Shop front facelifts to boost business

TWO Kilrush streets are to benefit from a shop front scheme aimed at assisting in the business regeneration of both streets. Last week’s Kilrush Town Council monthly meeting heard details of the scheme, which was also discussed at the January meeting of the town council.
Moore Street and Henry Street are the streets that will benefit from the initiative, which is being promoted by Kilrush Town Council, Kilrush Chamber of Commerce, Shannon Development and Kilrush Tidy Towns.
The general plan is to encourage new businesses to open on these streets and to assist existing businesses to improve their shop fronts. The scheme will apply to owners and occupiers of existing businesses and to new ventures, although only one application per premises will be accepted.
The maximum grant available will be €750, or 50% of the cost of the works, whichever is the lesser cost. The works must be completed before this August and all applications for the fund must be completed and sent to Kilrush Town Council by April 30.
However, applications for premises where arrears of local authority charges are unpaid will not be considered.
It is also envisaged that owners of some premises, in tandem with the scheme, will offer rent reductions to new occupants.
However, as Kilrush is an Architectural Conservation Area and a Heritage Town, it is a requirement that new shop fronts or alterations to existing ones, must comply with polices in the Kilrush Town Plan. The architectural conservation officer is available to give advice regarding design to all applicants. Dick Cronin is contactable at 065 6846407 or ruacronin@clarecoco.ie
The January meeting of Kilrush Town Council had heard that the shop front scheme was to apply to Moore Street but Councillor Liam O’Looney asked that the scheme be broadened to include Henry Street.
Moore Street re-opened last December following more than €250,000 of road works carried out over a six-week period. The street, which was home to 125 businesses in the 1840s, had become dilapidated, with only a handful of businesses remaining open.
However, the extensive road works has helped to improve the appearance of the street.
At the December meeting, Councillor Tom Prendeville suggested the street should benefit from a Government-funded pilot project to inject life back into Moore Street, adding that an application for funding should be made to the Department of the Environment.
Town clerk John Corry revealed he had written to Finance Minister Michael Noonan asking that the now defunct Urban Renewal Schemes be reactivated.