.Tralee Chamber Alliance members Mark Sullivan, Colette O’Connor (CEO), John Reen, Stephen Stack (President) and Sarah Flaherty launching the Tralee Chamber Alliance Communications survey.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance is set to launch an extensive communications survey to its members on this Thursday, June 13. This initiative aims to gather current insights and identify the pressing priorities of its membership base.
This survey marks the second major survey conducted by Tralee Chamber Alliance in 2024. The first survey, focused on business expectations from local election candidates, played a crucial role in shaping the discussions for the first election debate broadcast live on Radio Kerry last month.
“The insights gained from our membership are invaluable,” said Stephen Stack, President of Tralee Chamber Alliance.
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“We strive to ensure that our members’ voices are heard and that their needs are met. This survey will provide us with up-to-date information, allowing us to tailor our initiatives and advocacy efforts to better serve our business community.”
Members are encouraged to participate in the survey, as their feedback will directly influence the Chamber’s strategic direction and priorities. Tralee Chamber Alliance remains committed to fostering a robust business environment and driving economic growth in the region.
.Pictured at the Chamber Ireland Awards were Colm Nagle – Kerry County Council; Joe Creegan – Zurick Life; Stephen Stack – President Tralee Chamber Alliance; Martha Farrell – Company Secretary – Tralee Chamber Alliance; Fiona Candon – President Chambers Ireland and Brendan O’Brien – Chairperson Tralee Tidy Towns.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious Chambers Ireland Award in the Biodiversity and Sustainability Category.
This recognition was presented by Chambers Ireland on Thursday acknowledging Tralee Chamber Alliance’s exceptional commitment to supporting and promoting sustainability and biodiversity, both within their own operations and in assisting their members to engage in these vital initiatives.
Tralee Chamber’s efforts have significantly contributed to the promotion of these values, making Tralee and the wider Kerry area exemplary in sustainability practices.
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Colette O’Connor, CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance, expressed her delight at the Chamber receiving the award: “This is fantastic recognition for Tralee Chamber, which is the largest business representative network in Kerry and is committed to enhancing Tralee and Kerry as a fantastic place to live, work, and visit.”
“The work of the Chamber is strengthened through collaborations with key stakeholders such as Kerry County Council and Tralee Tidy Towns, who have both played a huge role in projects highlighting the importance of sustainability and biodiversity.”
“We were delighted to have our President Stephen Stack, Secretary Martha Farrell there today to receive the award alongside Colm Nagle of Kerry County Council and Brendan O’Brien Chairperson of Tralee Tidy Towns. Collaboration is a cornerstone of Tralee Chamber Alliance’s ethos and we very much operate in the spirit of “Teamwork makes the Dream Work”.
.Tralee Chamber Steering Group members John Reen, Colette O’Connor, Anne Looney, Kasia Lyko, Stephen Stack and Emily Reen during the May Networking event at MTU on Thursday.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance hosted its May Networking event at the IT & Business building in Munster Technological University (MTU) on Thursday.
This event, facilitated through the Chamber’s SME Partnership with AIB, provided an opportunity for members to engage in direct and meaningful conversations, highlighting their businesses and forging new connections.
Anne Looney, External Services Manager at MTU and head of the Chamber Steering Education group delivered a comprehensive presentation on the ongoing developments at the Tralee MTU site, showcasing the wide array of courses available at the Kerry campus.
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Following the presentation, attendees were divided into groups and given tours of the Kerry Sports Academy and ACE – Ireland’s premier Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality Suite.
CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance Colette O’Connor expressed her gratitude to AIB for their continued support as the SME Partner of Tralee Chamber.
Honor Hurley and Kasia Lyko at the May Networking Event.
“We are very thankful to AIB, now in their third year as SME Partner of Tralee Chamber. Through their partnership, we can deliver important events like this, which are crucial for our Chamber members and open to the entire Kerry Chamber Network.
“We were especially delighted to have representatives from Castleisland Chamber Alliance with us today. The facilities at MTU are world-class, making it a vital part of Kerry’s identity as a university county and Tralee as a university town,” said Ms O’Connor.
.Tralee Chamber Alliance has collaborated with Tralee Tidy Towns on local projects.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance has been named as a finalist in two categories of the Chambers Ireland Awards.
They are nominated in the Sustainability & Biodiversity and Community Support Initiatives categories.
Members and strategic partners of Tralee Chamber Alliance have collaborated with Tralee Tidy Towns to deliver meaningful biodiversity and climate action with projects including tree planting, planned cleanups, litter picks, marram grass planting, maintenance, and painting of buildings, to name just a few.
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The Chamber was nominated in the Community Support Initiatives category for the production and delivery of the Tralee Heritage Trail.
CEO Colette O’Connor paid tribute to the volunteers who contributed to these projects and highlighted the close relationship between the Chamber and Tidy Towns that makes it possible to deliver such initiatives.
“The business community in Tralee are always willing to step up to support the town and are never found wanting when it comes to getting out and putting their shoulders to the wheel,” said Colette.
The annual wwards organised by Chambers Ireland will take place on Thursday, June 6 2024 in the Killashee Hotel, Co. Kildare.
THERE was a good turnout at The Meadowlands Hotel on Wednesday night for a special event focussing on agribusiness.
Tralee Chamber Alliance, in association with AIB, Kerry Group and the IFA hosted the ‘Building a Sustainable Agri Enterprise’ event which focused on charting a sustainable path for people in Agri Business.
It was a chance to connect with industry leaders, experts, and visionaries as they delved into sustainable practices, environmental stewardship, and the integration of forward-thinking solutions for a resilient and prosperous agricultural business.
Panellists included Pat Murphy, CEO Kerry Dairy Ireland Kerry Group; Tadhg Buckley, Director of Policy/ Chief Economist with the IFA and Donal Whelton, Head of Agri AIB Food & Fishing.
Tralee Chamber Alliance kicked off its Autumn series of ‘Breakfast Briefings’ with a presentation from Paralympians Madie Wilson-Walker and Jordan Lee and the announcement of two new strategic partners to a capacity crowd at The Rose Hotel this morning.
Madie Wilson-Walker and Jordan Lee, two Paralympians based in Kerry, were the speakers for the Resilience themed morning.
Madie gave a powerful talk and presentation on her experiences as a world-class athlete and how she strives for success in everything she does.
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Madie commented; “When I didn’t make the cut, I accepted I didn’t jump high enough. I wasn’t good enough…this time. But I knew I would keep trying and go again. I knew I would succeed – never say can’t.”
Tralee Chamber Alliance continues to grow its membership with Nathan McDonnell, President of Tralee Chamber Alliance, announcing two new strategic partners – Corcoran’s Food Equipment as their new Hospitality Partner and the Bon Secours Hospital as their Medical Partner.
