Businesses in Clare are being urged to take advantage of all financial and consultancy supports available to them.
It comes as a number of of well known retail outlets and service providers in the county town have announced they will be permanently shutting their doors this month.
The latest available figures from Geo Directory shows that the commercial vacancy rate in Ennis currently stands at 18%.
Although concern is beginning to emerge that this number may soon be on the rise, with a number of popular businesses in the county town stating their intentions to permanently close at the end of the month.
Firms throughout the country are facing significant challenges including rising insurance premiums and soaring utility bills in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
However Clare’s Local Enterprise Office insists that supports are always available to keep businesses afloat.
The LEO will provide a free training course on the LEAN business model in the coming weeks to show businesses how to maximise workplace efficiency with the resources available to them.
Additionally the LEO is also encouraging firms to avail of their free mentorship programme which would see a fresh pair of eyes analyse the areas in which the business can overcome stumbling blocks and exploit opportunities.
Padraic McElwee, Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office in Clare says that while assistance is available, retailers and hospitality providers must do their part to make the public aware of their unique selling points.
He says while demographics are changing, local businesses shouldn’t view online shopping as competition but as a complimentary asset.
An Ennis Councillor meanwhile, claims accessibility is the key to maintaining commercial activity in the town centre.
Clare County Council recently announced the extension of pedestrianisation measures on O’Connell Street, which will see the route closed to traffic between the hours of 11.30am to 4.30pm until the new year.
The proposal has been a point of major contention for the Abbey Street Traders Group who claim the town is already operating at a deficit of between 1,500 and 2,000 parking spaces.
Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn believes consumers cannot engage with local retailers without suitable travel options.
You can listen to the full interview below.
