Words 6,409
Bantry Xmas 25-11-07
By Jackie Keogh
The members of Bantry Town Traders Association are committing their
time, money and resources again this year to make sure the town is
looking festive in time for the switching on of the Christmas lights
on December 1, and the December 8 shopping promotion.
“It takes a lot of commitment and resources to fund the town’s
lighting display and the Christmas promotions, and we would like to
thank everyone who subscribes to it on an annual basis,” said Mr.
Eddie Wiseman, chairman of the trader’s association.
“But the traders do more than organise and participate in the
Christmas shopping promotions – which includes a ten percent discount
in participating stores on December 8, as well as substantial prize
draws in the days before Christmas – the seventy members are on hand,
throughout the year, supporting local clubs, charities and community
organisations.
“Three years ago,” Mr. Wiseman said, “there was a big jump in the
number of members when fifteen, or more, new businesses opened in the
town. A lot of them were bijou style shops, selling crafts,
accessories, and were a very welcome addition because they attracted
more shoppers in to the town.
“A lot of people are loyal to Bantry and do their shopping locally.
Without that kind of support, Bantry would not be the thriving market
town it is today. It is, in my opinion, the number one market town of
West Cork because it has more shops, more choice, and more variety
than other towns in the vicinity.
The membership of Bantry Town Traders Association reflects the broad
spectrum of businesses in the town, from footwear and clothing
retailers, interiors and gift shops, hair salons and beauticians,
cafes, bars, restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores,
accountants, solicitors and banks.
“The association is open to any local business and we would encourage
everyone, including plumbers, carpenters and others people in trade to
get involved and help us in our aim to promote Bantry.
“The more that happens in Bantry, the more business opportunities it
creates,” said Mr. Wiseman. “But at this time of year we tend to focus
on the Christmas celebrations and the organising of a €20,000 giveaway
of prizes in participating shops.
“From December 1 on, some shops organise weekly raffles, but usually
there are a number of big prize draws on Sunday, December 23.
Customers have the opportunity to win prizes worth up to €1,000.”
In his own store, Wiseman’s Clothing and Footwear, as well as the
Blanket Shop, Mr. Wiseman said he will be offering prizes worth €700.
“Whatever the amount,” Mr. Wiseman said, “It’s for nice for shoppers
to be in with a chance of winning a substantial prize, and it is our
way of giving something back and showing people who shop in Bantry
that we appreciate their support.
“Meanwhile, on Saturday, December 8 next, we will be continuing the
traditional ten percent discount, which shoppers say is very welcome
at this time of year when there is a lot of calls on expenditure.”
The chairman maintained that at any time of the year “Bantry offers
good value. Here, you will get more for your money because businesses
in the town are very competitive.”
The majority of the shops will be open on Sunday, December 16 and
Sunday, December 23 next. Sunday openings are becoming increasingly
popular because it affords people the opportunity to shop at their
leisure. There’s also less demand on parking and it’s social –
there’s time to sit and chat with friends in between shopping for
family and friends without trying to cram everything into a busy
weekday.
“One of the things about shopping,” said Mr. Wiseman, “is that men
hate it, but what we have to offer in Bantry is a fabulous three-
screen cinema. We also have a fantastic library, two swimming pools,
and a lot of excellent cafes, restaurants and pubs.”
Looking to the future, Mr. Wiseman said there are a number of major
infrastructure projects in the offing, such as the relief road; the
sewerage scheme; the start of the dredging process; and the new
community school and Gaelscoil; and the upgrading of the town’s water
supply.
Long-term, he said Bantry could look forward to the development of the
inner harbour. He said anyone who needs convincing of the merits of
this project should call into the harbour master’s office and see how
it has the potential to transform the town.
“At a time when a lot of people are talking down the economy,” Mr.
Wiseman said, “Bantry still has a lot of fundamental factors that can
still drive the local economy forward. I believe we have only just
begun to tap the potential of what it can and will achieve and the
town traders are here for the long haul.”
The chairman of Bantry Harbour Commissioners, Mr. Aiden McCarthy, said
he is pleased that Bantry, like Killarney, is to be a Failte Ireland
‘hub town’ for walking, cycling, outdoor and touring pursuits.
Although the full impact of the proposal might not be obvious until
late 2008, or early 2009, Mr. McCarthy said, “It will be very good for
Bantry to be identified as a hub for tourism-related activities
because it will highlight all that the area has to offer by way of
accommodation and amenities.
