Businesses have enjoyed a busy summer in Galway City Centre. However, with Christmas approaching, it is a common conception amongst businesses that more needs to be done by the city council to encourage shoppers into the city.
There is a general consensus among businesses from different sectors that the summer period was a success. Shane McMahon, from the Skeffington Arms, said that “there has been no let-up since St. Patrick’s Day”. However, some conceded that the poor weather did affect overall revenue. Joseph Carroll, of Merge said that “bad weather kills business in Galway”.
Tourism, as ever, was a driving force for businesses in the food, nightlife and retail sectors. Madison, from Kindf_olk , stated that this summer was busier than last summer, with a lot of customers being tourists. A number of city centre businesses were of the opinion that this summer was the busiest, in terms of tourism, since Covid.
Preparations are already underway for what promises to be a busy Christmas period in the city. Oonagh Brennan, of Anthony Ryans explained the businesses’ plans to change the perception around the store in the coming months: “People have a perception that Anthony Ryans is more for a mature generation. We are trying to change that perception, and become more progressive.” They have revamped the ground floor, adding in Quiz as a new concession in their attempts to aim for a younger demographic.
Market extension
The extension of the Christmas market in Eyre Square has brought with it mixed reviews amongst city centre businesses. The festive market will now run for an extended period, starting on 10 November, and finishing on 7 January 2024. From a city perspective, Oonagh Brennan and Renata Kennedy, Galway Gifts, shared the opinion that the markets were good for Galway city, bringing in families from different counties and an increased footfall. Joseph Carroll disagreed with this sentiment: “Our businesses can be affected by the markets, I would not welcome the extension as it is not ideal for us that are further down the town.” He is of the opinion that the market results in a higher concentration of people in Eyre Square, meaning fewer numbers of customers for businesses down Shop Street and beyond.
The increase in the popularity of online shopping has given businesses another platform to sell their products, particularly in the retail industry. Kindf_olk, who recently celebrated their second anniversary in business in September, launched their website at the same time as their store. Madison, the store manager, said that the online platform has been a success, with sales around Christmas time expected to be around the same figure as physical sales. Anthony Ryans, on the other hand, have made significant changes to their online store. Oonagh Brennan said: “Our online shop has improved greatly, we have people dedicated to the online shop running it, and we have upgraded the website. The home store has been a particular success.”
Garda presence
There is a shared feeling amongst businesses in the city centre that the City Council can do more to attract shoppers into the city. It was broadly agreed that a greater Garda presence is required on the streets, especially in light of recent criminal activity. Shane McMahon said: “The Gardaí can do a lot more. Tourists are beginning to engage with news of this(recent criminal activity ).”
As well as that, issues such as parking, public transport and traffic were raised as major issues for the City Council to address. Shane McMahon added: “There is a lot more the City Council can do. They are always willing to listen but not enough is being done.” Renata Kennedy, who lives in Salthill, said that she would rather walk to work in the city centre than get the bus as public transport is “not reliable.” Whilst these issues have been repeatedly highlighted, Oonagh Brennan made the point of the number of vacant property around the city, stressing the need for improved rates in the city.
When asked what was the one thing they would change about Galway City, more high profile department stores and better parking conditions were popular answers. Shane McMahon did not hesitate when asked: “Traffic. Absolutely traffic.”