Colette O’Connor, Chief Executive of Tralee Chamber Alliance commented: “This morning was a fantastic success, we had a capacity attendance. Madie and Jordan are two unique individuals who serve as amazing role models to our young people here in Kerry. When Madie said “she felt Kerry is home”, it says a lot about the amenities we have to offer, the welcome we have and that such a connection has been formed on an International level”.
The Breakfast Briefing series is a key part of the membership offering to businesses connected with Tralee Chamber Alliance, where key speakers are invited in alongside local business and community representatives. The programme is sponsored by AIB, the official SME Strategic Partner of Tralee Chamber Alliance.
The next in the series of Tralee Chamber Alliance Breakfast Briefings will take place on Tuesday October 11th in association with Casey Stephenson and will focus on Succession Planning. Register your interest by emailing info@tralee.ie
.Hospitality business representatives and tourism volunteers at The Tankard on Thursday.
A GROUP of hospitality business representatives and tourism volunteers headed off on a road trip around Tralee on Thursday, May 12 to get to know “our own place” a bit better.
The trip was planned in a collaboration between Tralee Chamber Alliance and Failte Ireland and was mapped out by local experts Mags O’Sullivan of the Aquadome and Sandra Leahy of Kerry County Museum.
“As we head into a busy summer season it’s vital that we the businesses hosting these visitors can inform visitors of the fantastic offering here in Tralee and talk in detail about what people can expect when they go to a place. Nothing beats personal experience to tell the story correctly,” Colette O’Connor CEO Tralee Chamber Alliance.
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Kerry County Museum, Sandy Feet Farm, Wild Water Adventures, Tralee Bay Wetlands, Aquadome and Tralee Equestrian Centre were all featured on the day with lunch served at the Tankard overlooking Fenit Bay.
There will be a follow up trip in the coming weeks as the Chamber recruits more volunteers for the Tourist kiosk opening end of May. If you wish to have your business featured or volunteer at the kiosk, please email info@tralee.ie for more information.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance welcomed the news yesterday of the new Shannon Taskforce and said while there is disappointment that just one of the members is Kerry-based, it recognises its potential and looks forward to engaging with the Taskforce.
“I would on behalf of Tralee Chamber Alliance like to acknowledge the announcement of the new Shannon Estuary Taskforce and I am particularly delighted to welcome the appointment of Dr. Brendan O’Donnell Vice President of Research & Vice President of Academic Affairs & Registrar at Munster Technological University,” said Colette O’Connor, Chief Executive of Tralee Chamber Alliance.
“It is fantastic to have that representation at the table of what is a very strong board. We would however have expected more representation from within the North Kerry area and would hope there will be opportunities for engagement through any subcommittees that are formed as work gets underway.”
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“Given where we are now with rising energy costs, we desperately need to reduce our dependence on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate our transition to more green alternatives.”
“The potential to move offshore wind as sources of sustainable energy will take away the pressure that comes with importing. Ireland has the potential to become a world leader in generating a cleaner source of energy,” she continued.
“The ultimate goal for this Taskforce must be to deliver results that are focused on developing and sustaining employment for this region which has been crying out for investment for far too long,” concluded Ms O’Connor.
.The Leahys at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE year ended with a series of bangs on Friday evening as Tralee Chamber in conjunction with Kerry County Council and with the support of The Ashe and Manor West Hotels presented the New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
The display couldn’t take place last year due to Covid restrictions and while families were encouraged to watch from their homes or online, a good crowd showed up on Denny Street, but did so safely, social distancing and wearing masks.
The fireworks began at about 6.20pm, lasted for several minutes and was appreciated by the large crowd who were delighted at any distraction from the ongoing pandemic. Let’s hope the street party and sense of normality returns for next year’s display. Scroll down for photos…
Enjoying the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.Enjoying the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot CreanEnjoying the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.The Flanagans enjoying the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot CreanThe O’Connors at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.The Egans and Barretts at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot CreanThe Hurley family at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.The Walsh and Crean families at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot CreanSome of the crowd at the fireworks on Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.The fireworks above Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot CreanThe fireworks above Denny Street on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean.
TRALEE exiles in London have recalled their Christmas memories in Kerry’s capital in a video campaign to showcase all that the town has to offer during the Festive Season.
Recorded in London, the nostalgic videos underline the key role that Kerry Airport plays in facilitating their seamless return home to Tralee at Christmas and throughout the year.
The new President of Tralee Chamber Alliance, Nathan McDonnell, said: “Home is where the heart it is, and the past 22 months have shown us that Tralee people living abroad have developed a deeper appreciation of home.
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“Many people were unable to travel to Tralee last Christmas and our thoughts are with those who might not get to travel home this year to enjoy the full festive experience with family and friends.
“These video postcards from London highlight the special place that Tralee has in the memories of so many people who no longer live in the town. We hope they get home soon to celebrate Christmas in Tralee and if not, thanks to Kerry Airport, we’re always close to them.”
The videos of Tralee people in London, along with Christmas messages from local retailers, will be featured across the Tralee Chamber Alliance’s social media platforms from December 15 until Christmas Eve.
The campaign was commissioned by Tralee Chamber Alliance and produced by former President, John Drummey.
.Looking forward to the fireworks on New Year’s Eve are Brian Scally (Ashe/Manor Hotels), Sarah Carey of The Ashe/Manor Hotels, President of Tralee Chamber Nathan McDonnell, Mayor Johnnie Wall and Nicky Simmonds-Gooding of The Ashe/Manor Hotels. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE skies will once again be lit up on New Year’s Eve as the annual fireworks display returns to Tralee.
The annual display and street party couldn’t take place last year due to Covid restrictions, but the good news for 2021 is Tralee Chamber in conjunction with Kerry County Council and with the support of The Ashe and Manor West Hotels have confirmed that while the street party will not be taking place, the fireworks will go ahead at 6pm.
People are invited to watch the fireworks live online on the Chamber Facebook page at 6pm or, if living nearby, from the comfort of their homes.
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Colette O’Connor CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance “While we wanted to mark the end of the year in style we are also mindful of doing so in as safe a manner as possible and encourage anyone who will be on the streets on New Year’s Eve to observe social distancing and mask wearing.”
“We are so looking forward to lighting up the sky over Tralee and bidding farewell to what has been for many another very challenging year. We are now looking at 2022 and have lots to look forward to, including the completion of the Tralee – Fenit Greenway which is going to be game changing for Tralee and the wider North Kerry area”.
Nicky Simmonds-Gooding, head of Group Business Development at The Ashe and Manor West Hotels, stated; “The Ashe and Manor West Hotels Tralee are delighted to be supporting this year’s fireworks celebrating the start of 2022. Wishing the best to all for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year”.
Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Johnnie Wall said; “As always, Tralee will be closing out the year with our spectacular fireworks display at 6pm but in a COVID safe manner. There will be no need to gather in Denny Street as I’m encouraging everyone to either watch the display from their homes or from the multiple vantage points located in close proximity to the town.
“As we look forward to Christmas and the New Year, the onus is on all of us to do so responsibly. I want to wish everyone a very safe, peaceful and happy Christmas and a New Year full of new opportunities for our town.”
.The launch of the Safer Nights Out Campaign at Tralee Garda Station on Monday.
MINISTER for Justice Helen McEntee joined gardaí, local politicians, taxi drivers and members of Tralee Chamber Alliance on Monday to launch the Safer Nights Out Campaign at Tralee Garda Station.
Building further on Tralee Chamber’s on-going work with An Garda Siochana to improve personal safety on nights out they launched the campaign which includes ‘Operation Safe Home’ which is the distribution of high -vis jackets by Gardai to vintners for customers who walk home at night.
‘Ask for Angela’ was re-launched with the vintners playing a key part in keeping people safe while socialising.
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This is a code word campaign for people who feel unsafe on a night out. The initiative encourages people who find themselves in a dodgy or suspicious situation to ‘Ask for Angela’ at the bar. The phrase alerts bar staff that something is amiss and they will safely diffuse the situation.
In collaboration with the Tralee Taxi Association, Tralee Chamber is also introducing the new Taxi Text initiative.
Taxi drivers will use the existing ‘See Something, Say Something’ protocol to alert Gardai of
• Suspicious behaviour
• Vulnerable persons walking home alone
• Anti-social behaviour
• Drug dealing
• Public disorder
When a taxi driver witnesses any of the above or overhears/sees something suspicious from occupants of their taxi, when the vehicle is stationary, they will text ‘Tralee’ followed by the details of the report including location to 50555. The service is anonymous.
The Ask for Angela campaign will also be extended to taxis. Where a person gets into a taxi and are uncomfortable in the company that they are in, they can discreetly ask ‘Did you pick up Angela tonight’ alerting the driver who can do the following:
1. Ensure that the other person is dropped off at their destination first
2. Contact Gardai
3. Drive to the nearest Garda Station
The Kerry Rape Crisis Centre is fully supportive of this initiative.
There are currently 104 members of Tralee Taxi Association and all supportive of both the ‘Taxi Text’ and the ‘Ask for Angela Campaign’ initiatives.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance is currently finalising plans for celebrating Christmas in the county capital this year.
While exact details remain tightly under wraps, the Chamber says the programme is packed and will have something for everyone both at home and abroad.
Kicking things off and to start getting everyone in the festive mood, Tralee Chamber is urging businesses to start working on their festive window displays.
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Colette O’Connor CEO: “The initiative really enhanced the overall town centre appearance last year and we are excited to see what the businesses come up with this year, we are saying go big or go home, its all about lighting up the streets and surroundings”.
The competition is being run in association with AIB and the winners will receive prizes sponsored by their local media partners.
To Enter:
Simply email your image of your Christmas display to business@tralee.ie
With the following details:
• Business name.
• Street/Address.
• The date when your Christmas display will be ready by.
Note: All displays must be completed by November 27th
TRALEE Chamber has appointed a new Chief Executive.
Colette O’Connor has been appointed to the role, replacing Ken Tobin whose term finished at the end of September.
“Colette has extensive knowledge of business in Tralee, having previously held managerial roles in both ‘The Abbeygate Hotel’ and with ‘Fels Point Hotel’,” said Kevin McCarthy, President of Tralee Chamber Alliance.
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“She set up her own Management Consultancy business in 2017, specialising in the Events and Hospitality sector. She is currently a director of The Kerry Tourism Industry Forum and has a great passion for promoting North Kerry Tourism, we are delighted to welcome Colette into Tralee Chamber Alliance and believe she will be a huge asset, her skills and experience will help the Chamber work with the local business community to maximise the potential of the area.”
A business management consultant, Colette has a wide range of experience working with community groups and businesses both locally and internationally, specializing in the Events and hospitality sector.
Her background lies in hospitality where she worked in managerial roles in a number of hotels across Kerry and Limerick.
In her native Listowel she was a founding member of the Listowel Business and Community Alliance and played a pivotal role in the advancement of the organisation over the past four years while also playing an active role in the Kerry Chambers Network.
Commenting on her appointment Ms O’Connor said; “I am honoured to be taking up the CEO position within the Tralee Chamber Alliance. The organisation is firmly established and has a long and proud history of promoting the Tralee area as a prime business destination and supporting local enterprises. The Chamber played a hugely important role in helping businesses stay informed during the COVID 19 pandemic and worked with members ensuring they got the required support from government. Tralee I feel is a town that has it all and is already a great town to live in, work in or visit.”
Ms. O’Connor said that she is looking forward to getting to fully know the team at Tralee Chamber Alliance while also paying tribute to the work of her predecessor.
“It’s early days but I am excited to get stuck in and work on how as an organisation we can enhance our offering to members and best support their needs. Ken is an extremely hard act to follow and I will be doing my best to continue keeping Tralee at the forefront when it comes to lobbying for key infrastructure, further developing the already incredible offering we have here.”
RESEARCH has been ongoing in Tralee for the past number of months by IT Tralee students as part of a project undertaken for Tralee Chamber to support retailers in Tralee.
Following detailed work undertaken earlier this year as part of the ‘Lets Talk About Town’ surveys, Tralee Chamber and a team of students studying for their Bachelor of Business in IT Tralee are analysing ways to provide new opportunities for existing retailers in Tralee and to attract new retailers into the town.
They are asking the public to simply tell them about the brands and products they would like to see available in the town. The Survey Link is: https://forms.gle/eMeX5RE5RARziaQ98
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For the students, this forms part of their research project module course work in which they undertake a live-case, client-initiated research project as part of a project team.
For Tralee Chamber, this research will provide a comprehensive list of brands sought by the various generations and will also identify the land-use of the buildings within Tralee’s historic town centre boundary.
This in turn, will inform future retail initiatives which will support businesses in Tralee and will help to enhance the town centre experience.
Ken Tobin commenting on the research said; “By the end of the research we aim to have an up to date analysis of land use and vacancy in the town centre, and to have identified key opportunities which we will use to support existing retailers in Tralee to be able to expand or sustain their businesses, as well as potentially identifying new opportunities for retail to come and open in Tralee.
Last May we undertook a detailed survey to identify broadly what people wanted from Tralee as the town develops, this next step will help us identify how we address some of the vacancy in town. In order to make informed decisions on shopping in Tralee we are asking the public once again to give us their thoughts about what they want from retailers, and what they think may be missing.