“The new roll out of funding will support walking routes, such as the
Sheep’s Head and Beara Way, and hopefully capitalise on their
popularity and attract more tourists to the area.
“The critical thing is to have back-up services like hotels and
restaurants so, in that respect, we are very lucky to have three good
quality hotels in the town. While the Westlodge Hotel continues to do
year round business and attract a lot of coach tours, we are fortunate
to have the Bantry Bay and the new Maritime Hotel in the town centre,
both of which are suitable for people who do not travel by car or
coach.”
Mr. McCarthy described Bantry in the way that tourists might see it:
“As you approach the town,” he said, “the first thing they see are the
beautifully landscaped grounds of the Westlodge Hotel and Pondlodge
Cottages.”
He said this award-winning amenity is open to the public, having been
provided – free of charge – by the Murphy Brothers, owners of the
Westlodge Hotel. Each year, it wins a local tourism award because the
island in the centre of the tidal lagoon is teeming with birds and
other wildlife.
The next thing a visitor to the town sees is the entrance and grounds
to Bantry House. Locally, Mr. McCarthy, “People are aware of the huge
level of dedication, commitment and hard work that the owners,
Edgerton and Brigitte Shellswell White, put into the maintenance and
running of the estate.
“Due to their efforts, Bantry House has proven to be a huge asset to
the town. It really is the jewel in the crown,” said Mr. McCarthy,
“and continues to attract tens of thousands of visitors each year – a
figure that does not include the thousands who go to the West Cork
Chamber Music Festival and Masters of Tradition concerts.
“A lot of couples have their wedding photographs taken in the grounds
of Bantry House, so it has a great deal of significance for local
people, including local businesses who benefit from events like the
Chamber Music Festival.”
The next thing people see as they approach the town centre is the new
Maritime Hotel. Mr. McCarthy paid tribute to the local building firm
of Murnane and O’Shea for “transforming a derelict site into a state-
of-the-art hotel that has benefited the social and economic life of
Bantry town.”
Mr. McCarthy also commented on the appeal of Wolfe Tone Square, which
was transformed by Cork County Council in 1996. Today it serves as
the perfect platform for local festivals and events.
Wolfe Tone Square offers people strolling on the promenade a 360-
degree view of all the businesses and fine buildings in the town
centre, as well as Bantry Bay. It is also home to the impressive
Christmas crib, statue of Wolfe Tone and information stands, which
give an account of the town’s fascinating history.
“What we need now,” said Mr. McCarthy, “is to make sure we develop the
north side of the inner harbour – which has been zoned for marine and
leisure related development – in a sensitive manner.”
With this in mind, an ambitious development plan has been drawn up and
is currently on display in the harbour master’s office, located near
the tourist office in the square.
Meanwhile, €3 million has been granted for the first phase of the
dredging of the inner harbour. Mr. McCarthy said the work would
commence once the harbour commissioners have dealt with all the
planning issues. He said they have to carry out an environmental
impact study, as well as a plan on how they propose to dispose of the
material lodged in the area known locally as ‘the slob’.
The process, according to Mr. McCarthy, will take two years, but he
stressed the importance of complying with all the regulations and the
need to make sure that no damage is done to the aquaculture life in
the bay.
“Aquaculture has become a huge employer in the area and it is
important that we support and encourage its growth,” he said. The
chairman acknowledged that some people might consider a one, or two,
year delay during the preliminary process to be disappointing, but he
said, “It is necessary, and the results will be worth the wait.
“When the harbour is dredged, there will be a minimum of two meters of
water in the inner bay, even at low tide. That will be a huge
improvement because it will eliminate the huge amount of discontent
there is at the moment about the state of the slob.”
The chairman of the harbour commissioners also told ‘The Southern
Star’ that they are in the process of appointing a consultant who will
oversee and plan the development of the inner harbour.
He maintains. “This is probably the town’s most important economic
plan ever because it has such a bearing on tourism, the economy, and
the social development of the town.”
If Bantry proceeds with a major marina and harbour development –
sometime in the next five, ten or fifteen years – Mr. McCarthy said it
will bring with it new leisure activities and facilities like
waterfront restaurants and bars.
“The potential is there,” said Mr. McCarthy, “we have an extraordinary
natural advantage over most other towns in the country because the bay
is adjacent – literally a stone’s throw – from the town centre.”
