Council has gone to pot over flower power back the West

Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column by Dara Bradley

First it was Galway flags; now it’s the humble hydrangea that is getting up the nostrils of City Hall officials.

Regular readers will recall how Galway City Council threatened the Bon Bon Summer Shop opposite Salthill Promenade with fines of up to €12.7 million, if it didn’t remove from its roof a maroon and white flag with silhouettes of Galway GAA stars Joe Canning and Johnny Heaney.

Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column with Dara Bradley 

The temporary ‘pop-up’ shop – which has been selling seaside classics like buckets and spades, beach balls, and plastic windmills for 21 years – was also told to remove its wares from outside the store. Bon Bon owner, Joe Quinn labelled the planning enforcement letters as “ridiculous”; and that was the opinion of most people, too, as the Galway City Tribune story caused quite a stir.

The furore has died down since, but the Council’s enthusiasm for rigorous enforcement of planning regulations shows no sign of abating.

The Daisy Bowl Florist is a new business that sells quirky plants and flowers on William Street West and is a welcome addition to the area, bringing new life and a splash of colour to an empty unit.

Its manager has been issued with a ‘notice of offence’ by the Council, for having floral displays outside the premises; and no, they’re not blocking the footpath.

The local authority doesn’t get-tough on derelict buildings in the city, that could perhaps contribute to a solution for the homeless crisis and housing shortage. And it doesn’t get-tough on illegal parking on double yellow lines and on footpaths and in disabled parking bays.

Instead, the powers that be on College Road have threatened a florist back the West with fines and imprisonment for displaying a few potted cherry tomato plants outside her shop window.

Does Tom Connell, Director of Services for Transportation, Recreation and Amenity and Corporate Services, who signed the notice, have nothing better for doing; and how many more city centre businesses have been served with similar notices?

Loughnane is still an ordinary Joe, Marie

Joe Loughnane, the People Before Profit local election candidate cracked a rare smile at the latest Galway City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) meeting.

For more Bradley Bytes, see this week’s Galway City Tribune