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THE MIDLANDS WAS among the regions worst hit by the effects of the economic downturn… And — like similarly sized towns all over Ireland — Athlone endured a raft of business closures in the years following the property and banking crash of 2008.
CSO statistics for that year showed Co Westmeath was hardest hit nationally by the decline in sales taxes, with the amount of VAT dropping by almost 20 per cent compared to the previous year.
More recently published figures — on Live Register numbers and insolvencies — show the economic indicators heading the right way once again.
But how are businesses in Athlone feeling about the future — less than two weeks’ away from the Budget?
[TheJournal.ie]
TheJournal.ie went for a walk through the centre of Athlone this week to see how businesses are faring now…
According to one retail manager’s entirely unscientific “bag count” method, a fragile recovery in the town is now beginning to gain momentum.
But another, long-established businessman worried that the new water charges would suck money out of consumers’ pockets, and warned of further tough times ahead.
The Men’s Draper…
[TheJournal.ie]
Bretts on Sean Costello Street has been in business for the last 73 years.
Billy Brett hasn’t been involved quite that long… But he has been manning the register at the store for the last half-century — and says that, no, there’s not all that much to be optimistic about at the moment.
The problem is your overheads haven’t come down. We’re still being charged the same pre-recession rates.
[TheJournal.ie]
“It doesn’t make sense… People are trying to tell you the country’s picking up… I certainly hear that it’s picking up in Dublin alright but then again you have the population there.
The last recession was nothing like this in that there was still money being circulated. There’s nothing being circulated now at all.
In terms of measures that could help small business owners, “it’s a matter of leaving money in people’s pockets” Billy says…
They will work us out of recession.
The Health Store
[TheJournal.ie]
Una Reynolds helps her daughter run the Au Naturel store on Payne’s Lane in the centre of Athlone.
The shop celebrated a decade on the go in March of this year — so they’ve been through the bad times and the good in the last ten years.
We did hit rock bottom… But we struggled on. We took in less money, less take-home pay for ourselves, cut down on staff… But things have picked up
An established base of older customers helped sustain the business through the tough times, Una explains.
There would be retired people that the recession didn’t affect that much. But the younger people coming in, maybe looking for things for children heading back to school – they couldn’t afford it.
That trend’s now beginning to reverse itself, Una says… Business during the back-to-school period this year was back up on a par with the pre-downturn years.
We did as good as we did in the good times… Well, near enough.
The Cake Decorator
[TheJournal.ie]
Fraser O’Reilly runs the ‘Decobake‘ opposite Golden Island Shopping Centre.
The cake decoration and party supplies shop is one of five outlets around the country, with sister stores in Clane, Dublin, Galway in Limerick.
They set up business in Athlone three years ago. And while Fraser says it has been “very hard” for retailers in the last few years, the nature of Decobake’s business means its well-placed to thrive in a time when families are watching their pennies.
It has been very up and down in the last month. But that would probably be a normal state of affairs with people going back to school… People don’t really have the money anymore around that time.
That said…
A lot of people, because of the recession — when they’re doing their weekly shopping and there’s going to be a birthday, instead of buying a cake from a supermarket, mums – and a lot of dads – they come in and they say ‘I think I’m going to try and make a cake’… That’s where we come in.
[TheJournal.ie]
Around the corner from Fraser, Muhammad Islam is dealing with a steady stream of customers and broken hard-drives from behind the counter at B-Tech C0mputers. The store – one of four around the country – has been in business since August of last year, and so far everything’s been going to plan at the John Broderick Street outlet.
“Word of mouth” is all-important when people are trusting you with their laptops and devices, according to Muhammad.
People have too many options. They can go to Argos to buy a laptop — so why do they need to come here? The reason to come here is that it’s a local shop and if something happens they can bring it back and we fix it ourselves — that’s what people really like.
The Alterations Service
[TheJournal.ie]
Finally, just a few doors down from Muhammad, store manager Leila Lynch reports that September has been a “great month” for the Zipyard alterations service in Athlone.