Having said that, Mr. McCarthy concedes that 2007 has been
disappointing from a planning point of view. Apart from one-off
planning, he said, “No planning permission has been granted for
schemes, or developments, this year because of Bantry’s restricted
water capacity.
“We are, however, lucky that the sewerage scheme – which will cost an
estimated five or six million to complete – will commence in the New
Year.” Mr. McCarthy explained that the funding has been sanctioned
for a long time, but there was unfortunately a delay with gaining
access to the foreshore. But that has now been resolved, and the
tender process has been dealt with, so there is no further impediment
to work.
To date, untreated sewerage has been going into the bay, but the new
state-of-the-art treatment plant at Beach will put an end to that
practice and Bantry Bay will be all the better for it.
Mr. McCarthy said the local authority’s planning strategy is to reduce
one-off houses in the countryside and to attract as much investment as
possible in and around town centres. But, in order to do this, they
have to make town centres more attractive. This is why there is a need
to develop walks, parks and sporting facilities.
He said the town also needs proper infrastructure if it is to develop,
such as the sewerage scheme and an adequate water supply scheme. A
major water augmentation scheme proposed for Bantry is the subject of
a court appeal and is still unresolved.
Nevertheless, the Town Manager, Mr. Niall O’Mahony outlined some
interim solutions to members of the town council and Mr. McCarthy
explained that these include the upgrading of the pipe network from
the existing water supply at Lough Bofinna and Drombrow, as well as
tapping into large wells that have been tested and approved under
health and safety regulations.
Mr. McCarthy said he was optimistic that some of the interim solutions
would come on stream mid-way through 2008, but he did concede, “It has
been extremely disappoint that money has been allocated for so long
and we still have not seen any new water mains laid.”
He maintains the time has come for Cork County Council to “reflect on
their system of dealing with infrastructure projects. In the past,
their in-house engineer drew up the plan and oversaw it, but Mr.
McCarthy said that approach doesn’t seem to be working.
He said he couldn’t say what the proper alternative might be, but
suggested they should consider appointing an independent body to take
on these projects and oversee them. He said, “It was a viewpoint that
was expressed by one professional I spoke with, who said these systems
should be standardised nationally, thereby cutting out a lot of
bureaucracy.”
With the interim solutions at hand, the harbour board chairman said,
“We would be hopeful that plannings would be granted in the New Year.”
He said there are plenty of investors with good ideas willing to
invest in Bantry, but they are holding back until the conditions are
right.
According to Mr. McCarthy, the current credit squeeze will not have
the same impact on Bantry that it will have on other towns throughout
Ireland because there are so many investment projects poised for take
off.
He cited the purchase and proposed re-development of Vickery’s Hotel
as one example. If the building is turned into apartments and retail
units, Mr. McCarthy said it would have the potential to revitalise the
town centre.
That development, in conjunction with his own development in the
Warner Centre, would see the re-opening of the Vickery’s Lane – the
oldest street in town – as well as the development of an internal
courtyard.
Plans like this, according to Mr. McCarthy, shows there is “a long
term vision for the town centre,” but there are also a number of other
ideas, such as the development of another supermarket and medical
centre at the Rope Walk.
Mr. McCarthy said there is the view that the supermarket giant, Tesco,
is interested in coming to Bantry, but because the area outside of
town is not zoned for that kind of development, it is unclear if it
will get the go-ahead.
There is also talk that the GAA park might be sold to a local property
developer and promoted as a retail development, but that is dependent
on a suitable alternative facility being found for the sports club and
the granting of planning permission.
Speaking as a public representative, Mr. McCarthy said people have
been saying there is a need for a second supermarket in the town, and
if there isn’t room for one in the town centre, then provision should
be made for own on the outskirts of town.
“It is extremely important to have competition and relocation could
free-up parking in the town centre.” The chairman expressed the hope
that a decision “will be made soon, so we all have a clear indication
about how the town is going to develop.”
Mr. McCarthy said they are pleased that Bantry will have a new
community school, new Gaelscoil and sports facility at Seskin, but he
did express some disappointment about the final date for the
commencement of the public private partnership programme.
The Chief Executive Office of the Cork County Vocational Educational
Committee (VEC), Mr. Barra O’Briain did, however, confirm that the
schools and sports centre are included the Department of Education and
Science 2006 to 2009 building programme and would be going to tender
in the New Year.
