Cork Business Association President Clara O’Neill and Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Damien Boylan took to the streets of Cork city centre to meet CBA members, hear directly from businesses and discuss their hopes and priorities for the city.
The first stop was Republic of Oud in Winthrop Arcade, where owner Alan Coakley spoke passionately about seeing Cork thrive. With the store open just over a year, the discussion focused on increasing city centre footfall through events, festivals and, crucially, bringing more people to live in the city by regenerating vacant upper floors. The team also sampled some of the store’s beautiful fragrances!
At Michel Jewellers, Kate Culhane and her team highlighted the importance of the Christmas trading period, which accounts for a significant proportion of annual income for many retailers. Support from local stakeholders, alongside a safe and welcoming city centre, is vital to ensuring a successful season.
Opera Lane was next stop, where Christmas preparations were well underway. The conversation focused on city centre accessibility and the need for reliable transport links to encourage people to visit Cork to shop, work and enjoy all the city has to offer.
The PTSB team on Patrick Street welcomed the Lord Mayor to meet staff working on the upper floors. Safety and security were key topic s, with appreciation expressed for the visible high-visibility Garda presence in Cork, alongside a clear message that this must be maintained and strengthened.
With the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival underway, Seventy Seven was in full swing preparing for the weekend. The visit highlighted the substantial footfall and revenue that major events bring to Cork, as well as the need for a more permanent, collaborative approach with Cork City Council and Business to proactively attract and support future festivals and events.
The final stop was DBFL Consulting Engineers on South Mall, where discussions focused on large-scale housing, infrastructure and city centre public realm and active travel projects projects, and the barriers that must be addressed to accelerate delivery across Cork.
Reflecting on the afternoon, CBA President Clara O’Neill said:
“It was a really valuable opportunity to hear directly from businesses about what is working well, the challenges they face and their hopes for Cork’s future. Common themes emerged around increasing city centre footfall, improving safety and accessibility, supporting major events and accelerating housing and infrastructure delivery.
“CBA will continue to advocate for our members and work collaboratively with Cork City Council, the Lord Mayor and other stakeholders to help deliver a thriving city.”
CBA thanks Lord Mayor Damien Boylan for his time and engagement. Listening directly to businesses is essential to understanding the issues on the ground and ensuring their voices remain central to Cork’s future.