Councillors expressed both anger and frustration this week at the high number of pop-up warehouse liquidation sales appearing in the town.
Speaking at this week’s meeting of Athlone Town Council, Cllr Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran asked if a review into the Town Development Plan could be carried out with a view to introducing legislation to deal with warehouse liquidation sales, “as they have a huge negative impact on local rate payers”.
The council said that such sales can be investiaged and planning enforcement could be initiated if planning breaches are detected.
Cllr Gabrielle McFadden expressed her support of Cllr Moran’s motion saying that as rate payers in the town are struggling, it’s unfair to have these sales come into the town and take business away from them by underselling goods.
Cllr Aengus O’Rourke also agreed that these “fly-by0night” wholesalers are a threat to the town. “We need to talk to the owners of the hotels and the chamber, and come together with a plan on this,” he said.
It was agreed that a letter would be written to the hotels in the area to explain what can and cannot be done regarding the setting up of warehouse sales on their property.
