RATHDOWNEY, CO LAOIS, and KILL, 3 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Shoppers, many from Co Kildare, were flocking over the Christmas and new year period to Brand Central in Rathdowney, Co Laois, chasing bargains in clothing and luggage among other items in Ireland's first Tourist Outlet Village.

It is the kind of project which could have been set up in Goffs at Kill in 1999, when county manager Niall Bradley approved a planning application from Irish International Tourist Outlets Limited (IITO) for such a centre.

But it was killed by the joint efforts of county engineer Jimmy Lynch and a group of traders from Naas. Mr Lynch said the roads infrastructure in the area was inadequate to safely handle the expected increase in traffic the project would bring, while the traders feared a negative effect on their business if cut-price designer label goods were available at the village.

Up to 500 local jobs were promised by the project, most of which would have come from nearby Kill. Local people there were very much in favour of the project. The debate became quite rancorous at times, with IITO claiming reports on out-of-town shopping 'destroying' local retail communities were being used to 'totally misrepresent and manipulate' the real facts.

Local councillors were brought by Kildare County Council to view a similar development near Oxford. At the time, IITO forecast that 1.3 million additional visitors would visit the local area if the village was built - visitors who currently 'pass through the county on the way to other destinations' and that economic benefits would include an additional £8 million per annum injected into the local economy through wages, tourist spend and associated spin-off in ancillary services provided by business and individuals in the local community.

The Rathdowney centre has been open since November and while only around half of the shops have yet been opened, it is attracting shoppers to such names as Julian Graves' exotic spices store, Jean Scene, Suits You, Camille Lingerie, Book Depot, Design House furnishings and accessories, Pringle knitwear, All Rooms kitchenware, Kurt Muller mens fashions, Fashion Link ladies fashions, Joseph fashion house, Sky Jeans, Bags etc, The Shoe Collection, and Carphone Warehouse.

The centre also features an all-day restaurant providing hot and cold food, licensed for beers and wines.

©2002knn

BACK TO HOMEPAGE