Council and traders in talks over €20k contribution for lights

CITY officials have begun talks with traders on Cork’s main street to secure a €20,000 contribution towards the public Christmas lights.

City manager Joe Gavin confirmed last night that following the city’s decision to provide a €200,000 dig-out towards the cost of the St Patrick’s Street lights, officials are encouraging the traders to form a committee to work with the council on the issue.

The Cork Business Association said it will play no role this year in seeking contributions.

The street’s traders were branded scrooges last month when it emerged that they had failed to provide enough cash to pay for the lighting system.

The situation forced the city to provide a €200,000 grant to meet 80% of the cost of the lights.

The finger of blame was pointed at several of the large foreign-owned high-street chains.

However, two of the street’s biggest traders said they have not been approached for funding yet.

A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer said the store has always contributed to the lights.

“Marks and Spencer are happy to support the lights project. We have no problem providing money,” she said. “But we are waiting for a confirmed amount from the Cork Business Association.”

A spokeswoman for Brown Thomas said they fully support any initiative which makes Cork city centre’s shopping experience better for its customers. “But as of today, we have not been approached for this year’s funding,” she said.

But their statements highlight the confusion around who is responsible for collecting the money.

A traders’ committee, which liaised with the council during the big St Patrick’s Street revamp five years ago, is defunct.

One prominent trader, who was involved several years ago in the collection of funding for the lights, described it as a “poisoned chalice”.

But Mr Gavin said he is confident the traders, which include banks and large British-owned chains, will be able to come up with their €20,000 contribution.

Traders in other areas like North Main Street, Oliver Plunkett Street and Carey’s Lane have their own committee and have raised funds for the lights in their areas, he said.

I am hopeful the same will apply on St Patrick’s Street, he said.

“It shouldn’t be that difficult to raise that kind of money from the traders of St Patrick’s Street,” he added.

But he said the city would not leave the main street in darkness if the money was not raised.

It is crucial for traders to have a sense of ownership of the lights, he said.

The blue lights on the trees lining the street are effective but the white lights strung in some areas, particularly outside Brown Thomas, were not providing enough impact, he said.

Despite the uncertainty over the trader’s contribution, the city has installed more Christmas lights on a key section of the street outside Brown Thomas.