Run-down Rural Towns

[irish_goat]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

[alonso]

the rush to ribbon development and sprawling one-offs has also expedited this trend. If local authorities consolidated population into discrete settlements, as is traditional, then this pattern could be halted. If you live 6 miles from a small butcher, newsagents, clothes shop etc in a small village and 15 miles from Tesco on the edge of your nearest large town, where are you gonna go?

It's up to the Local Authorities to aim policies at consolidating uses in town and village centres. It sickens me when I read about the death of rural Ireland and when I think of all our ancient architectural and cultural gems of main streets, seeing them collpse around our feet while commuter suburbs grow on the outskirts for people to drive 40 miles each way to work

There were/are Retail Planning Guidelines wqhich promote the sequential approach to provision (start at the centre and work your way out) but it's never applied. Sometimes it takes a town to hit rock bottom before it starts to ascend. It happens to tiny villages and it happened to one called Dublin in the 80's.

[goosebump]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

The death of the rural town will become another monument to the wonderous vision of Local Government in Ireland.

I remember when Tesco announced that they were setting up in our town. In response to a group who raised concerns about its impact, a Local Councillor claimed that the town 'wouldn't be a true county town' until we had a Tesco.

That's what your dealing with. Local Authorities should be abolished.

[Kevin Doyle]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

The death of the rural town will become another monument to the wonderous vision of Local Government in Ireland.

I remember when Tesco announced that they were setting up in our town. In response to a group who raised concerns about its impact, a Local Councillor claimed that the town 'wouldn't be a true county town' until we had a Tesco.

That's what your dealing with. Local Authorities should be abolished.

That local cllr wouldn't have been a member of the local chamber of commerce by any chance would he?

More worried about a closed shop than closed shops.

[Guerilla]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

French law is quite interesting regarding supermarkets in that supermarkets defined at over 3000 sq metres cannot open in small towns if the majority of local businesses object (Ithink, might have to double check)

Obviously the right winger and unofficial spokesman for multinationals is attempting to change this law.

[Kevin Doyle]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

French law is quite interesting regarding supermarkets in that supermarkets defined at over 3000 sq metres cannot open in small towns if the majority of local businesses object (Ithink, might have to double check)

Obviously the right winger and unofficial spokesman for multinationals is attempting to change this law.

The difference is Guerilla, in France the local retailer doesn’t screw his customers the same way as they do here. Convenience is rated as a chargeable commodity in Ireland. Theres nothing right-wing about wanting cheaper goods for citizens.

[QuizMaster]

The large supermarkets usually trumpet about the jobs they are going to create.
First of all, construction jobs are very temporary.
Then the retail jobs. They are largely replacing business, not adding to it. Big shops open, small shops close, same number of jobs.

Buncrana has an Aldi and a Lidl within walking distance of the main street, right across the road from each other. Even our own Carndonagh has a large Super Valu.
Moville has escaped the multis so far, but for how long?

[rockyracoon]

Rural Ireland isn't dying. It's dead. Smaller towns are going into economic retail decline while middle sized towns will rely on the big multiples to fulfill shopping requirements. It's sort of strange that just as we see the beginning of sustained high petrol prices we've chosen to rely almost exclusively on the auto-centric shopping model. That's Ireland for you.

On a more optomistic note, we have a local independent cross-roads shop which is doing decent business and whose prices are surprising keen for a small shop. What's more, the young son wants to continue in the business and build it. I reckon if he keeps on going that in 25 years time he might be a vital part of the local business community given the price of petrol.

However, I seriously doubt that any viable economic activity will return to rural communities. Bar some seasonal silage cutting, the rest of the year is just dead. I'm sure the Mandelson model (bigger is better) will eventually win out in the WTO negotiations which should put the last nail in the coffin of rural Ireland.

[Guerilla]

[quote=Kevin Doyle]

I've noticed in quite a few rural towns around the country that with the traditional shops(grocers, butchers, fishmongers etc) closing down a lot of the time nothing is moving in to replace them. Using Buncrana as an example, if you drive down the main street you'll notice several boarded up houses and shops as well as some buildings which are so dilapidated that you can't tell what they used to be. I know the main cause of all this is the emergence of bigger supermarkets(Supervalu and EuroSpar in Buncrana's case) which take business from the individual shops and ultimately cause them to shut. I'm not arguing against supermarkets opening up though because they're inevitable. What am I asking though, has there been any proposals from the government to regenerate rural towns or do we simply have to wait until the towns grow and there's increased need for services on the main street?

French law is quite interesting regarding supermarkets in that supermarkets defined at over 3000 sq metres cannot open in small towns if the majority of local businesses object (Ithink, might have to double check)

Obviously the right winger and unofficial spokesman for multinationals is attempting to change this law.

The difference is Guerilla, in France the local retailer doesn’t screw his customers the same way as they do here. Convenience is rated as a chargeable commodity in Ireland. Theres nothing right-wing about wanting cheaper goods for citizens.[/quote:19w0r886]

He doesn't want cheaper goods, he wants bigger profits for big business (his political donators and supporters)

If cheaper goods are the short-term result it will be an unintended by-product.

The sole purpose of selling goods anywhere should be to fulfill a need or want. Obviously under capitalism this could never happen.

[Kevin Doyle]

The large supermarkets usually trumpet about the jobs they are going to create.
First of all, construction jobs are very temporary.
Then the retail jobs. They are largely replacing business, not adding to it. Big shops open, small shops close, same number of jobs.

Buncrana has an Aldi and a Lidl within walking distance of the main street, right across the road from each other. Even our own Carndonagh has a large Super Valu.
Moville has escaped the multis so far, but for how long?

And I bet people in Moville do their main shop in Buncrana or where ever the nearest Multi is. That doesn't help the local economy in any way now does it. Multis only generally sell food, so if food shops cannot compete they may or may not go out of business. Food shops do not a town make.

I have to say, this is the most anti-competition thread I have ever read though.