SHOPS ARE URGED TO RE-OPEN
Shops are urged to re-open
OMAGH will take the first tentative step towards bringing life back to the devastated town centre today when traders start to open for business again. Shops have been closed for the past eight days following the car bomb blast in the heart of the town which killed 28 people and injured 220. The Chamber of Commerce has urged retailers to reopen today but said many of those able to return to business felt uneasy about doing so.
Chamber president Michael Gaine said: "There are shops that cannot physically open because they are wrecked. There are shops that are fine physically but cannot open because they have lost staff.
"And there are shops that are fine but they feel ashamed to open. They feel it appears callous and they feel they have an unfair advantage over their competitors down the street."
Three shop assistants in Watterson's drapers - Ann McCombe, Geraldine Breslin and Veda Short - were killed when evacuated from the premises to the area where the bomb exploded.
Julie Hughes, a student working as an assistant in a photographic processing shop was also killed and all the staff in Carlton's Home Bakery were injured. The Oxfam shop also lost two of its volunteer weekend workers, Samantha McFarland and 15-year-old Lorraine Wilson, in the Real IRA massacre.
"It is going to be terrible for some people because they really have to start all over," said Mr Gaine.
"Some of the people in Watterson's had been there for years and years. How do you replace those people? How do you put ads in the paper looking for new staff?
He said while some shop owners felt guilty at the prospect of reopening, they had to be forced to look ahead.
"I think now the grieving side of it for the families and for the bereaved has passed on to the next stage, and now the practical side has come into effect.
"If you don't do it tomorrow, when do you do it? These things, no matter how painful, are for the sake of everybody. A beginning has to take place."
Traders had already been suffering because of the effects of the BSE crisis on its largely rural customers. The strong pound also curtailed cross-border trade in the town.
"But we have traders who are saying: 'Business was bad anyway, I couldn't give a damn' if I never open again," said Mr Gaine.
"I think you have to force some of the people back into work. It's the only way."
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
OMAGH will take the first tentative step towards bringing life back to the devastated town centre today when traders start to open for business again. Shops have been closed for the past eight days following the car bomb blast in the heart of the town which killed 28 people and injured 220. The Chamber of Commerce has urged retailers to reopen today but said many of those able to return to business felt uneasy about doing so.
Chamber president Michael Gaine said: "There are shops that cannot physically open because they are wrecked. There are shops that are fine physically but cannot open because they have lost staff.
"And there are shops that are fine but they feel ashamed to open. They feel it appears callous and they feel they have an unfair advantage over their competitors down the street."
Three shop assistants in Watterson's drapers - Ann McCombe, Geraldine Breslin and Veda Short - were killed when evacuated from the premises to the area where the bomb exploded.
Julie Hughes, a student working as an assistant in a photographic processing shop was also killed and all the staff in Carlton's Home Bakery were injured. The Oxfam shop also lost two of its volunteer weekend workers, Samantha McFarland and 15-year-old Lorraine Wilson, in the Real IRA massacre.
"It is going to be terrible for some people because they really have to start all over," said Mr Gaine.
"Some of the people in Watterson's had been there for years and years. How do you replace those people? How do you put ads in the paper looking for new staff?
He said while some shop owners felt guilty at the prospect of reopening, they had to be forced to look ahead.
"I think now the grieving side of it for the families and for the bereaved has passed on to the next stage, and now the practical side has come into effect.
"If you don't do it tomorrow, when do you do it? These things, no matter how painful, are for the sake of everybody. A beginning has to take place."
Traders had already been suffering because of the effects of the BSE crisis on its largely rural customers. The strong pound also curtailed cross-border trade in the town.
"But we have traders who are saying: 'Business was bad anyway, I couldn't give a damn' if I never open again," said Mr Gaine.
"I think you have to force some of the people back into work. It's the only way."
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
Further Information
Publisher: THE EXAMINER
Ref: TEX/168
Published Date: 24-Aug-98
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