Entrepreneurial New Ross students to trial a Christmas market this winter – ‘they wouldn’t be competing with local businesses’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Although calls have been made to establish a Christmas market in Brennan’s Lane this year, the New Ross district manager is reluctant to go all-in on an initiative which he says the town “has to be ready for”. With The Shambles on Mary Street expected to open in the coming weeks it had been hoped that it, along with Brennan’s Lane, could form an extended Christmas market in New Ross this December.

However, at the October meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) district manager Alan Fitzhenry sounded a note of caution.

“A market would require new casual trading by-laws, in theory we could have those in place for Christmas,” he said. “But Enniscorthy tried a Christmas market last year and it lasted one weekend, most of the traders pulled out because there wasn’t enough footfall. I don’t want us to go through the entire process and not do it correctly.”

However, the town’s young entrepreneurs may be brought in to give the public an idea of what an annual market would entail.

“We’ve written to the secondary schools in the district and offered spots to transition year students who are involved in enterprise projects, “ said Mr Fitzhenry. “Potentially we could move the students into Brennan’s Lane for a weekend in the run-up to Christmas – and they wouldn’t necessarily be competing with local businesses.

"We could see how that works in relation to footfall and activity, and if it goes well we could look at a larger scale operation next Christmas. Outside of that I would love to see a farmer’s market in Brennan’s Lane over time.”

Despite Councillor Michael Sheehan’s suggestion that temporary licenses be issued to interested businesses for a widescale market, Mr Fitzhenry remained resolute.

“We just have to be careful about trying it and the town not being ready for it, if it fails we can’t go back to it again,” he insisted.

Confirming that The Shambles would be officially opened in the coming weeks, Mr Fitzhenry said it could serve a variety of purposes in the town.

“Originally we had intended to use it as an outdoor dining space, people could buy a sandwich or a coffee from a local business and go in there and sit down. But it also has the potential for events and markets.”