Why no street canopies in Ireland?

Young Blood

For the most part there are very few street canopies in Ireland.

For a country that rains so much why aren't there more?

JupiterKid

Young Blood wrote: »

For the most part there are very few street canopies in Ireland.

For a country that rains so much why aren't there more?

There used to be, back in the 1950s/60s and before. Just take a look at old photos. They fell out of fashion in the 70s and never really made a comeback.

It would be nice to see more shop canopies about.

Batzoo

The shops used to put their wares in front of the windows outside and passers by could peruse these goods. A canopy protected these goods from downpours. Times have changed now and thievery is more likely, also people are more likely to sue if they trip over these wares on the street. So the shopkeeps don't put anything out anymore and margins are tighter, so no need for the added expense of canopies which would only amount to decoration now. Cafe's and greengrocers and shops that still use their street frontage still persist with the canopies.

Not a complete or definitive answer, but I believe it to be true based on many years of silent observation

fancy pigeon

Young Blood wrote: »

For the most part there are very few street canopies in Ireland.

For a country that rains so much why aren't there more?

It would be nice to have something to run under if caught out in a sudden downpour

Peregrinus

Worldwide, canopies are used more for sun protection than for rain protection, and you find them widespread in sunny countries, not wet countries. They shade large glass windows, which would otherwise cause heating problems in the shop.

As JupiterKid points out, they used to be commoner in Ireland. They often took the form of retractible canvas awnings, and these were in fact mostly rolled out when it was sunny. Partly for the reason already mentioned, and partly to shade painted signs an d woodwork on the shopfront, which before the development of modern synthetic paints were prone to fade and/or blister from exposure to direct sunlight.

It's true that canopies provide shade and/or rain protection as required for users of the footpath, but this is secondary, and is not the reason why shopowners ever provided them. They don't want to make it easy for you to be in the street outside the shop; they want you to come in.

JupiterKid

There seems to be a correlation between when shops started getting security steel shutters and ditched their canopies.

neris

i think the councils in dublin charge for any retailer that wants a canopy now. anything to sting a few more quid out of a struggling business. also irelands a windy country im sure those thing can damage easily in a strong breeze