Non-essential retailers in Tipperary have made a welcome return to trading today in the latest step in the easing of Covid-19 restriction.
Queues formed outside many stores this morning as many outlets opened their doors for the first time this year.
Among them was Daverns of Cashel who have been trading since 1926.
Proprietor Raymond Davern says like many clothing outlets stock is a huge issue for them.
“We buy six months in advance so all our contracts were signed six months ago.”
“We haven’t had a chance for an Autumn-Winter sale so there’s a backlog of stock there as well. We have commitments that we have to honour and our two shops in Cashel are full of Spring-Summer stock as we speak.”
Meanwhile Willie Kinane – who owns McMahon Shoe Shops – thinks it will be months before businesses start getting back to normal trading.
“I think a lot of retailers are just glad to be open and to get back to some kind of retail civilisation. It’s not about people making money – it’s just about pure existence for this year.”
“Honestly I’d say it’s going to be Spring 2022 before we’re sure of continuity in retail so we’ll just try and get open and back to some level of trading.”
