‘Crisis point’ - Waterford retailers ‘under severe pressure’ as online shopping takes over

Waterford retailers are "under severe pressure" as online shopping continues to become more popular, a council meeting has heard.

Concerns over the continuing trend were highlighted by independent councillor Joe O’Riordan at the October plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

Cllr O’Riordan said he is anxious that action is taken to address the issues: “I did raise this issue at the last meeting and received no reply. “It would seem that retail businesses are very much at the base of the pyramid as far as the council goes.

“My town, once a big part of the business industry, has had six retail businesses close in the last few years for a variety of reasons.”

Cllr O’Riordan added that he believes that the council’s focus when it comes to economic development is on tourism and hospitality.

READ NEXT: 'Dedicated and skilled' Waterford nurse into final of Nursing Homes Ireland Care Awards

He continued: “Have we any concrete plan to listen to retailers and their concerns and engage in a dedicated constructed plan to support and actually aid retail businesses outside of the grant systems, which appear to have little take-up.”

Cllr O’Riordan also asked for a breakdown of how money is spent across the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors.

At the previous plenary meeting, he had said that local retailers were “under severe pressure” and “possibly at crisis point”.

In response to Cllr O’Riordan, Director of Services, Michael Quinn said: “In relation to the retail sector, it is a very challenging department, there’s absolutely no doubt about that.

“It is not in any way limited to Waterford or Dungarvan, it literally is across the country and across probably certainly developed countries with [the amount of] online shopping that is taking place.”

Mr Quinn defended the council’s aforementioned retail support scheme, which he described as the “most generous” such scheme in the country.

He also defended the council’s engagement with retailers, citing a retail support group that was recently set up in the city.

He added that the ‘Shop Local’ campaign aims to help support local businesses, particularly at Christmas time.

Mr Quinn continued: "An awful lot of our investment is around trying to animate the city and trying to have things on in the city that people can come in for.

“So we have 'Summer in the City', [which is] very much aimed at supporting the wider retail and business sector rather than the nighttime economy.

“Winterval is another significant investment that the council makes and the whole idea is that you’re actually supporting daytime activity in the city, which supports all businesses.”

He concluded by saying that while the council does “an awful lot”, he was open to ideas as to how supports might be improved.

Mr Quinn added that the council won’t be “found wanting” when it comes to supporting retailers.