Pubs unhappy with ‘imbalanced’ festival footfall in Waterford

Two pubs in the city centre have expressed concerns regarding festivals taking place in Waterford’s Cultural Quarter, which they say is pulling footfall away from other areas in the city.

Cllr Joe Kelly raised the issue at this month’s Metropolitan Council meeting, outlining that the proprietors of T&H Doolan’s and J&K Walsh’s, on Great George’s Street have said their businesses are impacted.

Cllr Kelly said: “My issue is to do with what somebody would describe as perhaps unfair competition or imbalanced competition."

“What the owners have been saying is that we put huge money into festivals, particularly in the Cultural Quarter, and that pubs in that area do very well," he said.
"But where their own businesses are located, they say that they're are at a significant disadvantage. They say all the footfall and people spending is being dragged down to the other end of O’Connell street," he added. “If money is being pulled down to one end of the city, even onto one street essentially and other businesses are not able to avail of that, there would appear to be somewhat of an imbalance."

He added that the local businesses are being greatly impacted: “This business said they’re going out of business and going out of business very quickly if something is not done. Their business deserve whatever support they can get similar to any other business".

Responding to Cllr Kelly, Cllr Mary Roche said that T&H Doolan’s and J&K Walsh’s are ideally located in the city.

“I’d have a lot of questions about that" she said.

"It’s on the busiest route between the two busiest areas and if they can’t capitalize on that," she added.

“There’s pubs in the suburbs and pubs further down the quays that are in a far less favorable position and I think if T&H’s was open, it would go a long way to helping their business make money to be quite frank about it.”