YOUGHAL CHAMBERS SUBMISSION RE. TOWN DEVELOPMENT FUND.

Businesses throughout the Town have learned to adapt to the ever-changing stages of our roadmap to recovery. The more outside the box thinking the better the chance of surviving and eventually getting stronger during these uncertain times.
We must realize that today it’s not just about yourself, it’s about working together, it’s about showing our families, our friends and our visitors that we are were here when it really mattered and we will continue to serve them well.
Remember it important that we focus on domestic customers before we try to attract tourists from abroad. Traditional summer marketing of the town and our businesses through Festivals and Print Media are for next year. This year Billboards and radio campaigns with Red FM, 96 FM, Tipp FM and most importantly Community Radio Youghal are the way forward and must be prioritized.
We are very conscious that we are at the dawn of online overload. Our message needs to get to our customers and we would strongly encourage our business community to avail of the advice and grants given by South Cork Enterprise Board in this regard.
Our members and customers have made the following proposals for your consideration.
• Youghal is not just a Town Centre, it is a business community that is very dependent on working together. The Strand Area is as important to our survival as North Main Street. During the peak summer months Domestic Tourism is attracted to Youghal – The Safe Family Destination and in particular to our stunning beaches. To maximize the benefits of these visitors we must promote better linkages between the Strand and the Town. The eagerly awaited Boardwalk Extension has created a wonderful opportunity to link the historic quayside with virtually the entire beach. We would encourage additional Seating, Planters and Bulletined Boards throughout the walk, similar to those provided to Nealon’s Quay. Bunting and Flags are a relatively inexpensive yet effect way to encourage our visitors to explore further. from Emmet Place, Church Street, North Main Street, Barry Lane, Market Square, Kent Street, The Mall, Strand Street, South Abbey, O’Brien’s Place, The Green Park, Lighthouse Hill, Moll Goggin’s Corner, The Promenade and The Boardwalk.
• Billboard campaign should concentrate primarily on images of the Beach, Boardwalk, St. Mary’s 800. The campaign should concentrate initially on our strongest markets of Cork City, Mallow, Mitchelstown, Fermoy, Clonmel and Dungarvan. We are delighted that Aileen Murray and the YSEDG are building a database of images and videos of the town. We would strongly encourage Cork County Council to create an uplink for our businesses to use these images without the risk of copyright infringement.
• Youghal is blessed to have a diverse selection of restaurants, cafes and bars to enjoy. Social Distancing measures will have a significant impact on the survival of these premises. Outdoor seating is a central part of the attractiveness of a café culture and an intrinsic part of attracting tourists to the town center. The narrow footpaths throughout the town limit the use of outdoor seating. We would encourage Cork County Council to create Areas of Outdoor Seating on Barry’s Lane, Church Street, Train Station, Claycastle and the Front Strand. We would encourage a free licensing system for the businesses of the town to operate from these areas. We would encourage weekly Food Markets and Night Time Cinema in Barry’s Lane / Market Square.
• Improvements to facilities and extensions to Opening Times of the Public Toilet throughout the Town need to be addressed. Additional directional signage must be provided to assist visitors to our town.
• Improvements to the number of Waste Bin’s provided during the peak periods. The increase in street litter from our Take-Aways was very apparent last Monday morning. Additional temporary or fixed waste facilities must be provided to the Front Strand, Claycastle, The Promenade and the Mall.
• The appearance of the Clock Gate from South Main Street is very poor. A weed management schedule must be put in place.
• We are delighted that the number of Derelict Sites within the town have greatly declined within the last year. We would encourage the owners of Seafield Fabrics, 1. 2 Clifton, Mo’s Off Licence, The Railway Station and others to improve the overall appearance of their properties. We would welcome the renewal of the Painting Scheme for the Town, Improvement to Shop Fronts and Signage Scheme and the occupation of vacant shop windows.
• The quality and appearance of the McCurtainstown Car Park is very poor. This is one of the main car parks for the Beach. We would encourage directional signage and soft planting of the entrance and borders.
• The Public Lighting of the Promenade, Boardwalk and Claycastle Car Park is non-existent. Throughout the lockdown period, we rediscovered just how vital our public spaces and infrastructures are to everyday life and our amazing beach in particular. The lack of lighting will result in early morning and evening Walkers & Joggers being excluded from using these amazing facilities throughout the dark winter months. Similar public spaces in Tramore, Portrush and Bray are obvious examples of intelligent forms of seafront lighting. Antagonist feel that lighting these areas could result in anti-social behavior whereas we are of the opinion that increased footfall will significantly reduce these unwanted activities.
• Additional Visual Signage along the N25 from all entrances must be addressed.
• Youghal already has the benefit of Fibre Optic and Cork County Council should encourage / establish an Enterprise Hub Network, similar to the current Enterprise Centre, which would provide work spaces for co-workers and remote workers. This promotion could be coupled with all the positives, rural regions have to offer in terms of a cheaper floor rental value, better work life balance, shorter commute times, low carbon footprint, ease of congesting in our cities.
• Provision of Soap Dispenser in all public convivences.
• Social Distancing and Directional Signage on Promenade & Boardwalk.
• Footpath and Lighting from Pobalscoil na Tríonóide to Boardwalk. Walking access to the main beach for the majority of the new housing developments in the town is without the safety of a footpath. The main Bus Stop servicing the Beach and Caravan Parks is not serviced with a footpath. In general, all areas outside the historic Urban District Boundary are poorly serviced with footpaths and public lighting.
• Moll Goggin’s View Area reopened or redesigned
• The removal of the Magic Pole from Allins Quays. The resurfacing of Store Street and improvement’s to the soft landscape of Dolphins Square Car Park.