The centre and the two schools, which are scheduled to open in
September 2009 at a projected cost of twenty million, will provide for
750 pupils from Bantry Ard Scoil Phobal, St. Goban’s College and the
Gaelscoil. It is also envisaged that the sports centre, which will
include a running track, a soccer field and an indoor court that can
be used for basketball, will be open to the public.
The project has been a long time in the offing. According to Mr.
McCarthy, the proposed amalgamation of the schools was agreed in 1998,
but it has still taken almost ten years to secure a site, apply for
planning permission, secure funding, and prepare the tender.
Nevertheless, when it is complete, Mr. McCarthy said it would serve
Bantry for a long time to come; offer students a far wider choice of
subjects; and possibly attract new students from outside of the area
who want to study in a school that has modern facilities.
Mr. McCarthy said it is still unclear what use will be made of the two
schools when they have been vacated, but it is clear there could be a
good development opportunity there.
He also said the land and building at the Convent of Mercy has been
sold and the word is that a social housing group has bought it. Mr.
McCarthy said previous social housing projects have proved to be
successful, but he said, “It would be extremely important to make
appropriate use of the old convent because it is one of the most
important and historic buildings in the town.”
Mr. McCarthy welcomed the new developments in relation to the first
phase of the proposed relief road for Bantry. He said, “The council
have made very good progress, this year. The compulsory purchase
order (CPO) has been agreed and the council is now going through the
‘part eight’ planning process. Hopefully, by the end of this year,
they will be in a position to allocate funding to commence the first
phase.”
The first phase will go from the bottom of Slip to the entrance of St.
Goban’s College. The completion of that section is expected to take a
huge amount of traffic out of the town centre, especially parents who
take their children to school in the morning.
As most of the housing in Bantry is on the north-east side of the
town, Mr. McCarthy said these people would also be able to avoid the
town completely, which will cut down even more on traffic congestion.
Even if the relief road takes another five years to complete, Mr.
McCarthy said he believes this infrastructural development would make
Bantry “a more accessible, free flowing, and pleasant town to visit;
and that complaints about congestion and lack of parking will be put
to rest.”
Despite the lack of planning applications for different developments,
Mr. McCarthy said, “A lot of good use has been made of existing
buildings.” He said, “It is very encouraging to see the amount of
redevelopment that has happened in the last year in the town.
“What is particularly pleasing about it is that it is local people
that are doing the work. It is local people that are taking the
initiative. So from a local perspective,” he said, “It is all good –
it is all positive.”
Eileen O’Shea
There was more good news for Bantry at the launch of the South West
Regional Tourism and Development Board plan for 2008 to 2010 at the
Kingsley Hotel in Cork last Wednesday.
Ms. Eileen O’Shea, who is a former chairperson of Cork Kerry Tourism –
an organisation that was replaced by the South West Regional Tourism
and Development Board (SWRTDB) in 2006 – said she is pleased that
Bantry has been listed as ‘a hub’ for tourism-related activities in
West Cork.
She said, “One of the plans they have is to develop marine tourism and
activity holidays and, in this regard, they will be working with the
local authorities to develop them as well. With funding available,”
she said, “the time is now right for anyone with a marine activity, or
leisure business, in mind to firm-up their proposals.”
Ms. O’Shea, who is manager of the Westlodge Hotel, said she believes
“marine tourism is the way forward in West Cork and, as a member of
the board of the West Cork Enterprise Board, she pointed out that it
“is there to help small business interests copperfasten their plans
before going to the funding stage.”
With Failte Ireland promoting Bantry as a hub and the South West
Regional Tourism and Development Board promoting activities throughout
the region, she said, “It is like a double promotion for the area.”
Ms. O’Shea, who is also a member of the Cork County Council Tourism
and Development Board, highlighted the need to improve access to West
Cork. She said, “The loss of the Cork Swansea Ferry in 2007 was
tremendous blow to tourism in West Cork and South Kerry.”
She estimated that in some parts of West Cork business was down by as
much as thirty percent, especially guesthouses and self-catering
businesses. “The Cork Swansea Ferry service is vital to tourism, and
everyone needs to work together to make sure the service is back in
action for 2008.
“With tourism growth in Ireland now primarily based in urban centres,
it is essential we retain the existing services, and restore the
ferry, which provided a service that was as important to West Cork as
the road network.