The public’s participation in this research will be a show of support for the future our town centre and for our local businesses. It will help our retailers adapt and meet the needs of consumers who very much want a strong retail offering in Tralee.”
The research being undertaken by the students from IT Tralee will be concluding shortly, so the public are urged to complete the online survey on https://forms.gle/eMeX5RE5RARziaQ98
.Receiving the Kerry Gift Cards at University Hospital Kerry this week were UHK Sports and Social Club members David Hobbert, Sean O’Dowd, Mairead Enright, Cora Walsh and UHK General Manager Fearghal Grimes. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Sports and Social Club in University Hospital Kerry this week received a consignment of the Kerry Gift Card.
Looking to throw their support behind Kerry businesses and to show their gratitude for the ongoing assistance from local businesses, the Club have purchased a batch of the new gift cards to be raffled amongst staff in the hospital.
Cora Walsh, speaking on behalf of the UHK Sports and Social Club said; “This year has been tough for everyone and our teams here in UHK more than ever need a reward this Christmas. While we won’t this year be able to host our usual Christmas party events, we want to make sure we can say thank you to the staff of UHK.
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Despite the pressure local businesses have been under, they continued to support our team throughout the year, and with our staff based throughout the county the Kerry Gift Card is an ideal way to reward our team and pay back local businesses”.
Ken Tobin, CE of Tralee Chamber said; “When Cora and the team in UHK made contact, we were delighted to put them on to One4all to organise their corporate order of the Kerry Gift Card. It’s another great show of unity from the team in UHK to support local businesses throughout the county.
“The Card can be used in hotels, shops, salons, restaurants and many more businesses throughout Kerry, so no matter where they are based in Kerry, they have plenty of choice. We continue to urge people to get the Kerry Gift Card and spend it to give the benefit to businesses now when they need it.”
The Kerry Gift Card is being supported by the Chambers throughout Kerry and Kerry County Council in order to generate much needed local spend.
The public sector and corporate business community are being urged to consider the Kerry Gift Card as a reward for their staff this Christmas. For more details contact business@tralee.ie or check out www.kerrygiftcard.ie
THE Tralee Chamber Alliance Chief Executive has expressed his anger at some multi-national retailers in Tralee who are continuing to trade under Level 5 Restrictions.
Ken Tobin said there is frustration amongst local retailers and other concerned business owners in Kerry, as day one of the Level 5 restrictions saw some international multiples continue to keep their doors open.
Under the latest Government restrictions only essential retail and essential services are deemed appropriate to remain open. Legislation passed last night asks that essential retailers effectively cordon off areas of their stores where non-essential goods are being sold.
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However, Mr Tobin claims some businesses in Tralee and Kerry are not doing this and have by-passed the rules applied in order to continue to trade.
Speaking today, Mr Tobin said: “From early yesterday morning it became very apparent that a number of the larger multi-national stores have continued to trade, despite the fact their local competitors have closed. It seems very apparent that these multinational chain businesses have little regard for the intent behind the current restrictions and are using loopholes in the system to continue to trade with complete disregard for the community they serve,” he said
While Mr Tobin acknowledged that these retailers are significant employers in the county, he said their actions are irresponsible.
“We will be contacting with our local TDs and Minister’s English and Varadker today to highlight our concerns. We have already made contact with the Gardai who are working with us to ensure that these businesses are forced to comply with the rules set out in the new legislation which was passed late last night.”
Mr Tobin said Gardai confirmed to him that local supermarkets have been very compliant and efforts are being made to cordon off non-essential items in their stores.
“We are very impressed with the measures put in place by many local retailers to continue trading online and using click and collect services, and we have no issue with genuine cases where businesses are complying with the rules, or where they’re business model is mainly based on the supply of essential goods and services, but when there are multi-national businesses blatantly abusing the rules, its something we just cannot tolerate as it impacts on all businesses who want to reopen fully,” he continued.
“So many local shops have closed their doors to the public and have made every effort to go online, our entire tourism and hospitality sector is closed to the general public, and we must do everything we can to make sure we see all their doors reopen in December.”
“Meanwhile we have large international stores manipulating the system, that simply does not buy-in to the solidarity of spirit to protect our communities during Level5. While this short-term gain mentality will not be forgotten by the public, local businesses will be the ultimate ones to lose out,” he concluded.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance is asking the people of Kerry to help save businesses by shopping local this Christmas and adhering to all public health guidelines so we can come out of Level 5 restrictions as soon as possible.
The Chief Executive, Ken Tobin, said there will be temporary and permanent job losses, particularly in the retail, hospitality and the service businesses across Kerry, because of the imposition of the Level 5.
He also said that some people did not comply with public health guidelines, resulting in a rise in cases and eventually the restoration of the lockdown.
“Acknowledging that the restrictions are all too familiar from earlier in the year, businesses are questioning why, if the majority of them complied with the restrictions on being covid-compliant, are we back in this situation once more?” said Mr Tobin.
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“Why, if businesses put all that effort in to ensure the safety of their staff and customers, are they paying the price again? Why, if we have made all this effort, are we not better prepared to live with Covid?
The simple answer is not everyone in our community complied with the restrictions, not everyone used their common sense, far too many looked for loopholes and acted in disregard rather than buying into the spirit of battling this virus. Quite simply this virus was always going to come back in a second wave and we should have been better prepared. This time round it has to be different.”
This time around Tralee Chamber have a few simple messages. The first message is for everyone in the community in Tralee and Kerry to use some common sense.
Ken Tobin said the public needs to give businesses that worked so hard to trade over the past few months, the chance to reopen and also give our health service the chance to cope over the coming weeks to battle this virus.
“It is up to every single member of the public to use this chance to do things right, we need to stomp out complacency. Over the past while, the messaging from Government has caused some to be confused, but we are asking people to not look for the loopholes. Rather than waiting for clarity on the guidelines we should all show some leadership and take responsibility for ourselves,” he said.
“Our second message for people is to help us save our towns. Over the coming weeks people need to shop locally online and support those doing takeaway, and then in six weeks’ time come out again and support our hospitality and service businesses. This is not just another shop local message, for many this is an actual tipping point, if we do not act now, we are looking at an accelerated failure of our towns. If we do not act now many of these businesses in our community will not be here in a years’ time.”
The Chamber also called on the Government to ensure a rapid delivery of supports for businesses impacted by this new wave of restrictions.
They said the Covid-19 Restriction Support Scheme (CRSS) and previously announced Restart Grant top-up of 30% must be made available right now or there will be huge numbers permanently laid off in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The announced wage support increases for employees and the self-employed must be provided immediately.
Secondly, the Chamber is asking the Government to ensure the appropriate infrastructure is in place to support our local economies to re-open safely and avoid new closures in the New Year.
