Phoenix: Looking around

It’s customary at this time of year to do a little retrospective on how the year just ending has panned out for Waterford, but a little look around might suffice instead as a reprieve from the politics of delivery.

Walking around the centre of town over the past few week ends has been a lesson in how things should be for our city centre. The volume of people everywhere was quite extraordinary. 

Whether that feel good factor on the streets is reflected in the tills of local shops remains to be seen, but the evidence is there, people like to be in town and like the company of other people. 

Winterval has been a huge success; there is no other way to say it. The Mall, presided over by the wonderful Bishop’s Palace and Viking Triangle, are jewels in the urban landscape and should be appreciated for that. 

The general Christmas market layout has formalised itself around Broad Street, Michael Street and Arundel Square across through John Roberts Square and George’s Street and on via O’Connell Street to Hanover Street. This largely pedestrianized core works very well and creates a lovely, safe European feel about the place. 

Is there anything nicer than people, families and children especially, out and about enjoying themselves? 

Some people say that Winterval needs to change its format and renew itself; every “event” does, but what is developing in the central area of the city, in the streets listed, is a standalone Christmas Market area akin to most historic European cities. It needs branding and advertising of course, but it seems to me that it has a life of its own with increasing national brand awareness. The lesson? The city centre must be a “happening” place.

Nationally, conditions in the hospitality industry have been difficult for some time. The number of closures in the pub and restaurant trade has been high. In that context it is great to see a lovely new pub, O’Sullivan’s, open on The Mall, with a lovely finish inside and out. It complements the Reginald next door. 

There is a stylish restaurant pub scene developing there to accompany a very nice Sushi restaurant and the classic Union restaurant. 

It’s very sad that the beautifully iconic Munster Bar on Bailey’s New Street has yet to find a new occupant. Hopefully the New Year will bring good news there. 

Parade Quay, from Jordan’s pub down to Reginald’s Tower, has a terrace of historic houses and shops, which are due for refurbishment to provide living accommodation. Work on this will start shortly. Some of the occupants have been decanted, with La Fontana restaurant moving to the old tourist office on the corner of Greyfriars. Hopefully retailers like Beibhinn who operated a beautiful craft shop will return when the work is completed. 

Major work is in progress in Central Hall to create an extension to the Irish Museum of Time. It’s great to see that building get some necessary TLC.

What is noticeable around town is that the general level of maintenance on premises is improving. Even if a shop or business is vacant there is no reason for it to look shabby and run down. Unloved is the word usually applied to such places. There is no excuse for it and it is very offensive to those trying their best to stay in business. 

The council is relentlessly pursuing derelict properties and fear of Compulsory Purchase (rightly so) has put the skids under some “absentee landlords”! An attempt to deal with eyesores where they exist is quite obvious with decent hoarding being erected around sites, such as the corner of John Street and Waterside. 

The biggest cheer of the year went up when work started on the old office building of Waterford Glass. This truly iconic site had fallen into disrepair and dereliction for many years. Full credit is due to Frisby Construction for undertaking this massive project. 

Leadership is vital in the city’s efforts to renew itself commercially and it’s nice to see a local firm leading the way. 

One of the nicest things to be done, and a personal favourite, has been the restoration of the large house (Walsh’s?) in The Glen. A two-storey house with large Georgian sash windows with ornate classical surrounds, it is being lovingly restored. Give that person a medal!

Enough has been written about the North Quays to fill a library, but whatever anyone says, when you see the drone aerial footage of the level of public infrastructure work going in there, you realise just how big this project is. Much credit is due to recently retired council CEO Michael Walsh who dragged that project over the line almost by himself. It’s great to see the new railway station emerging on the skyline and to see photos of the new bridge currently being manufactured in Belgium. It will be installed in early 2025 and will be the biggest riverfront change Waterford has seen in 1100 years.

There are many things that need to be done in Waterford city to repair the fabric of the city. We all know the sites and the areas that need work. Neglect and underinvestment takes a long time to heal, but that process is underway. 

The decades-long rush to the suburbs led to the historic core of the city being ignored. Pride alone demands that we protect our history and especially the historic building stock that we have inherited. 

Where would Waterford be if City Hall and the collection of buildings on The Mall were gone? Where would we be if the Port of Waterford magnificent building in George’s Street was gone? We lost buildings of that quality in the 20th century, but hopefully those days of reckless destruction of our built heritage are gone forever. 

In that regard, I certainly look forward to seeing 18 Lady Lane, the former St Vincent de Paul Men’s Hostel, being restored to its proper condition. Design work is in progress on this magnificent, huge house, which dates from the very early 18th century. It is a house of national importance. Its restoration during 2025 will be a fitting headline for the renaissance of the oldest city in Ireland.