Amazon could be 'death knell' for Waterford retail
Waterford City has been noted for its lack of retail options in comparison to other Irish cities.
The rollout of Amazon services in Ireland could be the final nail in the coffin for retail in Waterford, according to a local councillor.
The retail giant recently announced their plans to introduce their services to Ireland, offering more delivery and return options for Irish customers.
The company currently employs over 6,000 people in Drogheda, Dublin and Cork.
In Waterford the news has caused concern for independent and commercial retailers.
Tramore Councillor Cristíona Kiely (Greens) said: "In every city centre outside of Dublin, the one thing people keep asking for is a better retail offering.
"In Waterford, people have been wondering for years why the likes of Marks and Spencer, Zara, H&M and co. haven’t been opening in the city centre.
"The harsh reality is that online shopping has dramatically reduced footfall in city centres. They’re not coming to town, because you’re not going to town as much as you used to, and that’s the bottom line."
Cllr Kiely continued: "On one hand, it’s great to see an international company branching out to Ireland and employing so many, but there’s no reason why it can’t co-exist with the small, local businesses that our towns, villages, and cities were built on.
"By all means, use Amazon for that item you can’t get around town but I’m imploring people, for the sake of their communities, to walk into town, get a coffee and a bit of lunch, and browse the shops that have survived up to now; they absolutely deserve and need our support."
In early 2024, Councillor Donal Barry (Independent) spoke about the lack of retail options in Waterford City, and cited the economic effects during a Metropolitan District meeting in April.
Cllr Barry said: "We're losing over €500 million a year, leaking from the city.
"Waterford is the capital of the South East, we're not only competing with Dublin and Cork, we're also competing with the likes of Kilkenny and Wexford for footfall in the city."
He added: "I'm very disappointed in this issue."
Cllr Barry was citing conservative figures from an interview given by President of Waterford Chamber Niall Harrington to Network Magazine earlier this year.
Mr Harrington referred to the retail leakage, with regards to boosting tourism in the Déise.
He said: "The tourism market is a potential €500 million annual revenue boost to our economy.
"Targeting that revenue will also positively affect our retail leakage, which in itself, at €660 million per annum, offers another investment opportunity."
Mr Harrington added: "Destination retail is a buzz word in the market, and, again, with coupling our tourism and expanding our retail offering and attractiveness, we can reverse that retail leakage."
Cllr Kiely ended: "We need to rediscover the joy of walking around town with our friends, browsing the shops, trying on clothes, going home with a few bags of local shopping. Convenience comes at a cost, and if Amazon Ireland is the success that many people predict it will be, it could be the death knell for Irish towns and city centres."
