Farmers Market Meet Thurles Market Quarter Officer & Project Designer.

On July 2nd last, 2024, members of Thurles Farmers Market had their first meeting, regarding the soon to be erected Thurles Market Quarter, same due to commence in an area close to Thurles Town Park. Those in attendance at this meeting included the Project Officer and the Market Quarter project designer.

Surprisingly, the contract for this Market Quarter project had already been signed; with construction work, we are informed, scheduled to begin next month, on August 6th.
This new Town Park car park, which was only officially opened less than 8 years ago, is now again to undergo a major upheaval, with the new project expected to make this area unavailable for public use for the following 16 months, at a cost of €3.4 million in Rural Regeneration Funding, with little or no discussion or consultation with town residents or the business community.

Adding this project to the promised overdue upgrading of Liberty Square West and the overdue upgrading of Slievenamon Road, together with the traffic which will be generated by students returning to their various schools and the inability to find parking; businesses in the town square will surely trade with immense difficulty.
People are now asking, what if any influence does Thurles Chamber of Commerce, the representative body for the business community in Thurles, have, regarding this matter?

In 2020 the district Council had sought a letter of support for the project from Thurles Farmers Market which they confirm was provided. However, later in 2021 Thurles Farmers Market had sought further information in relation to the proposed trading area and had expected to meet with the designers, prior to sanction of this project, but this meeting had never materialised.

New Café.
Thurles Farmers Market, following their July 2nd meeting, have learned that the stone agricultural out building first erected in the great famine years, are to be refurbished and expanded by means of a glazed extension. When completed same is expected to accommodate an 83 seater café, for which an operator has yet to be located as a tenant.
The building had been sought for leasing from the Co. Council, by the Thurles Famine Museum, prior to the latters forced closure by the local C of I Community, however, the request was found unsuitable by Thurles Municipal District Council officials.
However, interesting to note that some 100 metres away yet another café style restaurant, run by the same Co. Council, remains closed, after several tenants vacated the space, same unable get a fair return on their initial investment.

The Market Quarter.
The ‘Market Quarter’ itself will see a canopy erected over a section of this car park area which will be modified to allow access to water and electricity at a number of service points for future market days. The restructured area is expected to lose 16 car parking spaces to struggling businesses in the immediate area.
The canopy, which will be cream in colour with no branding, cannot come lower than 4m from the ground due to the fact that cars are being parked under the canopy. The council says no trader or customer parking will be allowed under the canopy during Market events.

We learn Thurles Farmers Market are to be given some storage space, under the stairs, in this soon to be refurbished café, which again will be controlled by Tipperary Co. Council.

Now, with few spaces guaranteed available to park a motor vehicle, Thurles will surely be obliterated.

The ambiguity and inexactness start HERE. “The Town Centre First Plan will be driven by the local community and businesses.”
Could this €3.4 million Rural Regeneration Funding not have been more wisely spent, e.g. the purchase of the now derelict eyesore, that is the Munster Hotel, Cathedral Street, demolished to provide accommodation for 3rd level students, attending our two 3rd level collages.
One must ask; did any of our local councillors or their officials ever visit the Garden Centre, Restaurant & Farmer’s Market, known as Solas, situated on the Dublin Road, out of Portarlington, Co. Laois.

Note: No expensive giant umbrella here. These many trading stalls are made from attractive shipping containers where Traders can store their own produce etc, in each container when trading finishes. Imagine the air of contentment experienced here, when shopping, with free parking, (no €1.20 for limited parking here, that’s if you can find parking.).

Imagine the number of such containers you could purchase, using Rural Regeneration Funding of €3.4 million and the employment generated, not to mention the benefits gained through creating sustainable rural development and much needed countryside resurgence.

The waste of taxpayer funding by Tipperary Co. Council, assisted by the government, continues.