Finally, they are asking Government to ensure these current Level 5 restrictions serve their purpose by enforcement. They are asking for 100% compliance in Kerry during these six weeks to support the health service and to work towards a Level 2 return for businesses in Kerry rather than a Level 3 return.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance has broadly welcomed Budget 2021 as a move in the right direction towards stimulating a recovery in the economy.
In a statement issued this afternoon, CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance, Ken Tobin, said the budget makes significant progress in addressing many of the needs of the most exposed members of the business community.
“The budget delivered yesterday must be appreciated for what it is, which is to address the current crisis brought about by the impact of Covid19 and impending challenge of Brexit.”
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“In particular, we welcome the sense of certainty delivered with the commitment by Government to extend wage supports and provide funding for businesses who are forced to close. The combination of the new reduced 9% VAT rate for the hospitality, service and tourism sectors, extension of the wage support scheme throughout next year, and the introduction of the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme is an adequately targeted response.
There are some missed opportunities in yesterday’s Budget announcements which we must continue to press for, in particular we are disappointed that the Government did not extend the commercial rate waiver into 2021.
In addition, the Budget did not address the challenge many businesses and employees are facing in adapting to a new way of working. Remote working presents an opportunity for counties like Kerry to attract new jobs and people to our county, and the current tax incentives around working from home and the supports available for employers are entirely inadequate. The lack of further supports for the Childcare sector to enable more flexible options for parents is also a challenge not addressed in this Budget.
“There is concern about the lack of available skills within the Construction sector, and while we welcome measures to increase apprenticeship supports, we would be concerned that there will not be adequate resources available to be able to deliver on all of the Governments plans.”
“We are disappointed that yesterday’s Budget failed to deliver on any of the Government’s plans for a Town First policy, which would deliver much needed investment into supporting our towns to overcome the challenges that existed pre-covid and deliver a clear strategy to ensure that our towns are supported to recover.”
“However, in saying all of that, we appreciate the challenge facing Government in delivering on every ask of the business community, and while there are missed opportunities in this Budget, the goal of Government in this Budget was to give “hope and confidence” at a time when everyone needs it most.”
A REPORT has been issued which identifies areas for improvement in Tralee to make the town more accessible.
It identified improvements that will be needed in the Public Bus network in Tralee and a range of infrastructure works to improve the access in and around the town.
The 10 Minute Towns report commissioned by the Southern Regional Assembly focused on three key towns in the region, Carlow, Ennis and Tralee to form part of an Action Plan to improve overall access for people living in these towns.
According to the Regional Assembly, the 10 Minute Town Concept seeks to have all community facilities and services accessible within a 10-minute walk or cycle from homes or are accessible by public transport services connecting people to larger scaled settlements.
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The report undertaken by Arup, identifies that 76% of people rely on cars or vans to access work or education in Tralee, with as little as 12% walking, 2% cycling and 5% currently using bus transport, and is recommending specific changes that are required to improve the use of Bus, Bicycle and Walking to access the town.
The report highlights the disconnect between developments in the towns and access to public services and amenities, which it says has led to ‘poor connectivity between these residential areas and community facilities’
Commenting on the report, Ken Tobin of Tralee Chamber said; “We welcome this report from the Regional Assembly, over the next number of years critical improvements like those identified in this report will need to be made to the town. Tralee has been earmarked for a 30% population increase, and if we act now, develop a Strategic Growth Plan for Tralee and follow key recommendations like this report, we will meet these targets and be able to attract new jobs and make Tralee a more sustainable place to live.”
The report is critical of the infrequent level of public transport into and around the town and recommends an increase in services in order to support people to move to public transport.
The report also recommends increased timetabling of trains connecting Tralee to Mallow and onwards to Cork and Dublin to improve the connectivity of the town, as well as increased frequency of bus services connecting Tralee to the surrounding Towns and Villages in Kerry.
In relation to the ‘Tralee Peoples Bus’ the report recommends that they ‘consider increasing the frequency of services, and modifying the routes to make services more direct’ as the ‘The two local bus services in the town only operate hourly, and have indirect routes’.
Ken Tobin CE of Tralee Chamber said; “Last August we once again highlighted the need for investment into a modern urban public bus system to best serve the people of Tralee. This time we wrote to the head of the National Transport Agency to address what has become an untenable situation. Right now, there are many parts of our community in particular the infirm, elderly, disabled and parents with buggies who find it difficult to access public transport. Of particular concern is that there are locations in Tralee excluded from accessing public transport routes nearby”.
The report also identifies some key measures to be put in place to ensure the Tralee-Fenit greenway provides a greater benefit to the people who live in Tralee, in particular it identifies that the estates bordering the route should have access opened up onto the greenway to improve accessibility for the residents to access leisure amenities and safe cycle routes.
Similarly, the report recommends improved access to University Hospital Kerry and the North Campus of IT Tralee with new safe cycleways and pathways improving access for the people of Tralee, including ‘Provision of cycle facilities along Oakpark Road, Killeen Road, Clash Road, and Dromthacker Road, which would make sustainable travel to IT Tralee more feasible’
A key recommendation, which would underline calls from cycling organisations in Tralee, would be to ‘provide formal pedestrian/cycling facilities for residents/visitors to safely access services nearby’ including a clear proposal ‘to promote cycling as a means of transport within the three towns, as well as providing adequate cycle facilities (such as new cycle lanes and secure parking)’ through the ‘provision of a comprehensive cycle network in the town’.
Ken Tobin, Tralee Chamber also said “In these times its vital that we give people as many options as possible to access the town, in particular its of concern to us that students attending IT Tralee don’t really have an option to cycle safely from the college campus to the town centre, nor are there sufficient secure bicycle parking locations in the town centre, which is why we have previously raised these matters with the National Transport Agency”
“These plans were highlighted back in 2013 in the Smarter Travel plan for Tralee, and really since then progress just hasn’t been made quick enough. At this stage its beyond over-due to have an integrated cycle network in Tralee, along with a town centre network of bicycle parking bays.”
Tralee Chamber’s submission on the County Development Plan also raised this point where it identified a need for ‘further investment in cycling infrastructure and improvement of the public realm to support pedestrians, that interconnects and compliments the greenway infrastructure around the town.’
“Our submission on the County Development Plan was backed up by our recent surveys, which clearly identified a growing need from people to have alternative means of getting into the town centre. Having over 76% of the population reliant solely on vehicles to get into Tralee just isn’t sustainable and puts too much pressure on parking spaces. If we do not reduce the reliance on cars then it will certainly mean that more car parking spaces will be required in the town, and not less”
While the report from the Southern Assembly is not a policy document, it does recommend using the report to guide and inform policy. It does also recommend that a ‘range of supporting initiatives to change travel behaviour, such as, promotion of the use of new walking and cycling routes, such as public awareness campaigns and increased use of wayfinding and signage will be needed for a greater uptake’. A recommendation again welcomed by Tralee Chamber.
