Leitrim units that became empty were 'occupied quickly again' - Leitrim Chamber of Commerce president

Carrick-on-Shannon Chamber of Commerce president, Finola Armstrong-McGuire has spoken out about the challenges for those running their own business but the former councillor also stressed that Carrick-on-Shannon is a vibrant town with plenty of opportunities for potential for development. 

Speaking to the Leitrim Observer, she said: "As with everywhere, the bigger companies that have moved to the outskirts of the town have taken the shopping experience out of town to a degree however, there are individuals in small businesses and family businesses, who are working extremely hard to bring people in and and are offering very good products at very good prices and very good service and that will continue. Any unit that has become empty because somebody has retired or stepped back for health reasons has quite quickly being occupied again."

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Ms Armstrong-McGuire has long standing roots in the town and community as a whole through her local business, The Magnet - Baby, Children and Ladies Wear, as well as through her time as a Councillor.

She said that Carrick-on-Shannon is a busy and thriving town but there are challenges to face for those trading. "There is a liveliness to Carrick and an occupancy that a lot of other towns are finding difficult. There are feet on the street and there are visitors and it's up to us to offer them a range of products in the shops. I would think that if I were starting again in a small business, it's very challenging because credit rating isn't acquired the way it used to be; there is just no question of not paying up front for goods and perhaps for the premises as well. All of that is challenging."