Talked to a load of local business people both in Killarney and kenmare over the weekend. Here’s what they all said and scary that they all pretty much said the same thing
◾️jan/feb always dead
◾️March/April way down on last year
◾️May slightly better
◾️June up and down and literally no idea what you’ll do from one day to the next
◾️Town like a ghost town come 9pm. No one eats out late anymore and most pubs cleared by 930/10 bar the odd few
◾️Every one of them STILL WAITING ON ICOB GRANT TO BE PAID. Should have been paid end of March
◾️Cost of doing business up anywhere from 50-100kpa since 2019 with turnover same or marginally down
◾️All dreading winter already
◾️Fear more mass closures from September onwards
◾️All saying what’s the point continuing working 6-7 days a week for nothing
◾️A lot didn’t pay themselves last 6 months and beyond
◾️A lot have pumped own money in to save going bust
This was a pretty wide section of small family run businesses across the board and frightening that everyone is saying the same. 4th year in a row of very tough trading conditions. Hung on hoping this year would be better. Not the case and simply can’t see a future in what they’re doing anymore
All this would lead me to predict a lot more closures again this winter. I think a lot of business people renting will pack it in and those owning their own properties nearing retirement will simply pull the plug sooner rather than later
The only hint of optimism is that everyone said it wouldn’t take a lot to get them out of the shites and prayed for a strong summer season to do just that.
I’m not so sure myself if that’ll happen or not, but either way, there is no doubt there will be a lot more casualties over the coming 6 months across the country
If @SimonHarrisTD is serious about having the backs of small family run businesses, he’s gonna have to pull one hell of a rabbit out of a hat to save them!