We’re only open here a year. We’re open since last June, so we’ve very positive feedback since we’ve opened.
There are over 20 Zipyard ’boutique alterations’ stores north and south of the border, and – like the cake decorators around the corner – Leila says their business is also somewhat insulated from the effects of the recession.
People are more inclined to look in their wardrobes now… A coat, for example — coming into winter now you’re talking €200 for a nice coat. We have so many alterations for coats now at the minute because it’s way cheaper to get them altered or restyled than to go out and spend more money unnecessarily.
Away from the Zipyard, Leila has been working in retail in the town for the last 12 years. And while things were “very frightening” for people in the years immediately following the crash, the situation is now steadily improving, she says.
You can see it building, and you can see more people on the street.
“When you’re in business you always look at how many people are carrying bags. You don’t look at how many people are in the shopping centre…
It tells you who’s buying and who’s just walking around window shopping.
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Have yis nothing better to investigate ? The country is falling apart at the seams and you’re looking at vape shops ? Jesus wept…
@Regular John: Country is falling apart? Wtd are on about? Jesus fkin wept..
@Regular John: This is the Journal doing the dirty work of the anti vaping fraternity in this county, any day now another individual with a chip on his shoulder with vaping will be on “Newstalk” between the hours of 4 and 7pm weekdays banging on with more negativity regarding vaping.
@Ian: wtf are u on about?
@Leonard Barry: Vaping, specifically single use vapes should be banned. It’s an excuse for useless smokers who aren’t smart enough to stop.
@I’m a robot Robot:only uprising you’re dying is up rising ou the bed in the mornings to post this shi. The coolock gang holing hands with fenian hating orange men telling us about foreign took eeeer jerrrbs. Sad
@I’m a robot Robot: because you just can’t handle the world we live in, you want to start a revolution?
@I’m a robot Robot: It’s odd that, while the majority of murders in Ireland are committed by Irish people against Irish people, you seem to ignore those particular victims. Why is that ? Why would someone be so focused on crime committed by people with darker skin tones, yet completely ignore crime committed by those whose skin tone matches his own ? You’ll deny it, of course, but we all see you. We all know what you are.
@Ian: ponse
Oh ffs…seriously…are vapes the new crack! Undercover investigation, Irelands illicit vape market..WOW!:Banner headline news!
Well done Conor & Patricia…exposing this blight on society, these monsters must be stopped at any cost…give me a break!
@damien leen: phools and their money … no sympathy
In the Uk, you can attend stop smoking clinics in your doctors surgery with a nurse and they encourage you to vape instead of smoking. They advise you to buy your vape/juice from reputable sources, supermarkets, chain newsagents etc. It does make a difference. I spend about £2.50 a week on juice. At the weekly clinic they test your lung capacity to show you the difference after stopping using tobacco products. Craving goes too after a while. If you’re going to vape buy from reputable retailers.
@Ayo Reilly: Just stop smoking you lazy turd. It’s easy.
Did u happen to stop at any shop and see them selling cigarettes…wait no, that’s OK, they’ve taxed the crap out of them so that’s OK!
@Hugh McGanus: read that rubbish..life is for living u absolute melt!
@damien leen: life is for living and yet here you are whinging on a story you didn’t even read
Just ban the poxy things
Wow, out of all the issues effecting this country from why the health care system is on the brink to some of the most expensive insurance and utlilties with a poor return in many cases, and this is the big stort the journal goes after.
@Patrick Newell: the Bloomberg Foundation pays media outlets globally to spread vaping misinformation. Wonder if The Journal is in their pay? They should “investigate” that ;)
And how come the gardai can’t do an investigation and prosecuted before now?
