A Castlecomer butcher says Aldi would only be good for the town.
Permission has been granted for a local branch but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanála last year. (See here).
The case is still with the Inspectorate and a ruling is not expected until April.
Dick Dooley says it’s evident that Castlecomer needs another supermarket and on KCLR Live this morning he told our Eimear Ní Bhraonáin other local small traders are suffering for the lack of one; “Footfall in the town has dramatically decreased in the last two years and I’d see Aldi as a huge help to the town in that we can keep the locals here and it will bring people in from the hinterland, those that are going to Carlow and Kilkenny for discount shopping, into ‘Comer and we all stand a chance if the people are in the town but we stand absolutely no chance when they’re in Kilkenny and Carlow”.
He adds “There’s an old saying ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ and I’d be of the opinion if you’re setting up a butcher shop or any sort of a small shop in any town, the closer you are to your competition the better chance you have, you want to be close to where the biggest shop is bringing the biggest footfall and in my opinion if they’re in Castlecomer they’re bringing 265 car parking spaces alongside the shop, something that’s badly needed in the town and 265 car parking spaces around the corner from me is a huge help”.
