You need people living in the actual city centre.
That will encourage all the small shops etc, to open. The majority of the housing stock in the city centre is in a shocking state.
But on the flip side if people try to do anything to improve that you’ll have the same people who complain about the death of the city lodging objections against new developments
The old city had working quays on the port from the clarion hotel area down as far as the sarsfield house area. Housing and retail looked the other way. There was nothing on the north bank.
The value is in having apartments facing the river, and not retail
There was a lad on here once who was all for Limerick City. But then when something positive came along, he favoured mass deaths rather than see it succeed. You cant win with some men.
The markets on a Saturday morning are fantastic inside in town. Top notch offering, great buzz. Dunno how they replicate it daily but something like that could be a good focal point.
Bricks and mortar retail is on in the death throes so needs to be more than just shops for the sake of shops inside in town. There’s already too many cafes too.
A dog park in the middle of town might be a start. A shitload of dog owners could be drawn in and might drop a few quid when in there. Pond for ducks/wildlife to get families bringing kids in and around.
Consumerism has to be secondary focus as will come naturally when more bodies in and around the place anyway. Shops alone ain’t getting people back in when they can do it from home or shopping centre Emphasis on activities and attractions only hope I think and fact families have been spending more.time together of late, it’s perfect time to build on that.
Shops need a change too. A plan around retail and type of retail needs to be brought forward. William Street is ruined by those tacky phone shops, pound shops and a load of charity shops. Guidance on shop facades and spread of retail types needed. Reduction in rates compared to out of town shopping may bring in higher end shops.
I guess I’m part of the parking problem in Limerick, it has always struck me as a piss-easy city to drive into and plonk a car close to the middle of town and stroll around to the shops. I’d usually park around Mallow St or Pery’s Square direction and tip away down. I think pedestrianising Catherine St up as far as Jerry Flannery’s would be a good move alright, you can see how it has worked well for William St and Bedford Row. Pedestrianising the length of O’Connell St I’m not so sure about, be nice if they could make The Crescent around the O’Connell statue a bit more pedestrian-oriented alright.
We could have some kind of Daytona 500 drag race up O’Connell st with sulkies. A month long event. Like the running of the bulls. The running of the pie balls.
The fashion quarter was roundly ridiculed but independent retailers (and Brown Thomas) are the only way the city will compete with the out of towners, retail is absolutely not the be all and end all but without it there’s little else that can thrive,
Again we laugh at M and S and the limerick crowds excitement but it’s another draw, nobody wants to do the weekly shop in town, you go for a different experience
I never understood the inferiority complex that limerick people have about not have m&s. Its food is over rated, dunnes and aldi do much the same stuff with similar quality.