At last the borough council has recognised what locals have known for years — that Parliament Street area is the safest, most hassle free part of the city centre. How do I know this? They’ve just announced (again ) the setting up of CCTV cameras in the city centre. Cllr Martin Brett says: “We will now be able to sell Kilkenny as a safer place to visit with cameras in our High Street, at The Parade and in John Street. We now have a guardian angel to back up our gardaí in looking after our own people and visitors.”
There’s no mention of guardian angels for any other parts of town so I presume that’s an acknowledgement that the good citizens and visitors to Parliament Street enjoy the restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and theatre in a civilised manner, where the biggest danger is tripping over the broken paths. All this good behaviour is obviously reflected in the public disorder figures, so no cameras are needed.
Maybe they could put a banner across the street saying something like, “Welcome to the safest part of town!” Then again maybe not, it might drag the wrong crowd down and then we’d end up with the cameras and new footpaths like everyone else.
