Sunday 24 June 2007

Mixed reaction to plans for Bray

There was a mixed bag of views expressed by retailers based in Bray town centre during a questions and answers session at last Wednesday's meeting.

Calling the scheme marvellous', John Doyle said the plan for the town seemed very positive, a view which was echoed by many members of Bray's retail community.

But retailers from both the Albert Walk and the Village Arcade were disappointed and angry that these areas were not to be included in the rejuvenation plan.

Town Manager Des O'Brien explained that the areas which the plan will cover had to be limited as covering the whole town would have meant less of an impact as the funds available to the committee would have to be spread very thinly.

However this was not accepted by one trader on the Albert Walk who made the point that although traders there paid full commercial and water rates, the area continues to be one of the dirtiest and most run-down in Bray.

While welcoming the committee's plans, Gordon Lennox said that any rejuvenation of the town would be pointless if shoppers could not get in and out of the town because of traffic and parking problems. He urged the council to address these problems as a matter of urgency.

Acknowledging that the parking situation is a major deterrent for shoppers, Town Clerk Christine Flood said that a traffic study of the town was being undertaken and that hundreds of additional spaces would be coming on stream between now and 2012.

Bray People

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