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 Liberty Square The first Task Force meeting of the Thurles Traders Unite committee took place in “The Commercial Room,” in Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, last evening. (26th October at 6pm.)
Reports, immediately following, state that the meeting was both positive and informative, with a delegation elected to meet with Thurles Town Council Executive and local Councillors on Monday 7th November at 6.30pm, at their Slievenamon offices. The Traders Unite Task Force will again meet in Hayes Hotel on Monday 7th November at 7.15pm, following on from this meeting with Thurles Town Council Officials, to further discuss the progress made by this deputation.
Issues discussed at Wednesday evenings meeting, raised many questions and suggestion in relation to:- Parking, Traffic Management, Tourism and charges regarding present Commercial Rates to local traders.
A review of a planned “Group Advertising Package,” for the town were discussed and planned at length, and a leaflet, containing up to date costs and information on this subject, will now be delivered to all traders on Thurles high streets, in the coming week.
Discount Parking Stickers, sponsored by Thurles Photo Station in Friar Street, Thurles, have now been printed and beginning on Monday next, participating traders / shops will offer 30 minutes free parking, to all customers of premises displaying this 5in x 7in sticker, which can be viewed by customers on shop windows. Please Note: Customers are asked to pay for parking as usual and they will be refunded later, by all shops supporting this new venture.
A motion was passed at the meeting, offering every assistance and support to the upcoming Thurles Christmas Market on 11th December next. All shops will be open in Thurles on that day, and all offering customers some very attractive deals.
In the meanwhile, an Email address has now been set up for this New Task force, and traders and others interested groups are invited to use same to contact the organisation, with constructive submissions which they feel are worthy of further planning, discussion and promotion. Please note this contact Email address is :- thurlestradersunite@gmail.com
A Facebook account, using the name Thurles Traders Unite has now also been set up and local Traders and other interested bodies are invited to join, thus keeping up to date with all relevant Thurles Town information.
For more updates watch this space and do remember if at all possible, please shop local, as future local employment depends on your loyalty to local businesses.
On Wednesday 19th October last, over thirty retailers from the high streets of Thurles attended a meeting in Hayes Hotel Liberty Square, Thurles, to form a Traders Unite Association. This association is inclusive of all traders in Liberty Square, Friar Street, West Gate, Croke Street, Baker Street, Parnell Street, The Mall, Kickham Street and Mitchell Street. The meeting was very positive and participation from traders was informative and uplifting, with brilliant ideas put forward for consideration.
The agenda and aspirations addressed at this Association meeting, chaired by Joan Pollard Carew, (Michael’s Jewellers) came under the following headings:-
(1)Parking issues; (2) Traffic management; (3) Promoting individuality of shopping experience on our high streets; (4) Group advertising campaign, and (5) Music on our streets for Christmas 2011.
 Thurles Traders Unite Association Meeting Endeavouring to address parking issues for Thurles customers, a decision was made to offer free parking to all customers. Indeed at the time of going to press tonight, notices are being designed for shop windows and are expected to be be displayed in participating stores within the next seven days.
All customer who spend a minimum of €10 in Thurles shops, bearing this notice, will be refunded 30 minutes of their parking charges. Smart shoppers will be aware that they can actually, by visiting 4 shops, receive a €2 refund, despite having only paid €1.20 for parking.
It was also mooted that if the Town Council and traders could carve out a deal, where the old style parking discs could be made available, then traders could actually give a disc to their customers and everyone would gain considerably. To this end it was agreed that a delegation from this new Association would meet with the Councillors and Executives of the Town Council and these ideas would be amongst other issues for future discussion.
On Thurles traffic management the mood of the meeting confirmed that the present pedestrian lights system was causing unnecessary traffic jams and numerous safety issues were raised. Again these will be debated when the Association meets with Town Council officials.
To further promote high street shopping in Thurles the Traders Unite Association are considering numerous advertising packages, involving local and national media, in an effort to sustain present levels of employment and information for customers.
Thurles high streets have numerous outlets, selling a diverse range of goods and offering services, thus offering consumers a much better choice. As most shops are family owned and run these businesses can also offer a much more personal service.
The meeting was informed of a Christmas Market to take place in Liberty Square on 11th December. Stall holders will be decked out in period costumes with a proposed Faction Fight , together with Christmas music in the background, under the usual wonderful display of Christmas lighting. This event promises to be an exciting day for all the family. It will also showcase Thurles town centre, and children please note, Santa Claus has accepted an invitation to be present at this event. (More about this Christmas Market and it’s organisers in the coming days, so do stay tuned.)
Greater use of our towns successful Thurles.Info website was also encouraged, this service is free and should now be utilised by local traders for promotions and offers in their stores. The new Hidden Tipperary website is also a wonderful medium of both information and education for the county. Tourism or at least the lack of same was another issue raised, as this industry is not tapped into, in Thurles. Industry means business and as a group this association intends to now promote our town as a real tourist destination.
It was decided, by this meeting, not to form a traditional committee, rather it was felt that hierarchy was of no advantage and would be actually more of a hindrance to the future success of this new Association. The decision then to form a task force of ten traders to handle the day to day running of the Association and thus form smaller groups, to focus on current issues relating to traders, was adopted.
