.
“There are fewer and fewer people coming into town…we need to make it more attractive and that can only be done by encouraging new traders to set up here”.
Kearney called on City Council to introduce by-laws giving them authority to clean up vacant units and to send the bill to the owners.
“I know from my years in business that Limerick had a lot to offer and as a location, appeals to both Irish traders and multinationals.
“But we are allowing it to fall into decay. I accept that the people at City Hall want to revitalise the city, but if that is to be done then they must take action. All those closed shops, many of them falling into a state of disrepair, could be left there for years, unless City Hall get tough.
Continued from page 1.
“Just look at Catherine Street, across from the Health Board offices. A whole row of shops and houses there are just waiting to fall”.
Kearney proposes that the students at the School of Art and Design, be contracted to display their artistic talents by providing paintings of Limerick, mock interiors and murals for display on vacant shop fronts.
“At least that would keep facades in a clean condition”.
There are literally dozens of units lying idle in our main thoroughfares, which are in effect creating the appearance of a retail ghetto and in many instances, owners are not paying attention to their upkeep.