“We need that infrastructure to safeguard the future of tourism in
West Cork and South Kerry, and we are, at this stage, hopeful that the
service will be put in place for the 2008 season.”
Commenting on the way Bantry has developed over the last few years,
the hotel manager said, “It has become a lovely town to visit: there
are loads of lovely craft shops and restaurants, as well as plenty of
good quality accommodation and very good leisure facilities.
“There are very few towns where you get such a strong visual impact at
the entrance to the town. Where else can you see the sea from the
town’s main square?”
For years, the Westlodge Hotel has been to the fore in promoting
Bantry as a tourism destination. The hotel offers one hundred
bedrooms and eleven self-catering cottages. It employs a full-time
staff of fifty, and a further sixty during the main tourism season.
The hotel health and leisure centre, which was built in 1996, is still
regarded as one of the finest leisure centres in the region. It has
helped to ensure that the hotel is busy all year round, and serve five
hundred local members from Schull to Castletownbere.
The leisure centre also offers swimming classes for children and
adults during the winter season, as well as aqua-aerobics. It even
has two treatment rooms, where members and guests in the hotel can
book a variety of relaxing therapies.
Weddings continue to be a mainstay at the Westlodge Hotel. The newly
refurbished ‘Seafield Room’ can cater for up to three hundred guests.
Whatever the function – and the Westlodge certainly has a lot of them
because it remains a popular venue for parties, functions and
community celebrations – the food at the Westlodge Hotel is always
good because it is sourced locally.
The hotel manager explained that the Westlodge is part of the Leader
Fuchsia Brand initiative and it is certified by Feile Bia. In fact,
this year for the third time the hotel has been awarded the ‘Optimus
Best Practice Award’. It is an award of excellence issued by Failte
Ireland in recognition of the hotel’s business excellence and service.
George Hook
Mr. George Hook, the manger of Bantry’s newest hotel said he is
pleased with the impact that The Maritime Hotel has had on the town
since it opened last April.
“It is something that Bantry needed. It was crying out for a new
product – something different that would bring new tourists in to West
Cork. The impact on Bantry has been incredible,” he said, “and I’m not
just talking about jobs, but it has been good too in terms of
weddings, functions and cabarets.”
“With fifty-one bedrooms and fifty-nine suites, the hotel can only
accommodate so many people, yet it brings in so many more people – up
to three hundred people for a wedding, or 650 people at the cabarets.”
Mr. Hook estimated that bed and breakfast businesses in the locality
might also be benefiting because entertainers like Tommy Fleming,
Charlie Lansborough, The Fureys, Bagatelle, Brendan Grace, Dickie
Rock, and of course the legendary Joe Dolan, have started playing to
huge, appreciative audiences.
“Murnane and O’Shea spared no expense on this – it is their flagship
development in the locality – and they are very proud of it. They
want the hotel to succeed and be synonymous with Bantry.
“The hotel, which is operating under the Gleneagle Hotel Group, is
advertising Bantry throughout the whole of Munster, and since it
opened in time for St. Patrick’s weekend, it has been very busy.
“Occupancy in the first year – which can often be a difficult year –
was at seventy percent, which is good. But the fact that the hotel
has been welcomed by locals, and the people of West Cork, is just as
important.
“We are getting enquiries on a daily basis about weddings in our
‘Windward Suite’, which can cater for a maximum of 350 people. We
also have a private bar and two separate lounge areas, and a separate
room for private dining, on the first floor. These rooms are
particularly suitable for corporate functions, but we also have a
state-of-the-art meeting room that can accommodate thirty people.
“The head chef in the ‘Ocean Restaurant’ is Mr. Derek McKnight, who
previously worked on the QE2. He’s a great asset to the hotel and
uses only the finest local produce.
“The Maritime Bar, meanwhile, is contemporary and modern, but not over
the top. It’s comfortable and has an extremely family friendly
atmosphere. It can seat up to eighty people and is undoubtedly one of
the most modern bars in West Cork, offering a carvery lunch menu,
seven days a week, from 12.30pm until 4pm, as well as an extensive bar
food menu until 9pm.
“Club Maritime – with its 17 metre pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi,
kids pool and gym – has the capacity to take five hundred members, and
there are still some place available.
“The hotel itself now stands in what used to be a blackspot. In
developing it, Murnane and O’Shea also extended the town and provided
a broad walkway in front of the hotel, and parallel to the shore.
“Where once there was a shed overlooking a building supply firm, the