This newly elected task force is a diverse group of traders from across the retail industry in Thurles and are named as follows:-
John Butler, Paul Scully, Gabriella McLoughney, Catriona Griffin, Frances Boyle, William Kinane, Diarmud Moran, Paul McEvitt, George Willoughby and Joan Pollard Carew.
The next meeting of the Association’s task force will be October 25th next at 8.00pm in Hayes Hotel and progress reports will issue on a regular basis.
Joan Pollard Carew, who chaired the meeting, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Association, to the Management of Hayes Hotel, who provided accommodation for this event, free of charge.
Picture courtesy G.Willoughby, Thurles.
 Liberty Square, Thurles. To quote a well known Chinese Proverb “Better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness.”
With this in mind, Thurles.Info have learned today that a meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 19th October next, in Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, Thurles, Co Tipperary. The intended purpose of this meeting is to form a Traders Unite Association, encompassing the town of Thurles.
This new association, if formed, will be inclusive of all traders in Liberty Square, Friar Street, West Gate, Croke Street, Parnell Street, The Mall, Kickham Street and Mitchell Street.
Many existing traders believe that the old historical market town of Thurles must now be strengthened, if is to be retained for future generations, while permitting both retailers and customers to enjoy discerning shopping and thus continue to retain and create continued local employment and future sustainability.
The aims of any new association if formed, will be to address and find solutions with regard to:-
- Parking Issues.
- Traffic management.
- Promote the individuality of the shopping experience on our high streets.
- Group Advertising packages. (Details on the night)
- Music on our Streets for Christmas. (Details on the night)
- Election of officers for any proposed new association.
Please note your Diary:- Time: 8.00pm. Date: Wednesday 19th October. Venue: Hayes Hotel.
A larger than expected gathering, representative of all aspects of Thurles community life, turned out to the meeting, called by Thurles Chamber for this evening in Hayes Hotel.
Thurles Chamber, had called the meeting with a view to deciding what direction their submission should take, with reference to Tipperary’s Planning Section decision on the development of a further proposed shopping centre at the old Erin Foods site at Slievenamon Road, Thurles.
 Thurles Chamber Meeting Very quickly it became evident, from the mood of those gathered, that such a proposed venture was not welcome in the town in the foreseeable future.
Speakers from the floor, referred mainly to advice, commissioned and contained, in the Thurles and Environs Development Plan 2009-2015, regarding future Commercial and Retail Development.
While it was pointed out that the location of new retail or indeed other proposed development, is crucial to the long-term vitality of Thurles, proposals for any new retail development, that is located outside the central town area, must be assessed against the following criteria:-
(a) Does it undermine or have an adverse impact on the quality of the town centre?
(b) Does it diminish the future range of shops in the town centre?
(c) Does it link effectively with the commercial life currently existing in Thurles town centre?
It was unanimously agreed that any such decision must also take into account all potential social costs and benefits, not only the most obvious ones, which are easily measured in economic terms, but also be careful not to impose disproportional costs elsewhere, when pursuing a single objective of this magnitude. The cannibalization of existing jobs from within the town centre, was considered to be a cause for major concern in this instance.
As stated, the location of new retail development is crucial to the long term vitality, life and viability of Thurles Town and the preferred location for new retail development, where practicable and viable, should always be in the town centre.
The meeting called on the Tipperary Planning Authority, in future, to only permit development in the outer areas of Thurles, that would enhance rather than detract from the town centre, as indeed recommended in the Thurles Environmental Development Plan for 2009-2015.
Speakers strongly voiced the opinion that town centre development should be the future policy of those involved with local planning, to strengthen the town centre function of Thurles as a viable commercial, cultural and living centre, in accordance with the County Retail Strategy 2003 and the Retail Planning guidelines for Planning Authorities and the Town Centre Strategy.
A submission to this effect will now be forwarded to the Planning Authority, by Thurles Chamber in the next few days, strongly conveying the wishes of those assembled, at this evenings meeting.
 Thurles Chamber, today, issued notice of an informal night, open to the general public, with a view to deciding what direction Thurles Chamber’s submission should take, with reference to Tipperary’s Planning Section decision on the development of a proposed shopping unit at the old Erin Foods site at Slievenamon Road, here in Thurles.
Due to the magnitude of this proposed development, Thurles Chamber would like businesses and the public, to attend a planned meeting beginning at 7.30pm sharp, in the Hayes Hotel, on Monday October 3rd next, to openly discuss your personal stance on this development.
In their notice issued today, Thurles Chamber state:-
“Thurles Chamber has received a high volume of queries in relation to the new proposed development at the old Erin Foods site. Many of our members are looking for clarification on what is happening at the site and what impact the development would have on the town as a whole.
The Chamber is putting the final touches to it’s submission, which is due by Wednesday the 6th October. We are however very anxious to get feedback from the businesses and general public of Thurles town.
We are hosting an open night this Monday in Hayes Hotel at 7:30pm, this will be YOUR chance to have YOUR say in what direction our submission will take.
We will also forward an invite to all of the Town Councillors to attend. We hope as many as possible can attend, as this will have a major impact on the town’s future.“
So if you would like to be part of this public consultation process, please take careful note:-
Date: Monday, October 3rd. Venue: Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, Thurles. Meeting Time: 7.30pm sharp.
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