Booming business not a case of luck with BWM

THE presence of July rain showers proves a boon to retailers — a case made eloquently by the shoppers thronging the aisles at the Blarney Woollen Mills summer sale this weekend.

Divided between the constant visitor buses thronging this iconic tourist town, and the scores of Irish people in search of bargains, there are few visible signs of recession caution amidst the crowds.

“We are finding 2011 well up on last year,” says Darren Smyth. “We are definitely optimistic on the prospects for the remainder of the season.” Having recently opened another outlet at Fota Retail Park, the company are pushing expansion further with a late August store opening in Clonakilty. “We would see both of these recent ventures as employing over 30 extra staff, and we are actively looking at more openings in the near future,” he says. “The company is 44 years old, and has had its share of good and bad times, but always managed to thrive on commercial adversity. We grew significantly during the very difficult 1980s, and while we have had to readjust to cope with the economic reality over the last three years, we are actively dedicating ourselves to a similar expansion today.”