Group advises: start own shops

RURAL people were urged yesterday to set up and run their own community shops to replace private retail outlets that have closed.

Irish Rural Link (IRL) — the national group campaigning for sustainable rural communities — urged the move at the opening of its annual two-day conference in Cavan town.

IRL chief executive, Seamus Boland, said many villages in rural Ireland have witnessed not only the decline in public services, but also the disappearance of private services such as local shops.

“These closures are usually the result of natural processes such as the retirement of the local shopkeeper or a decision that small, time-intensive businesses, such as a local shop, cannot sustain a family.

“However, the effect for the wider community is often very socially disruptive. Rural dwellers are being forced into ever more car-dependent lifestyles. This often has the result of isolating those who are most vulnerable as they often either don’t own a car or are not confident driving,” he said.

Mr Boland urged the Government to support and encourage rural communities to provide services where private services have declined in their areas.

“Where a village has lost its last shop, we believe that training, financial advice and interest-free credit should be made available to communities to establish a replacement service.

“Such initiatives could provide local part-time employment, increase local social cohesion, reduce the distances people need to travel to conduct their business and increase access to services for those without private transport,” he said.