The Sunday Times article
An article in a recent edition Sunday Times Culture section titled ‘Rotting to the Core’ certainly ruffled a few feathers locally.
For those who didn’t see it, the article centres around the decline of the town centre, how planning decisions have led to more business being taken out of town and how car dominated it has become.
It reminisces about Dundalk’s past and explores how exactly we got to where we are today.
While largely focusing on the architecture of the town, it painted a rather bleak picture of where we stand as a whole.
A few business owners contacted Talk of the Town about it so we decided to look at six reasons why we are where we are…
Poor planning
The local authority can try to defend the situation all they like but the reality is that poor planning has been largely at the heart of Dundalk’s problems. Yes, many of the issues the town is experiencing are no different to other towns around the country but that just means several local authorities let the ball drop and things have been no different in Louth.
Carroll Village has been completely deserted in recent years
In the last 20 years developers largely dictated where they wanted to be based, with the local authority not strong enough in sticking to development plans for the town centre. This led to a plethora of retail and business parks being built on the outskirts of the town, none of which are operating at full capacity. Indeed, in the case of the Carroll Village shopping centre it lies completely idle as a reminder of overdevelopment above and beyond what was needed.
Overzoning is an issue too and the exploitation of this has resulted in small retail pockets in and around the town but few areas, perhaps the Marshes and Dundalk Retail Park aside, where one could spend any considerable time and fit in a range of activities.
The Marshes has been good and bad for the town since it opened in 2006. While it has brought many new retailers to Dundalk, it has also brought the majority of business away from the town centre with no great link to it and the town centre. The recently sold Williamson’s Mall is the most frequent link between it and the heart of the town but walking through a car park is hardly an adequate solution.
This lay out for the cycle lane at Roden Place had to be changed
Equally, the cycle lanes in the town were ill thought out and lie virtually unused. They have diminished the amount of parking in and around the town centre while adding to the town’s traffic problems, making it less and less attractive to go into the town centre. It could also be argued that the town centre has never really recovered from the introduction of pay parking, which is off-putting regardless of cost, and limits the opportunity of spontaneous purchases such as a coffee or lunch while out and about.
To be fair, a lot of what the planning office does is well intentioned but many of it simply has not worked and it irks the people of Dundalk that there has been zero accountability over the large sums of money wasted over the years.
Lack of major events
One positive bit of planning we’ve seen in the last few years has been the redevelopment of the Market Square. It has left behind it a superb open space that could be suited to a range of things, including a proper market like the town was famous for in the past.
The Market Square is massively underutilised
Unfortunately it is massively under-utilised and promises of food festivals, beer festivals and open air concerts have never really transpired, despite some effort with the latter.
When you look around Ireland at the moment nearly every town in the country has some big event planned for the summer. Even in the vicinity of Dundalk there are major events planned for Ardee, Drogheda, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Carlingford. The latter is an example of somewhere that does it well, with plenty to keep people coming over the summer months and beyond.
On a bigger level, Kilkenny is somewhere that promotes itself quite well too with various festivals and events.
Even when a big event does happen here, it is largely privately run and largely excludes the town. I’m not sure of the attendance for the recent Vantastival at Bellurgan Park but there was little in the town centre suggesting it was happening. Similarly, when the big race day happens in Dundalk Stadium on July 12th you’d hardly know it was happening in the town unless you passed the Racecourse Road. A lot of this is down to a lack of joined up thinking in the town but we’ll come to that later.
Marketing Dundalk should be a no brainer considering how easy it is to get here and its close proximity to motorways and more.
It doesn’t help that the local Tourist Office basically doesn’t have a bean to spend but the county as a whole struggles and its history and major sites are never really utilised. The biggest tourist attraction in the country is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, effectively a brewery. The Jameson Distillery isn’t far behind.
Dundalk’s breweries were never promoted from a tourism point of view
Dundalk had two breweries for many years, as well as a cigarette factory and a distillery out in Cooley but never looked to capitalise on the tourist potential they had. In the case of the Macardle Moore and Great Northern (Harp Lager) breweries, their proximity to the train station should have made them an easy sell. For whatever reason, they were never promoted though and that’s one example of how we let opportunities go.
The problem relates to Louth as a whole where the fantastic Carlingford remains a hidden gem to many despite some great promotional work from people there.
Dundalk is a town people know but we’re not telling them why they should come here.
People are careful about how they spend their money nowadays though. Unfortunately as a town we give them very few excuses to spend it here.
Wrong people at the helm?
This might seem slightly controversial as many of the people behind various schemes for the town have good intentions but how does it really effect them? Not enough of our ratepayers who rely on people coming into the town have a say where it really matters. If you look at various groups from the local authority, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce and Dundalk BIDS they are littered with individuals who are either not in business here or are from outside the area.
Has Dundalk BIDs been as successful as many had hoped?
Not that any of these programmes should be solely made up of local individuals as outsider views are a wonderful resource but is the current make-up really serving Dundalk well?
