by Louise Doyle
CALLS are to be made for any future public events in Letterkenny to be held in the town park(s) after local businesses suffered financial loss when the town’s main street was closed during a protest and counter protest last weekend.
Councillor Michael McBride, pictured below, is to table a motion at tomorrow’s Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting urging that the council consider holding any planned public gatherings going forward in the town park(s).
It comes amid frustration after a number of businesses were left counting the cost last Bank Holiday weekend, when the main street was closed for a time to traffic at 10am on Saturday last.
In the wake of the incident, Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce said lessons must be learned and future consultation carried out with businesses when roads are due to be closed to accommodate such events.
Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce pointed out that retailers were handed leaflets on the Friday before the protest and counter rally, stating that there would be no parking. However, they have stressed that they were not informed that no traffic would be allowed on the main street from 10am on the day of the protest and counter rally.
Jimmy Stafford, President of Letterkenny Chamber, had said: “This protest has resulted in next to no business being done on the Saturday of a bank holiday weekend and has impacted the wider retail areas outside of the Main Street, including the retail parks and the shopping centres.”
Cllr McBride’s motion reads: “That Donegal County Council would consider the possibility of holding any planned public gatherings in the town park/s as local businesses (rate payers) basically lost a full days taking on Saturday, May 6.”
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