Tullamore store's takings fall by 50% as town works take toll

A Tullamore retailer who claims that her store's revenue has fallen by more than 50% this year as a result of the enhancement works in the centre of town has made an impassioned plea to the public to support struggling local businesses in the run-up to Christmas.

Kelli Vickers, co-owner of the William Street boutique Park Avenue 23, says that her shop's takings have plummeted since the €3m town enhancement scheme started in January.

Ms Vickers and her sister Regina McGreal opened the boutique 18 months ago. She said that due to their hard work and the support of the customers their first six months were very successful.

However, unfortunately for them their first full year in business has coincided with largest public works project in the centre of town for generations.

She estimates that their takings in recent months have halved for the same period last year. The impact of the drop in income has been so severe that money borrowed for new fittings have had to be used to pay wages and two members of the staff have had their hours cut.

Ms Vickers says that their story is not unique and comes at a time when town centre retailers are already struggling to keep up with online competitors. On social media, other business owners based in the centre of town have also voiced their anger at the impact that the works have had on their takings.

“I think retailers in Tullamore, we have all been affected. People don't want to come into town any more.

“We had six months of normal trading and we were very successful. Sadly we were at a disadvantage as the consultation process for the plans were finished before we opened.”

Ms Vickers also claimed that council didn't provide enough information to retailers about the potential impact that the works would have on footfall in the town.

“Rates are still being looked for even though the revenue to pay them is not being generated.”

She says that “women form shopping habits” and fears that shoppers who have taken their business to neighbouring towns such as Athlone or Mullingar will be slow to return. She also expressed the view that suspending the town works at the end of the November is too late as many women will have a lot of their Christmas shopping done by then.

“We are Tullamore born and bred and bred and have a very loyal following but people are not coming into town because of the works. If you look at the comments on Facebook everyone is saying the same things: 'Don't go into Tullamore', 'We don't know whether to turn right or left'.”
Fearful for the future of their business and other retailers in the heart of Tullamore, Ms Vickers urged people to think local in the run up to Christmas.

“We need people to support us and shop local. That's the main issue apart from the town works. We need people to stay in town and shop with local retailers. We need the people of Tullamore to stand by us.”

Cllr Ken Smollen, who highlighted Park Avenue 23's difficulties on social media last week, said that the local authority needs to do more to help local businesses struggling due to a drop in footfall caused by the town enhancement works. 

"It has been unbelievably hard on businesses and this doesn't seem to be registering with officialdom in the council that there are businesses on the brink of closure. It's nice and easy to say that the streets will look nice in the future but what's the point if there are no businesses on them.

"Officialdom don't seem to be taking this in. They don't seem to understand the plight of these businesses and the pressure they are under," Cllr Smollen said.

Offaly County Council had yet to comment on the issue at the time of going to press (Thursday).