More shock horror anti vaping nonsense from The Journal. Health warnings not in irish! Better value products over the tiny restrictive 2ml limit! The article tries to suggest that this market is unregulated but then goes on to quote the onerous EU TPD. Absolute storm in a teacup but damaging none the less as will discourage smokers from making the switch to a far safer product. Bottom line is don’t buy vapes in those dodgy stores. Those places sell all sorts of dodgy products from phones to toys. There are many specialist vape shops on the high street with knowledgeable staff to advise smokers looking to quit. The irony of this anti harm reduction campaign is that it will lead to taxing and further restrictions that will keep people smoking and create a far bigger black market.
@NoelDublin: Spot on.
Pretty sure there’s gonna be a huge increase in lung cancers and mouth and throat cancers in a few years time due to the excessive and extreme chemicals in these vapes.
You know there’s formaldehyde in these ? The same liquid funeral homes use to embalm dead bodies ?! Why would you want to inhale this? Great article highlighting the dangers of these vapes and showing just how easy they are to buy and the excessive toxic substances and volumes within them. These will kill you. !
@Unknown User: Pretty sure you’re lying. Name a single brand sold under EU regulations that contains formaldehyde? Just one. No?
@Unknown User: Evidence of your claims? None.
@Unknown User: Do you think that if you make up lies and post it in The Journal comment section people will believe you?
Bring into law that one can only buy a vape with a prescription
@Dr Albert S Meinheimer: bring in a law to make tobacco and cigarettes prescription only. Better no?
@NoelDublin: no because the vapes were originally designed to help quit smoking. A “healthy”alternative So let it be by prescription only
I started smoking cigarettes at 13.
I gave up at 42 when vapes came on the market 10 years ago.
I feel far much healthier now then ever. I save a fortune (€5 10 mil bottle) lasts me 3 days a pack of cigarettes around €17/18 would only last me a day. From what I read the jury is still out out on adults switching out and the health benefits.
I’ve never had so much as a cough since my last cigarette. I’m not speaking for everyone just my experience.
Monday Morning entertainment, brought to you by The Journal.
Who cares
Ireland’s biggest downfall is its ability to make rules but then never enforces them. Constantly hoping for good will. And every time something like this is highlighted as a problem the problem spouted from authorities is we need better education. We just don’t hold people to account for breaking the rules.
Bigger issues going on in this country than vapes. Far more serious but you choose to ignore them for this nonsense go away out of that
Laying the foundations for taxation of vapes
Get a life ffs
The journal should b done by the law for using kids to go out to the shops buying vapes and paying them peanuts and say they were undercover journalists for the journal to unsuspecting shopkeeper s have they no understanding of the illegally using kids as their Muppets I for one hope the law will do them so they won’t use these underhanded tactics again
@liam ward: the gards use kids to trap shop keepers selling alcohol to miners.
@Gavin Smartr: Surely they’re entitled to a drink after a hard day’s graft down the mine?
@Gavin Smartr: Mineral mining is among the world’s most hazardous occupations. It is especially dangerous in southern Africa, where mining activity is a leading cause of HIV and tuberculosis epidemics. Inside mines, silica dust exposure causes long-term pulmonary damage.
As a retailer that’s part of a well known franchise, we’re inspected constantly. Tobacco must be out of view, alcohol must be sectioned off, random age checks for any age restricted products, paperwork to be completed everyday,a mop for every area, a brush for every area,a separate sink for every possible thing that a sink is used for, they even check the cleaning chemicals we use and every chemical needs it’s own paperwork, if a temperature of a fridge is half a degree away from the recommended temperature it’s considered unsafe, we’re happy to implement all these rules and regulations as it does set a good standard, it’s just frustrating that these shops can put a display of bongs in their window yet if we use the wrong coloured cloth to wipe a surface we’re a danger to public health.
THE JOURNAL INVESTIGATES https://youtu.be/UVWq9BqJCHY
First thing I do in the morning is have a vape and last thing at night. Didn’t smoke half as many cigarettes when I was on them..
“The hobby” ….
Probably best country in the world to live at present time but there’s room for improvement
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