“With the Greenway opening up next year, the funding already allocated to Tralee as a Tourism Destination Town should be acted on as soon as possible. We need to act now to improve signage and access into the town.”
The Southern Regional Assembly takes in Carlow, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Clare and Limerick.
It has a role in linking local with national policy goals through regional planning and the roll out of the RSES for the Southern Region and also has a remit for the promotion and support for balanced regional development through the management of EU programmes under the European Structural & Investment Funds.
The Assembly also forges links between spatial and economic planning and EU funding for the benefit of the Southern Region.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance has launched the ‘Resilience Series’ designed to support SME’s across Kerry to sustain their business in the months ahead, but also looking towards rebuilding and coming out stronger.
With the results of the Chamber Ireland 5th National Survey released on Thursday, business activity is typically down 32% currently across a broad range of sectors, and this trend is likely to continue for the next 12 months (expected 33% reduction in turnover).
The results of this latest survey show that the SME sector continues to be the most impacted, with particular concerns across key areas of Finance, HR, Cost Management and lower business activity levels.
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The first two events scheduled for October 8 and October 29 will be focused on Finance and HR respectively.
Ken Tobin of Tralee Chamber said; “We’ve looked at the key areas that is going to impact businesses over the coming months, and not only do we want to focus on helping them keep their doors open, we also want to see how we can help them come out the other end stronger and a better business”
“For businesses right now its about managing cashflow and seeing what financial supports make sense for them, which is why our first Webinar on October 8th will be focused on Finance with a panel of local experts. Quickly following on from that will be focusing in on managing our overhead costs, with staffing being critical, and HR will be the focus of the second Webinar on October 29th.”
Over the coming months, Tralee Chamber’s series of online webinars will be connecting local experts in Finance, HR, Marketing, Business Supports, Property, Education and Technology with SME’s in Kerry to guide and assist them to sustain and rebuild their businesses.
While the series is open to all SME’s in Kerry, Chamber members can register straight away on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/367ikAW and Non-Members are to email business@tralee.ie for details on the series. #Relience #BuildBackBetter
TRALEE Chamber Alliance says speed is key now when it comes to the stimulus package announced by the Government yesterday.
Ken Tobin, CE Tralee Chamber said announcements on the July Stimulus are comprehensive, recognise many of the key areas they have lobbied for and will offer some relief provided they are implemented immediately.
“The key now will be the speed at which the measures are implemented and ensuring businesses get the supports announced immediately,” he said.
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“Everyone’s attention now has to turn to making sure every businesses’ door opens, returning people back to work fulltime and to making sure people feel safe and welcome in our towns.
“We can be certain of one thing, and that is the strength and ability of business owners to do their best to maintain jobs and work towards recovery.”
“The new Employment Support Scheme and expansion of the Restart Grant have been key areas we lobbied for and will be of major benefit to keeping businesses going.”
Further to yesterday’s announcement, Tralee Chamber, along with their national colleagues, had a virtual briefing on Friday morning with the Secretary Generals of the key Government Departments.
“The purpose of the briefing was for us to raise further queries and receive further information on the key announcements from yesterday,” said Mr Tobin.
“We now have certainty around what immediate supports are available, which will allow businesses to plan for the short-term. Yesterday’s announcements offer some relief for businesses, as long as they are implemented immediately, but it does not address the medium and long term issues businesses are facing, and certainly cannot be considered sufficient to salvage the most impacted sectors. We will continue to engage with the key Departments on the measures announced to ensure payments are made without similar delays to what was encountered in earlier phases, but also now critically to lobby for further more focused action to be taken in the October budget.”
.The launch of the ‘Kerry Gift Card’ on The Mall on Monday.
THE collective Kerry Chambers and Kerry County Council have announced a new initiative to support local business.
The Kerry Gift Card is being launched to encourage people in Kerry to shop locally and spend locally. The card will be available to the public in the coming weeks and a call was made to businesses across the county to register their interest and sign up to participate in the new Gift Card programmes.
Operated by One4All through Tralee Chamber, the Kerry Gift Card will be available for businesses right throughout the county and will allow shoppers to spend money in their outlets and on their services.
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The card is being supported by the Chambers throughout Kerry and Kerry County Council in order to generate much needed local spend.
Speaking at the launch Mayor of Kerry Councillor Patrick Connor-Scarteen welcomed the initiative: “Kerry Chambers and Kerry County Council have been working closely together in recent months on practical and meaningful ways in which businesses can be supported through the current economic difficulties. This new Kerry Gift Card is an ideal way for people in the county to support their local shops and businesses.”
Chief Executive of Kerry County Council, Moira Murrell encouraged businesses to sign up and get involved: “For every euro spent locally, local jobs are being supported, local employers are being supported and the wider Kerry economy is being supported for all our benefit. I would urge Kerry businesses to sign up and participate in this worthy campaign.”
Ken Tobin, CE of Tralee Chamber: “We had originally been looking at launching this card for just the Tralee area to replace our outgoing voucher programme, however through discussions with our colleagues throughout Kerry it became very evident that we needed to all come together to support the entire economy of Kerry. As a county we are very focused now on rebuilding our economy, and this card will be a vehicle that allows the public to support local businesses of all sizes everywhere in Kerry.”
The Kerry Gift Card will be launched to the business community of Kerry over the coming weeks in order to help as many businesses as possible in the county to sign up. Businesses who are interested are being asked to contact Ken in Tralee Chamber by emailing ken@tralee.ie
Colette O’Connor of Listowel Chamber; “The card will be available for all types of businesses to sign up including all retail, salons, hotels, bars and restaurants, and the card can only be used within the county. We will be urging all businesses within the county to sign up to accept the card.”
Paul Sherry of Killarney Chamber said; “It is vital that once this card is launched that the Corporate Sector, and members of the public use this card to support local businesses. When it comes to Christmas gifts, birthday presents and rewarding staff then the Kerry Gift Card is the only option that ensures the money stays within the county.”
The business community are being urged to sign up to the card to be ready for its public launch in September. Ken Tobin explained; “The card will be marketed quite heavily by the Chambers in Kerry and One4All, and when launched will be available online and through key Post-Point locations throughout the County. One4All will also be directly engaging with the corporate sector, who we will be urging to support the Kerry Gift Card by rewarding their staff.”
Businesses will be contacted by email during the coming weeks by the various Chambers in Kerry to introduce them to the One4All team, and businesses interested in signing up straight away should email ken@tralee.ie for further information.
BUSINESSES across Tralee are being invited to join in on a new campaign launched on Monday by the Tralee Chamber Retail Team.
