Fears over stocks of perishable items

RETAILERS' CONCERN:CONCERN IS mounting over dwindling stocks of perishable items in local grocery shops, particularly in rural areas, the independent retailers' organisation RGDATA has said.

Retailers are rallying to continue services to customers, with many providing deliveries to the elderly and regular customers who are finding it difficult to leave their homes, a spokeswoman for the organisation said.

In some cases local shops are gaining customers from supermarkets as people are walking rather than driving to get supplies. However, with local authorities concentrating on gritting major roads, deliveries to shops on minor roads or in hard-to-reach town centres are getting more uncertain, they said.

The effect of the weather on Dublin city retailers is less severe that it would be at most other times of year, because of the upcoming budget, said Tom Coffey, chief executive of the Dublin City Business Association.

“In this particular week numbers of shoppers are very flat anyway, there are always fewer shoppers because people hold on to their money in the run-up to the budget. Having the budget in December undermines the whole Christmas spirit.”

Keeping main roads clear was the most important thing, Mr Coffey said. He commended Dublin Bus drivers who he said were “keeping the entire economy of the city going”.

The first Farmleigh Christmas market of the season, due for this weekend, has been cancelled and the whole of the Farmleigh estate in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, will remain closed for the weekend.