Saturday pedestrianisation for Ennis

SIX months of Saturday pedestrianisation on some of Ennis’ ­shopping streets begins this week, as part of a joint Ennis Town Council and Ennis Chamber Saturday Shopping promotional campaign.
Consultation and discussion has been ongoing between the council and business representatives in recent months and the decision was made to pedestrianise Abbey Street, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street on Saturdays from 12 until 6pm.
Welcoming the initiative, Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Frankie Neylon, said, “This joint initiative involves the promotion of Ennis as a great place to shop and the traffic-free streets will create a pleasant atmosphere in which people can move more freely and enjoy what Ennis has to offer. 
“All public car parks will be accessible and these car parks are conveniently located adjacent to pedestrianised streets,” he commented.
Guy Flouch, president of Ennis Chamber, underlined the importance to local businesses of regenerating Saturday shopping in the town. He said the promotional campaign for Saturday shopping in Ennis includes a regional and national print and radio campaign, jointly funded by Ennis Town Council.
“The chamber is also working on Saturday shopper offers with Irish Rail, to provide discounted return fares from Limerick and Galway, and ‘shop and Sleep’ offers with local hotels,” he explained.
Rita McInerney, chamber CEO, said that the chamber expects a positive response to the media campaign and a boost to shopping footfall in the town. She encouraged local residents, many of whom have expressed a desire for the pedestrianisation initiative. to support local shops by staying in town to shop on Saturdays.
She also stressed that an ­important element of the Shop Saturday campaign is that the council will look generously at applications by local eateries to put tables out on the streets and confirmed that two restaurants have already submitted on-street trading applications.
Ms McInerney added, “ The chamber and the council have agreed a tough review process, whereby the successes and challenges of the experimental pedestrianisation element of the campaign are reviewed closely, particularly in the early stages of the campaign.”
Eddie Power, Ennis town clerk, confirmed that the pedestrianisation initiative will be monitored and reviewed and structures have been put in place to ensure that consultation between the stakeholders continues in an effective manner. 
“This Saturday will be the first day of the Saturday series of pedestrianisation and will coincide with on-street entertainment in O’Connell Square as part of the Fleadh Nua Programme 2010,” he said.