Brexit fails to deter businesses from setting up in Dundalk

Brexit has not stopped up to seven new businesses from leasing units in Dundalk town centre according to Martin McElligott, manager of Dundalk's Business Improvement District Scheme (BIDS).

Some 14 jobs will be created when the latest tenants take up occupancy he said.

Speaking as retailers are bearing the brunt of shoppers taking advantage of the favourable sterling exchange rate, he said, “Obviously we cannot compete with currency fluctuations. It is impossible to compete with it and for us in Dundalk, it is nearly native at this stage; we are well used to it.”

With the currencies approaching parity he said, “that is the point it becomes an Ireland problem not just a Dundalk problem. So what we focus on for a town is what we can offer: on our customer service, our infrastructure within the town and really improving the visual aspects of our town over the next few months”.

On the new businesses that have come to the town since Brexit, he said the most recent was “just over the line”.

“There is one from Dublin and they have chosen Dundalk for their third store. We have a few leases being signed at the moment, some by well known brands. Some are indigenous.

“They felt Dundalk was the right price point for them and they saw Dundalk as a growth market. The town is now seen as a growth market for a lot of businesses. More jobs are being created in the town centre and that changes the amount of money in people’s pockets.”

He believes the nature of town centres is changing and this is reflected in the type of retail use. “There is a lot more service industry use coming in. It is more a a social hub now and I am very optimistic about the future of the town centre.”