Business booms as lockdown looms for Galway City

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – City retailers were celebrating a good end to a terrible year this week as they reported a ‘double-digit’ increase in sales compared to this time last year.

This comes as the country returns to stringent regulations to combat the rapid spread of Covid-19 – with restaurants and gastropubs to be forced to close their doors once again on Christmas Eve.

And while there has been a steady flow of trade for those sectors shutting up shop on Thursday, retailers have had their best December in a very long time.

Stalwart retailer Anthony Ryan said that since Level 5 restrictions were lifted on December 1, business has been booming, albeit in a more controlled environment.

“Trade was really buoyant – really well ahead of last year, but shoppers have been more structured in their approach and there’s been no panic. Retail has become much more functional rather than recreational and people know what they want coming in.

“I would say we have had a double-digit increase on last year’s sales. We have also been lucky because there haven’t been any major weather events that stopped people getting out,” said Mr Ryan, who reported huge demand for both fashion and homewares this Christmas.

Fellow retail leader Mary Bennett of Treasure Chest said that the lifting of restrictions in December allowed retailers to see out 2020 on a high after a year of turmoil in the industry.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.