City Centre Management Strategy

jayboi

What's the story has anyone had a look?

Swinng

Here is a link from the Examiner about some of the suggestions

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/incentives-to-get-retailers-using-vacant-shops-246291.html

Max Powers

jayboi wrote: »

What's the story has anyone had a look?

looked at both the documents

http://www.waterfordcity.ie/departments/economic-development/retail.htm


Do they have the money or can they get it to do these things is the big Q

jennygirl

Max Powers wrote: »

looked at both the documents

http://www.waterfordcity.ie/departments/economic-development/retail.htm


Do they have the money or can they get it to do these things is the big Q

look at it this way -
100 empty shops generating €0 rates
get ppl to fill these shops - give them rates free to get them started -
NO BRAINER!

O Riain

jennygirl wrote: »

look at it this way -
100 empty shops generating €0 rates
get ppl to fill these shops - give them rates free to get them started -
NO BRAINER!

Would be unfair on the rate paying businesses wouldn't it..

bilibob

I'll say one thing, I was up in Kilkenny today and they are making a holy show of us. No empty shops, well presented shops with nice layouts. Macdonagh Junction does not seem to have hurt all the independent stores...And its only county in Ireland without a Tesco. Just goes to show- Everyone here spends all their money in Tesco Ardkeen!

I have read all the documents tonight and there is nothing in them at all! They say €200,000 will be allocated to resurfacing High street to link the Viking Triangle and John Roberts square. Then they go on to say they don't actually have the money- Its just an idea.

€30,000 on a prospectus that looks like it was probably written designed by someones teenager son on Microsoft Word for about 20 quid. I hope the money included the printing and postage costs to all the major retailers!

€20,000 for ANOTHER website to 'Promote' the city centre!!

Nothing about approaching retailers to fill up railway square- or any of the other empty retail units along Michael Street.
I think the should start charging rates on all the carparks in out of town centres.

It talks about the opportunity sites again, as in every single 'plan' the city has ever made, but doesn't say what they will do with them- Why not seize the derelict sites, or charge rates on them at the very least.
End the monopoly with the Port of Waterford with the car parks on the quay. They should be forced to invest that money from the carparks on improving the north quays.

As I drove through the city tonight at about 9 o clock. I was looking at all the old houses and apartments over the shops. Not a single light on. Does anybody actually live in the city centre anymore? I know there are no gardens and parking is awkward, but there has to be more of a focus on getting people to live in the city. It seems to be a split between old age state pensioners who have no money to spend in the city, and students, who have no money to spend in the city. I can't think of anything myself that would improve this quickly.

The Plan calls for a market place- But doesn't say where. It does not identify an opportunity site to be used for a market. Cork has The English market. Why can the city council pick an 'opportunity site' and build something high quality market place with space for cafes. They are in every city in Europe, but in Waterford the market is fairly paltry, on Broad Street with no services...

There is nothing said about the old cinema
Michael street has one line with NAMA just written beside it- No details

And then elephant in the room. Ferrybank- If Kilkenny can sustain the two Dunnes I can't see why Waterford can't seem to. Nobody will move in there without an anchor. I have heard that the major supermarkets are waiting to see if they can become anchor without paying any rent, just to open the centre.

I'm just worried that it's wasted money. I do think the Fit out scheme and arts scheme are great ideas.
This has turned into some rant. Apologies.

thomasm

bilibob wrote: »

I'll say one thing, I was up in Kilkenny today and they are making a holy show of us. No empty shops, well presented shops with nice layouts. Macdonagh Junction does not seem to have hurt all the independent stores...And its only county in Ireland without a Tesco. Just goes to show- Everyone here spends all their money in Tesco Ardkeen!

I have read all the documents tonight and there is nothing in them at all! They say €200,000 will be allocated to resurfacing High street to link the Viking Triangle and John Roberts square. Then they go on to say they don't actually have the money- Its just an idea.

€30,000 on a prospectus that looks like it was probably written designed by someones teenager son on Microsoft Word for about 20 quid. I hope the money included the printing and postage costs to all the major retailers!

€20,000 for ANOTHER website to 'Promote' the city centre!!

Nothing about approaching retailers to fill up railway square- or any of the other empty retail units along Michael Street.
I think the should start charging rates on all the carparks in out of town centres.

It talks about the opportunity sites again, as in every single 'plan' the city has ever made, but doesn't say what they will do with them- Why not seize the derelict sites, or charge rates on them at the very least.
End the monopoly with the Port of Waterford with the car parks on the quay. They should be forced to invest that money from the carparks on improving the north quays.

As I drove through the city tonight at about 9 o clock. I was looking at all the old houses and apartments over the shops. Not a single light on. Does anybody actually live in the city centre anymore? I know there are no gardens and parking is awkward, but there has to be more of a focus on getting people to live in the city. It seems to be a split between old age state pensioners who have no money to spend in the city, and students, who have no money to spend in the city. I can't think of anything myself that would improve this quickly.

The Plan calls for a market place- But doesn't say where. It does not identify an opportunity site to be used for a market. Cork has The English market. Why can the city council pick an 'opportunity site' and build something high quality market place with space for cafes. They are in every city in Europe, but in Waterford the market is fairly paltry, on Broad Street with no services...

There is nothing said about the old cinema
Michael street has one line with NAMA just written beside it- No details

And then elephant in the room. Ferrybank- If Kilkenny can sustain the two Dunnes I can't see why Waterford can't seem to. Nobody will move in there without an anchor. I have heard that the major supermarkets are waiting to see if they can become anchor without paying any rent, just to open the centre.

I'm just worried that it's wasted money. I do think the Fit out scheme and arts scheme are great ideas.
This has turned into some rant. Apologies.

Ferrybank will never open. Dunnes paid €20 million in compensation not to move in. That sums that place up

jennygirl

End the monopoly with the Port of Waterford with the car parks on the quay. They should be forced to invest that money from the carparks on improving the north quays

agreed - another state agency doing nothing to improve anything!