Frontline Fridays are to take place each Friday from this week until the end of September, to recognise the significant role the Frontline teams in Kerry have played in supporting our community and health over the past number of months.
Speaking at the launch, Sandra Rusk who Chairs the Retail Team in Tralee Chamber said; “Each Friday for the next few months we are inviting businesses across the town to reward the frontline staff in whatever way they wish, whether that’s a free coffee with their lunch, or a special gift with each purchase in a local shop. It’s not about the size of the reward, it’s just about a simple gesture to say thank you, and to say we appreciate all that you have done.”
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Ken Tobin of CE of Tralee Chamber said; “A number of weeks ago the Sports and Social team in UHK approached us, and wanted to pass on their thanks for the generous support that the businesses of Tralee showed them over the passed few months. Local businesses throughout the town really stepped up with donations, food deliveries and rewards to lift the spirits of the frontline staff in our hospital, and the Sports and Social team wanted us to know that they are forever grateful and also that they wanted to return the thanks by supporting local businesses”
Edel Kelly of the Tralee Chamber Retail team added; “The Frontline Fridays campaign will focus on rewarding the frontline staff across all sectors, including Gardai, Ambulance, Hospitals and Fire-Service personnel, and rewards can be redeemed with staff ID cards from participating businesses.”
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The Retail Team of Tralee Chamber have developed a suite of Social Media packs and Posters for local businesses that want to take part in the Frontline Fridays campaign, and are asking businesses to contact them at business@tralee.ie to avail of these packs and instructions on how they can participate.
THE latest results from the Tralee Chamber Alliance’s ‘Let’s Talk About Town’ survey reveals what people want and expect from a night out in Tralee.
The survey accumulated 1,191 responses from Tralee town centre users, on a wide range of questions, between May 6 and May 15.
The research findings show clear differences between the various age profiles in terms of what they want from a ‘night out’ in Tralee.
Almost one fifth of respondents say they will socialise less at night-time in Tralee post Covid 19 restrictions, however, almost one quarter say they will socialise to a greater extent.
While the pub is still an important part of the nightlife of Tralee, restaurants and alternative entertainment venues are now just as important.
Restaurants are rated very favourably but the overall night out in Tralee needs a lot of improvement according to respondents.
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When asked if they would change how often they go out post COVID-19, 58% said they would not change their habits, 18% said they would go out less while 23% said they would go out more frequently.
When asked about the number of taxis available in town, over 68% said there were enough, while 31.5% said more were required. The majority of people aged under 25 were of the opinion that more were needed.
Respondents were asked to rate seven items in terms of how important they are to the nightlife of Tralee and the results were interesting.
In terms of being rated ‘Very Important’ or ‘Important’, Restaurants came out on top at 89%, followed by ‘Alternative Entertainment Venues’ at 85%; ‘Locally Owned Bars’ 83%; Live Music Venues 79%; Culture And Live Show Venues 78%; Late Bars and Clubs 61% and Off-Licences 37%.
Over 73% of respondents rated the quality of cafes and restaurants in town over 7 out of 10.
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Respondents were asked to rate twelve items in terms of how important they are to you when choosing which Pub to go to.
In terms of being rated ‘Very Important’ or ‘Important’, Friendliness Of Staff And Owners was on top at 94%; Cleanliness And Safety 92%; Community Pride and Contribution To Tralee 78%; Style and Decor of Pub 78%; Outdoor seating area 72%; live music 67%; having a food offering 58%; later opening hours 52%; opportunity to dance 44%; choice of artisan beverages 42%; live sports on TV 36% and themed nights and events 35%.
When rating Tralee as a safe place out of 10, over 64% of respondents rated it 6 or higher. Worryingly for businesses, when rating the nightlife scene in Tralee out of 10, over 57% gave it a rating of 5 or under, with just 8% giving it a rating of 8 or over.
A bar with all ages was preferred by 46.3% or respondents, a quieter bar with seating was chosen by 27.8% and a bar ‘with my own age group’ was preferred by 25.9%.
Over 69% said they would support staggered closing times in pubs (between 12am and 4am).
When asked about people’s habits on a night out, understandably there was a yawning chasm between young people and older respondents.
75% of people between 18 and 25 said a typical night out would be a ‘Pre-drink at home, pub for late drinks and home by 3am’, compared to 3% of those over 56 and 5% between 46 and 55.
Meanwhile 52% of people aged over 56, 44% aged 46-55 and 34% of 36-45 age group opted for the ‘Go for a meal first, one drink and then home’ option.
THE latest results from the ‘Let’s Talk About Tralee’ survey relate to respondents’ perceptions of environmental sustainability, biodiversity and the cleanliness of the town and shows green issues are important to them, regardless of their age or gender profile.
The implementation of environmental sustainability practices by businesses is considered to be an important factor when making purchasing decisions according to two thirds of respondents.
Green spaces, biodiversity and having a clean environment in Tralee are all highly valued factors with sustainable travel initiatives also in demand and support for pedestrianisation measures, more cycling lanes and an electric bus/ shopping bus service to connect the town.
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The detailed public survey undertaken by Tralee Chamber Alliance between the 6th and 15th of May 6-15 saw them accumulate 1,191 responses from Tralee town centre users.
Respondents were asked to rate the importance of environmental sustainability practices implemented by businesses when deciding where to spend their money and over 66% rated it either ‘important’ or ‘very important’.
71% of female respondents rated it as important or very important as opposed to 59% of male respondents.
Over 58% of respondents supported allowing wildflowers to grow and a reduction in mowing to help restore biodiversity in Tralee.
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The level of cleanliness of Tralee town received a positive rating of an average of 6.67 out of ten. Just under 80% of respondents rated the cleanliness of the town as 6 out of 10 or over and over 70% of respondents said they would be willing to volunteer once per year with a group trying to improve the town.
Over 80% of respondents feel that accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians is either important or very important, 58% per cent of respondents would like to see more bicycle parking and cycle lanes being introduced in the town and
Only 14% of respondents would like to see less pedestrianisation in Tralee town and the survey showed the older the respondent, the more likely they would like a reduction in pedestrianisation in the town.
Over half of respondents think that an accessible electric bus would be an important measure for Tralee and almost two thirds of respondents rate a shopping shuttle bus between Manor West and the Town Centre as either important or very important. To find out more and see the results in full, please click here
.What Russell Street will look like after works are completed.
KERRY County Council will progress their works on the town centre this September with Russell Street the first place to receive a revamp with new footpath and road surfacing.
Construction starts September 2020 with a break from December 7 to January 1. During this period there will be no thought traffic to The Mall area at any time.
Delivery vehicles will be allowed access to The Mall via Denny Street. Pedestrian access will be preserved during the works.
