HOW BUSINESSES HELPED REGENERATE THE BOMBED TOWN
How businesses helped regenerate the bombed town
BY MARGARET CANNING
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE economic fortunes of Omagh were revived by ordinary business people, government funding and private investors after the devastation of the Real IRA bomb in Market Street on August 15, 1998.
After the attack, which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins, business people from Omagh got together to decide how they could help the town.
Marcus Isherwood, president of the town's Chamber of Commerce, said: "The business people spoke to some of the families, who all said the businesses should do what businesses are supposed to do, which is go and do business. The efforts of ordinary business people are key to Omagh's success. They have driven the growth of Omagh."
The town centre was closed for about three months after the bomb and six buildings were demolished. Some Market Street businesses reopened in other parts of the town. Others did not reopen at all.
An important aim was to attract shoppers back to Omagh. The Give a Day to Omagh scheme successfully encouraged people to come for a day trip but efforts were undermined by frequent hoax bombs.
They eventually came to an end.
Mr Isherwood praises business people who showed determination to improve the town with government funding through the Omagh 2010 Taskforce and other bodies.
"Omagh 2010 Taskforce had measurable targets, like tripling the amount of retail space - of which we now have 500,000 square foot - improving the appearance of the town and improving the night-time economy," he said.
"Lots of work has been done to improve the appearance of the town, including landscaping and the widening of footpaths. The opening of Strule Arts Centre has also improved the night-time economy. Money has been spent and it has been spent well."
UK multiples have come to new retail developments in the town, including Marks and Spencer and Next at Showgrounds Retail Park. A new street, Main Street, was created on the site of the Royal Arms Hotel site.
The Omagh campus of South West College is bigger than its predecessor and has created employment opportunities.
Mr Isherwood is looking ahead: "The town is looking to the future, embodied in the 170 acre mixed-use site at the former Lisanelly Barracks. One feature will be an education village for the co-location of up to six schools."
Sinn Fein councillor Barry McElduff said: "I have been personally impressed by the work of the Omagh 2010 Taskforce. There have been major improvements in terms of the physical regeneration of Omagh."
He added: "But there will always be a sense of loss in Omagh, as there is in other areas affected by the conflict."
BY MARGARET CANNING
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE economic fortunes of Omagh were revived by ordinary business people, government funding and private investors after the devastation of the Real IRA bomb in Market Street on August 15, 1998.
After the attack, which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins, business people from Omagh got together to decide how they could help the town.
Marcus Isherwood, president of the town's Chamber of Commerce, said: "The business people spoke to some of the families, who all said the businesses should do what businesses are supposed to do, which is go and do business. The efforts of ordinary business people are key to Omagh's success. They have driven the growth of Omagh."
The town centre was closed for about three months after the bomb and six buildings were demolished. Some Market Street businesses reopened in other parts of the town. Others did not reopen at all.
An important aim was to attract shoppers back to Omagh. The Give a Day to Omagh scheme successfully encouraged people to come for a day trip but efforts were undermined by frequent hoax bombs.
They eventually came to an end.
Mr Isherwood praises business people who showed determination to improve the town with government funding through the Omagh 2010 Taskforce and other bodies.
"Omagh 2010 Taskforce had measurable targets, like tripling the amount of retail space - of which we now have 500,000 square foot - improving the appearance of the town and improving the night-time economy," he said.
"Lots of work has been done to improve the appearance of the town, including landscaping and the widening of footpaths. The opening of Strule Arts Centre has also improved the night-time economy. Money has been spent and it has been spent well."
UK multiples have come to new retail developments in the town, including Marks and Spencer and Next at Showgrounds Retail Park. A new street, Main Street, was created on the site of the Royal Arms Hotel site.
The Omagh campus of South West College is bigger than its predecessor and has created employment opportunities.
Mr Isherwood is looking ahead: "The town is looking to the future, embodied in the 170 acre mixed-use site at the former Lisanelly Barracks. One feature will be an education village for the co-location of up to six schools."
Sinn Fein councillor Barry McElduff said: "I have been personally impressed by the work of the Omagh 2010 Taskforce. There have been major improvements in terms of the physical regeneration of Omagh."
He added: "But there will always be a sense of loss in Omagh, as there is in other areas affected by the conflict."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT10An/18
Published Date: 14-Aug-08
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.