For those of you who are not Irish, Clonmel is the biggest inland town in Ireland with a population of roughly 20,000 souls. As school children, we learned this fact and it was always a source of pride with which we taunted our peers from smaller surrounding towns like Cahir and Carrick-on-Suir. In addition to this accolade, Clonmel is nationally famous for being the home of Bulmer’s Cider and in recent times, infamous, for providing stock flooding footage to RTÉ Television news.
'The Main Guard' - Clonmel Town Centre
The current recession (and coming depression!) is hitting this once prosperous market town hard. The retail sector is on its knees. Anecdotally, local traders in the town centre say that they can often go an entire shopping day without making a single sale. The disastrous effects of the economic downturn have been compounded by some insane planning decisions in recent years which saw the opening of multiple retail parks and shopping centres in the suburbs of the town, outside of walking distance. The town is now disjointed and the once bustling town centre is in need of resuscitation.
Local business people, in the main, seem content to cut costs and wait for the recovery promised by the government who say we have ‘turned a corner’. This is a mirage. In my own opinion (and it gives me no pleasure to say it), this recession is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. In order for the retailers in the town centre to survive, action is required. And fast!… while we still have retailers in Clonmel town centre.
So what, if anything, is to be done? How can the town centre attract more spending customers?
One thing that can be done is make Clonmel Town Centre a Wi-Fi Hotspot. (Ya what Gay!). Put simply, this means that people would be able to access the internet via their mobile device (Phones, iPhones, iPads, Laptops etc.) from anywhere in the town centre. It’s a way of branding the town as an ‘internet oasis’ in order to lure tourists and shoppers. Offering Wi-Fi to shoppers can be viewed as an additional amenity and gives them one more reason to come to Clonmel. The fact that the Wi-Fi service is free means customers can come without feeling pressured or obligated to make a purchase. However, and at the risk of stating the obvious, if local retailers offer appealing products or services, customers may be more inclined to make a purchase during their visit.
I’m not suggesting this is a panecea. I am suggesting that if executed and marketed properly, this could help attract valuable revenue to the town. I don’t want to get bogged down it the technical, hardware and financing issues just yet.
I’d be very interested to know what you think? Please leave a comment.
A new online initiative designed to help consumers make informed choices in their buying decisions to support jobs in Ireland and economic recovery has launched. ThinkIrish.ie is a consumer-driven campaign and on-line resource which, its claimed, is designed to empower consumers with the information they need to identify and source Irish products.
Launching the ThinkIrish.ie campaign, Alan Graham, campaign Director, said: “ ThinkIrish.ie seeks to consolidate and channel consumer power to drive economic recovery and empower ordinary people to take an active role in our economic recovery through their buying decisions. By switching just €20 of their weekly purchases to Irish goods and services, consumers can help to generate 20,000 new jobs across the country.“
He also said: “ The cornerstone of ThinkIrish.ie is an on-line presence where consumers can access and share accurate and relevant information about Irish sourced goods and services. This includes Ireland’s first online directory of Irish products that will allow consumers search for Irish alternatives of the everyday products they buy.”
Mr. Graham said: “ThinkIrish.ie is different to other ‘Buy Irish’ campaigns. It’s not a commercial tactic, its about Irish consumers finding a voice and a platform to effect change, and raise awareness about how powerful consumer spending can be,” continued Mr. Graham. He added: “We want consumers the length and breath of the country to get involved, share information and make more informed purchasing decisions. “ThinkIrish.ie has no commercial agenda – the only groups we want to support are the Irish consumer and the thousands of workers whose jobs are dependent on industry in Ireland,” he said.
ThinkIrish.ie is a not-for-profit initiative developed by Jonathan Stanley, the well-known retail entrepreneur. He is joined by Dublin accountant Eamonn Freaney, Paul McArdle of The Panel, Peter Kruseman of Mindstars and Alan Graham, a senior marketing executive with considerable retail experience. The Initiative has received tremendous pro bono support from a number of Irish design and media companies, including Bonfire Design and Financial Dynamics. The campaign advocates playing to the strengths of the Irish economy by supporting domestic Irish business and producers. “It is not a question of protectionism, we know imports are a critical part of this country’s success and in particular our export success,” said Mr. Graham.
“We’re not advocating support for any domestic product that doesn’t offer equivalent or greater value to the imported one. Switching €20 need not cost a cent extra – provided people are equipped with the right information. For example, we still import 25-30% of the bottled water we drink, yet it’s often more expensive to drink imported bottled water than a domestic brand – so switching will actually save you money.”
“Irish people have a basic in-built desire to support local manufacturing and the farming community. We want to tap into this national trait and empower consumers to decide for themselves what they can and want to do to help support Irish business and Irish jobs. ThinkIrish.ie is ultimately about helping people to help themselves,” concluded Mr. Graham.
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