'Retailers and customers do not feel safe in the city' - says Limerick boutique owner

A THIRD-generation retailer in the city centre is warning that business people and customers no longer feel safe on the city streets due to blatant drug use, stealing and anti-social or intimidating behaviour.

O’Donnell’s Boutique on Catherine Street will be in business 80 years next year.

A man was seen on in-store CCTV stealing a jumper worth €270 from the shop floor, while the footage shows him using a blade to cut the security tag from the item before putting it into a plastic bag.

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Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 30’s has been arrested and charged and appeared before Limerick District Court one week ago.

After the incident, boutique owner Elaine Clogan posted a video on Instagram, which reached more than 40,000 viewers, talking about how unsafe the city has become and what can be done to support traders so that no more businesses close their doors.

Ms Clogan said that the gardaí told her that thieves are often stealing to feed a drug habit and can’t see beyond the “next fix.”

“It’s getting to a very scary level now,” she said.

She added that while it is a family-run business, they also view their staff as an extension of that family.

“We have a real family mentality and for someone to come in here and put what we consider family in danger - it’s so unfair for anyone to have to deal with that as part of their normal working day,” she said.

“We try to leave our door open, we want people coming in and out and on the days when the door is open, we do take in more money than when it’s closed, but we had a man come in, start to undo his trousers and was about to go to the toilet on the shop floor,” Ms Clogan said.

She said that even looking back 10 years ago, the cityscape has changed for the worse.

“The street, the intimidation, the people on the street, it’s so different,” she pointed out.

The long-established retailer said that it is changing how they view the city and something needs to be done, to tackle drug use, look at rates and support the business people, so that people will continue to come into the city and support the local economy.

“I think the council needs to support us, if all of the vacant units were full we would have instant footfall,” Ms Clogan said.

“Where is it going to end, how is it going to get better?” she asked.

O’Donnell’s Boutique ran a poll on their Instagram page and almost 90% of those who responded said that they do not feel safe in the city centre, with many commenting about avoiding the city because of this.

Meanwhile, Frankie O’Mahony who is from Raheen and returned to Limerick to open Downbeat Records in Wickham Way said that systematic change is required if results are to be seen.

He said that many of his business neighbours are women, they don’t feel safe, some have altered their hours to times when they feel less threatened, while others have started a closed door policy.

“The city is in absolute crisis mode,” he said.

He said that safety is at the centre of this, footfall needs to be stimulated and the multinationals should be incentivised to give bonuses through the Limerick gift cards.

Mr O'Mahony stressed that businesses don't need grants and subsidies, they need people.

“We need to invest in ways to get people into the city,” he said.

He praised Twilight Thursdays, saying it is a popular initiative, which actually works and brings people back into the city.

“We need a city to look out and be proud of,” Mr O'Mahony said.