Over €35k raised for fire-hit business in Tullamore

Members of the public have donated over €35,000 in support of Tullamore business Bon Chocolatiers after it was forced to close temporarily as a result of smoke damage to its premises.

A fire at a neighbouring unit on Church Road in Tullamore on Tuesday, October 13, left the Bon Chocolatiers factory with extensive smoke damage, with co-founders Daniel Linehan and Georgia Quealy now seeking to move into a new premises.

"Unfortunately most of what we've built is totally gone," said Daniel in a recent update shared on social media.

"We've had some really really difficult days over the last week. It's been a real rollercoaster of emotions."

The couple said they had been forced to lay off their staff due to the damage, in a decision they described as “very hard”.

“The hardest thing we’ve ever had to do was let our amazing team go,” they said.

These are people who helped us build Bon, who have families, mortgages and plans of their own, and who relied on us."

However, looking to the future of Bon Chocolatiers, Daniel said "we’re not giving up".

"We're moving to a new premises, and starting again from the ground up," he stated.

A GoFundMe page set up to support the move had amassed €35,662 from some 402 donations, surpassing its original €35,000 goal as of today (Friday).

"Bon Chocolatiers has been built on the loyal support of our community, and we need that support now more than ever," the GoFundMe appeal reads.

The couple said they wished to thank every person who has offered them a kind word or an offer of support in the days since the fire.