Take the example of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce. Its current president is Paddy Matthews, a wonderful gentleman who runs a fantastic business, which provides plenty of local employment.
He is undoubtedly well intentioned when it comes to Dundalk but is he really leading by example when it comes to helping the area out?
Now leaving aside the fact that they are actually based in Inniskeen, the reality is that the sole basis of his business is to take people out of Dundalk. Whether that be a trip or commute to Dublin or a short break away, the reality is the Matthews buses take people (and their money) away from the town.
You can travel pretty much anywhere in Ireland with Matthews Coaches but trips to this area aren’t promoted in reverse, nor do they exist with the exception of one stop off in Cooley on a whiskey tour.
There aren’t many who haven’t taken a Matthews bus to Dublin for a day trip or concert but have they ever tried to bring Dublin folk here in reverse? Call me cynical but why promote journeys to the likes of racing events and concerts when at no stage of the year can you take a bus from the likes of Dublin to Dundalk Stadium or to a festival venue such as Vantastival?
The current model has worked for Matthews and turned it into a thriving business but there’s little doubt that its success conflicts with its owner’s desire to promote more business for Dundalk.
This is not an attack on Paddy Matthews or his business. Far from it, but our local organisations need to get their priorities right and not have conflicting interests. One of the main stories on www.dundalk.ie – The Chamber’s website – in recent weeks, for example, was about the upcoming Inniskeen Parish golf classic. Again, no disrespect to that event but why is it relevant when new businesses don’t even get a plug when they open their doors?
The reality is that the likes of Talk of the Town does more to help business by freely promoting them than some of the organisations whose job it is meant to be.
The Chamber is admittedly well intentioned, as their recent business expo in the Marshes has proven. However, if you’re not a member it’s pretty much a closed shop for those on the outside.
I know of several people who have started up businesses in this town in recent years and not a councillor, council official, Chamber member or BIDS member darkened their door to wish them luck, offer support or anything else.
On the subject of BIDS, what is the story there? The model itself has potential and works quite well elsewhere. There are case studies which support this. Unfortunately it has been nowhere near as successful in Dundalk and at present you can’t even determine with a quick Google search who is involved in it any longer. Certainly of the first committee appointed, there were few on it with retail or hospitality experience and in some cases it’s difficult to determine what each brought to the table.
It is still a known sticking point with many that they are not elected by the commercial rate payers. Since the departure of Edel O’Mahony from BIDS it has been largely voiceless and irrelevant.
These organisations all have the best interest of the area at heart. Their efforts, however good or bad they may be, simply aren’t working though.
A new strategy is needed with new voices complementing the old and more people who operate at the coalface have to be involved.
Attitude
Talk of the Town posted something recently about the possibility of a trampoline park opening in the Northlink Retail Park. Something which would be new and different to the area, it was greeted in the main with great positivity and excitement.
There was a band of cynical comments, however, suggesting it would be opened and closed within a year. Too often you hear things like ‘it’ll never last’, ‘that’s doomed to failure’ and so on.
Whatever it is about Dundalk people (and Louth as a whole), we never really get behind each other. Take Cork as an example. People there are fiercely proud of where they are from and we should be the same.
That’s why we should be supporting business ventures in any way we can, not talking them down without giving them an opportunity.
The attitude problem can extend to business people too. Far too often there’s a mé fein attitude with business owners unwilling to get involved in something unless it directly benefits them.
The old saying that a rising tide raises all boats is true and we need to look at the bigger picture. A food festival in the Square showcasing the best of local cuisine may not have major benefits for the likes of a clothes store but in backing something for Dundalk, their turn will come around in the end.
Dundalk FC have been a real success story for the town but has the town benefitted from that?
The reality is there is not enough joined up thinking in the area. Take for example the recent sporting successes the town has enjoyed. Dundalk FC are the kingpins of Irish football at present while Dundalk Rugby Club will be playing in the All-Ireland League for the first time ever next season.
However, it would never occur to anyone to put together packages that piggy back on the back of these successes.
Over the summer months, the likes of Derry City, Limerick FC and Cork City will all visit Oriel Park, not to mention a number of Dublin clubs. It would not be too difficult to come up with an offer to visiting supporters of these clubs which attracts them to perhaps travel to the game, stay over and spend some money here.
Pricing would have to be worked out but, for example, a €50 offer of overnight accommodation per person sharing with a match ticket could entice more fans both to the club and business to the town. The numbers might be small but it’s one quick fire way of bringing more people here who will have a bite to eat, have a few drinks and perhaps do a little shopping.
We need people to turn ideas such as that into reality though and that goes back to are the right people at the helm of things? The right team or the right person at the helm could make a massive difference with a few simple tasks.
Other towns work to attract people to them. Dundalk falls well below satisfactory in this regard though. It’s time to change that.
Disillusionment
When morale is low it is hard to thrive. Such has been the case for Dundalk businesses for far too long.
