Christmas shoppers who support local businesses in Kilkenny are not only helping the local economy but they are also sustaining critical jobs, enterprise and industry in the region for the year ahead, local senator John Paul Phelan, says.
At the end of a crippling month, which has seen job cuts at Glanbia, the closure of several engineering companies, top Kilkenny restaurant Fleva, and the local Budget Travel outlet, Senator Phelan encouraged everyone doing their Christmas shopping to try to support local trade where possible.
“Anyone who walks through the centre of Kilkenny, who drives through our industrial estates or visits towns and villages in the county, will be struck by the number of vacant business premises. It is frightening. And unless we stop driving north and start supporting local trade, the situation will become far worse.
“If ever there was a time to shop local and support local traders, then it is now. Groups such as Kilkenny Chamber have developed a voucher scheme where money invested in the group scheme will be spent locally in shops and restaurants run by local people and staffed by local people.
“I would strongly encourage shoppers to think long and hard about the kind of Kilkenny they want this time next year. The allure of lower VAT and ‘bargains’ up north may be strong in these tougher times. But revenue lost to the local economy will also translate into job losses in 2010.
“The 31 year-old also said he supports calls from the Chamber for a five per cent rates cut in the borough and city council areas as well as a change in the way rates are collected.
“I know of a business that pays €90,000 in rates each year. Paying out €45,000 in one whack at a time when cash flow is tight is very hard to swallow. I believe the local authorities would fare much better and would collect more were they to switch to monthly payments – rather than sending out a massive six month bill which would cripple an already struggling business,” Senator Phelan urged.