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As per The Mall works, Kerry County Council will have a Liaison Person on site everyday as key point of contact for businesses. There will be flexible contractor operating hours and encouragement to work extended hours within contract documents to accelerate completion and reduce disruption.
Pedestrian access to all businesses to be maintained during opening hours and there will be pedestrian access and pedestrian through traffic arrangements to comply with Social Distancing Requirements.
It’s part of an overall plan that will see more works completed in the coming year. Phase 3 – Bridge Street will take three months while Rock Street will take a further two months. It is expected to be completed by August 6, 2021. For further details, click here
What Bridge Street will look like after works are completed.What Bridge Street will look like after works are completed.
TRALEE people are very proud of their town and would be willing to speak up for the town on social media, according to the latest results from the ‘Let’s Talk About Town’ survey.
Part Three of the results of the survey conducted by Tralee Chamber Alliance concentrated on ‘Pride and Inclusion’. You can access the full results by clicking here
It showed Tralee people are, in general, accepting of all ages, abilities and nationalities and very much want their town to be an inclusive one.
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Respondents were asked to rate the importance of inclusiveness when deciding where to spend their money, with nearly 77% saying it was ‘important or ‘important’. Over 70% of people said the availability of elderly parking bays was either ‘important or ‘very important’.
Respondents are generally proud of Tralee as 83% of respondents rated their pride in Tralee as 6 out of 10 or over, the average score was 7.58 out of 10 and all age categories rated over 6.5 out of 10.
This pride is also evident in their willingness to speak positively on social media about Tralee and in their willingness to volunteer with Tralee voluntary groups.
63% said they would be willing to speak up for their town on social media, with people aged over 35 more likely to do so. 67% of respondents said they would boycott and report social media pages that speak negatively about Tralee.
Over 70% of respondents said they would volunteer once a year with a group to improve the town. The percentage of people willing to volunteer to support their town is higher in the older age groups, than in the younger ages.
The vast majority (95%) of respondents feel that a thriving town centre in Tralee is ‘important’ or ‘very important’ to them and 92% of the sample are likely or very likely to support Tralee businesses post-Covid restrictions.
KERRY businesses’ trade is expected to down over 60% in the next three months compared to the same period in 2019, according the latest Chambers Ireland survey released on Wednesday
Also, Kerry businesses expect an estimated 50% decline in revenue for the next 12 months.
Ken Tobin, of Tralee Chamber said the results from this latest survey, supported by Tralee Chamber for the county of Kerry, demonstrates clearly that much more is needed to be done at a National level to stimulate the economy.
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“Under normal circumstances the body of work to support regional towns like Tralee, Killarney and other locations in the county was difficult,” said Mr Tobin. “For years we have been acutely aware of the regional imbalance that existed in creating new jobs and supporting our existing Employers in the county. Now with that fact that counties like Kerry have been overly impacted by Covid-19 economically, that job has become a lot harder”.
Nationally, Chambers are calling on Government to extend supports to businesses long-term in order to save jobs and to keep businesses trading through the next few months. The are calling on the Government to give certainty now to address liquidity issues by extending commercial rates rebates and the Wage Subsidy Scheme longer term to the year end.
As businesses reopen in reduced trading conditions, they will face mounting debt as they attempt to rebuild, and Government must act now to focus supports on keeping doors open over the coming months.
“Businesses in Kerry, and nationally, are very aware that many of the supports needed will not be announced until a new Government is formed, or at the very least until the Oireachtas is given the power to legislate,” said Ken Tobin.
“In the meantime, while that happens businesses will struggle and many more will go to the wall without more support. The government must realise that the longer they hesitate in forming a Programme for Government, the more damage that is being done to the economy and in particular to regional counties like Kerry.”
TRALEE shoppers are looking for cleanliness/adhering to Covid Restrictions, good customer service and quality/range of products as the most important factors influencing where they spend their money as the shops reopen.
In time for the reopening of retail stores this coming Monday, Tralee Chamber Alliance have issued the second set of results from their ‘Let’s Talk About Town’ Survey where around 1,200 respondents took part.
The second set of results released by the Chamber focuses in on retail, and what the people of Tralee want from their shopping experience in Tralee post Covid19.
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The results show that there will be an expected decline in shopping levels of over 25%, however, the results do present a clear path for retailers to be able to provide a new form of shopping in Tralee very much focused on offering safe, clean and friendly service.
Cleanliness/ Adhering to Covid Restrictions, the People factor (customer service) and Quality & Range of products will be the most important factors influencing where people spend their money going forward.
The survey result found some very specific information that will help retailers in Tralee going forward, including giving consideration to opening late on Friday evenings as over 47% of respondents preferred this night in the survey.
The survey showed having an online (at least a Click ‘n’ Collect option) as well as an off-line offering is of critical importance.
It also showed that significant goodwill exists among respondents for Tralee businesses with 92% of respondents stating that they are likely or very likely to support Tralee businesses post-Covid 19 restrictions.
70% of people said they are ‘very likely’ to support the town centre and Manor West businesses in the future, 27.2% said they would increase their shopping visits as opposed to 19.3% who said they would decrease their visits (53% no change).
Speaking about the Retail survey results, the Chair of the Tralee Chamber Retail Team, Sandra Rusk of Weardobe said; “We now have a very clear idea from the people of Tralee exactly what form of shopping experience we need to deliver to give them the confidence to come into Tralee. With the level of information in the survey, we can provide specific guidance to Tralee Retailers based on their exact customer profile.”
“As we are re-opening our stores in this new era of social distancing, we have found it incredibly valuable to get a better understanding of what our customers want, so that we can provide them with the service they need. Tralee Chamber’s Retail Team will be now looking at this information going forward to see how we can develop a better level of experience for shoppers in Tralee.”
“If any retailer in Tralee is interested in seeing the specific results for their customers across all various age profiles, male and female and different backgrounds, they can contact me or the Chamber team and we would be delighted to help them. We can provide exact details of the wants and priorities of the type of Tralee shopper they are interested in providing for.”
Ken Tobin, CE of Tralee Chamber said; “With this level of information we are now turning our attention once again to the vacant units in Tralee. New businesses looking to any town want exact data, and combined with previous surveys and analysis of Tralee we are able to start building a profile that will help in attracting new business to the town”.
“We also have similar data now for the restaurants and bars in Tralee, and will be releasing this information in advance of the Phase 3 opening. In the interim, we have some key releases to prepare that look at the sustainability of Tralee”.
TRALEE exiles in London have recalled their Christmas memories in Kerry’s capital in a video campaign to showcase all that the town has to offer during the Festive Season.
TRALEE Chamber Alliance has broadly welcomed Budget 2021 as a move in the right direction towards stimulating a recovery in the economy.
A REPORT has been issued which identifies areas for improvement in Tralee to make the town more accessible.