They have taken hammering after hammering in recent years and some have opted out of business as a result. Whether it be the inconvenience of pay parking to their survival or planning laws which restrict opening times or the installation of shutters at their premises, there have been plenty of reasons for them to grumble.
The footpaths on the likes of Clanbrassil Street leave a lot to be desired
Ultimately, the average business owner does not feel supported. They pay rates but what do they get for them in return? The footpaths of the town, particularly along parts of Clanbrassil Street, are decaying to such an extent that it is bordering on dangerous for people that don’t have a spring in their step to negotiate them.
This run down look, which The Sunday Times article alluded to, puts people off going into either a part of town or a particular store. Unlike in other areas there is no great incentive for people to do up their businesses though.
A reduction in rates or equally significant prize, for example, would be a huge incentive to compete for a ‘Best Shop Front’ or ‘Best Window Display’ award. Unfortunately there are no such incentives for shopowners to do so and as a result the town is left looking stale and run down.
Pride in appearance has been lost but last year’s Giro d’Italia showed the potential that was there. I wasn’t a particular fan of the bright pink colour of the race but it was encouraging to see so many businesses paint their premises for the race’s arrival in town.
Mint by Baldwins in Earl Street was one of several business to go pink for last year’s Giro d’Italia
It was a sign of the potential that was there but that needs to now be harnessed in some way and we shouldn’t need an international event that whizzed through the town in a matter of seconds to encourage us.
We need to create our own incentives from within.
It remains a problem that a lot of old iconic buildings have been let fall into decay but again that goes down to a lack of pride in our town. People will go to nice places. If a place looks like it’s going to fall in, there’s little incentive to go there and that’s a problem.
The local authority need to encourage change as it’s difficult for businesses to invest their already slim resources in doing up a premises that may not even be operating in a few weeks, months or years time.
The businesses can’t put all the blame on the local authority though. Window displays cost nothing but quite a large proportion of businesses pay little heed to them. In years gone by it was all part of the experience of a visit to Dundalk to see the sweets in the window of the Handy Stores, the Santa knocking against the glass in RQ O’Neill’s when it was in Earl Street or the latest must have piece of equipment in Cumiskey’s. There are still some shining lights in this regard but, unfortunately, they are few and far between.
More of the same
How often have you heard of a new business opening in Dundalk only to discover it is another hairdressers or coffee shop?
No disrespect to these businesses but there seems to be a real lack of thinking outside of the box in this area. People only need so many haircuts of coffees in a day so while a new venture might do well it only takes away from other similar businesses in the area.
That’s not to target these two business areas. The problem has been rife for years. It’s only about a decade ago that you couldn’t get a pizza in this town without going to an Italian restaurant or buying it from the frozen aisle of the supermarket. All of a sudden there was an abundance of pizza chains in town from Apache and Domino’s to Pizza Hut and Mizzoni’s, not to mention independent chains such as Tony’s.
There are now an abundance of pizza places in Dundalk
There are an array of examples such as this. There were no swimming pools in Dundalk for years, now there are a selection. There has also been an array of e-cigarette shops or stalls opening while planning permission has been granted for two more cinemas, on top of the one already in place at Carroll Village.
When people try to think outside the box they are often met with pessimism or other problems. The now closed Cali Burrito was one such example. While competing with other food joints, it was something that was new and different in Dundalk but a rent and rates bill of €40,000 meant it had little hope of surviving.
That brings me nicely along to the topic of shop suitability. There are plenty of empty units in this town but there’s a difference between an available unit and the right unit. Most of the vacant businesses require a lot of work and are unsuitable for a wide range of functions.
Concentration needs to be put on filling strategic units with tenants that will bring guaranteed business to an area. If that arrives then further businesses will follow.
The idle Dunnes Stores unit in Park Street, for example, has done little to help surrounding business, both past and present and something needs to be done to prevent this sort of practice. No one likes to deal in rumour but it’s no secret that a number of businesses over the years have thought about taking on this space but have been prevented from doing so.
This has had a knock-on effect for businesses around it and prevented a popular area of the town from growing. A big retailer, something new to Dundalk, could have a big impact on further stores opening. When one of the best available units is empty, unavailable and not even paying rates, it doesn’t encourage others into the area.
There is still potential for smaller outlets though. There are plenty of gyms in the area but the success of Oak Gym on Distillery Lane in the last year or so shows that if you put the right product in the right place it will attract people.
Some people may view these points as negative. They are not intended to be. Neither is any offence meant to be caused to anyone by them. It’s no secret though that Dundalk has problems and we must face them in order to become a better town. Admitting what’s wrong first and foremost is half the battle. Not everyone will agree with what was mentioned here but then again that’s what a good debate is all about. It was all said with Dundalk’s best interests at heart. Despite its problems, this is a great town. We must strive to be better though and talking about how that can happen is a good start. Be sure to have your say and maybe the powers that be will take it on board. We also welcome contributions of this regard from any interested parties. If you’d like to submit an article please email it to news@talkofthetown.ie
– Pat Smyth
