Street traders and business owners on Dublin’s Moore Street have questioned the timing of plans to revitalise the area.
The council is looking for a company to run a market which would complement the existing stalls.
The city council has issued a tender for a company to run a market from Thursday to Sundays adding more stalls to the existing 17 on the street.
"Too Late"
But Noel Dunne, from the Centra on the corner of Moore Street, says the area will effectively be a building site– with a major retail and office project planned for the area surrounding the market, while Stephen Troy from the local butchers says its too little too late, when a decision on the development is due shortly.
According to the tender, the new stalls would be in place by next February with the contract initially lasting a year.
Dublin City Council says Moore Street, which is a designated Casual Trading area, has historically been one of the key market and trading areas in the city, and the area has declined in recent years for a variety of reasons.
Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland says: "Moore St. is a key socio-economic area in Dublin City that has not performed well in recent times. I hope that the successful tenderer will bring a new energy to the street and make it a must visit location in the North Inner City for citizens and visitors alike. I look forward to this initiative being fully implemented and showcasing an important positive and historic aspect of the city."
Chair of the Moore St. Expert Group, Cllr. Donna Cooney says: "It is great to see this step being taken by Dublin City Council following on from the hard work of the expert group. This shows the commitment of Dublin City Council to retain Moore St. as a trading area into the future and a respect for the unique history of this area. It is hoped this operator will be in place in early 2022 and that this initiative will prove successful."
