SHOP REOPENS IN A BID TO RETURN TO NORMALITY
Shops reopen in a bid to return to normality
Traders heartened by public support and sympathy
The shock, anger, and pain of the Market Street bombing has not subsided, but in a spirit of resilience, the people of Omagh have begun to pick up the pieces. On Monday of this week, a number businesses opened their doors for the first time in a collective struggle to regain some measure of normality.
One of the businesses hit hardest by the Market Street bomb, Watterson's Drapers, was amongst those reopening. Three members of staff were killed in the blast and a huge floral tribute remains outside the shop.
Despite the heartbreak at the loss of colleagues; Geraldine Breslin, Anne McCombe, and Veda Short, the staff, who are regarded as something of a close-knit family, struggled through their grief to present as normal a service as was possible.
Speaking of the difficulties of staff members, proprietor, Tom Watterson, said that everybody is shocked and saddened and that there has been an endless stream of well-wishers in the shop, speaking to staff, shaking hands with all staff members and assuring them of support.
The reopening coincides with one of the busiest times of the year, the 'back-to school' period and since Monday, staff at the shop have been kept busy.
Mr Watterson said that the calibre and kindness of the people of the town was second to none, and that the support of customers, families and friends had been encouraging and greatly appreciated.
As to the decision to reopen this week, he said that there had simply been no option, "The schools are back next week and we had to go back too. But we are all still in shock and very depressed. We were like family, everybody got on well."
A spokesperson from the Oxfam shop which lost two young volunteers, Samantha McFarland (17) and Lorraine Wilson, (15), said that all of the volunteers had reported in for work on Monday. "We lost Lorraine and Samantha, and Betty Wright lost her brother and nephew but we all believe that reopening the shop is what Lorraine and Samantha would have wanted."
On Monday as local people learned that the town had reopened the crowds, aided by fine weather, slowly returned to the High Street.
Though the mood was sombre and many people stopped at various points to pay respects to the dead and to read messages on the floral tributes, there was, nevertheless, a semblance of normality.
But many traders had mixed emotions about reopening, and some had expressed a sense of guilt and uneasiness.
Omagh Traders Association, along with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had been urging people to reopen their businesses.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Chairman of the Traders Association, Roy Allen commented; "We know the people of Omagh are grieving and suffering and we would extend our heartfelt condolences to all of those families who have lost loved ones or had members injured in the bomb. We also extend our sympathies to businesses who have had staff killed and injured and our best wishes go out to those who are still recovering from their injuries."
He said that it had been the wish of the Traders Association that local businesses would reopen to support the general public, however, much to the delight of the business community, the public had been offering local traders much support and encouragement, making their task more bearable.
Acknowledging that the road to recovery would be a long one for the town and the many individuals affected, Mr Allen expressed a hope that the various agencies, voluntary bodies and the community as a whole would, "Work together to ensure that Omagh gets over this terrible atrocity."
In urging businesses to reopen, Mr Allen said that if even one small business had to close, due to financial constraints, or if even one employee had to be made redundant, the Trader's Association would feel that it had failed. Indeed, he said, society would be deemed to have failed. Therefore, he affirmed that the Trader's Association would do everything in its power to avoid that situation.
Concluding, he said the eyes of the world were on Omagh and, he believed, that the families of the victims and the injured would want the town to get back to normality, in the knowledge that the people of Omagh will never forget the victims of the bomb.
As to the buildings physically damaged in the blast, Mr Allen intimated that the Association would favour a concerted and co-ordinated approach to reconstruction.
The Trader's Association comments come at a time when DUP Councillor, Oliver Gibson, and Community Independent, Paddy McGowan were urging the business people of the town to open for business and for the people of the town to turn out in numbers to support the reopening.
Said Councillor Gibson, "I am one of the grieving people. I lost a family member, but I am going into Omagh with another fellow councillor of another political persuasion to publicly encourage the people to try and get the town back to normal."
Traders heartened by public support and sympathy
The shock, anger, and pain of the Market Street bombing has not subsided, but in a spirit of resilience, the people of Omagh have begun to pick up the pieces. On Monday of this week, a number businesses opened their doors for the first time in a collective struggle to regain some measure of normality.
One of the businesses hit hardest by the Market Street bomb, Watterson's Drapers, was amongst those reopening. Three members of staff were killed in the blast and a huge floral tribute remains outside the shop.
Despite the heartbreak at the loss of colleagues; Geraldine Breslin, Anne McCombe, and Veda Short, the staff, who are regarded as something of a close-knit family, struggled through their grief to present as normal a service as was possible.
Speaking of the difficulties of staff members, proprietor, Tom Watterson, said that everybody is shocked and saddened and that there has been an endless stream of well-wishers in the shop, speaking to staff, shaking hands with all staff members and assuring them of support.
The reopening coincides with one of the busiest times of the year, the 'back-to school' period and since Monday, staff at the shop have been kept busy.
Mr Watterson said that the calibre and kindness of the people of the town was second to none, and that the support of customers, families and friends had been encouraging and greatly appreciated.
As to the decision to reopen this week, he said that there had simply been no option, "The schools are back next week and we had to go back too. But we are all still in shock and very depressed. We were like family, everybody got on well."
A spokesperson from the Oxfam shop which lost two young volunteers, Samantha McFarland (17) and Lorraine Wilson, (15), said that all of the volunteers had reported in for work on Monday. "We lost Lorraine and Samantha, and Betty Wright lost her brother and nephew but we all believe that reopening the shop is what Lorraine and Samantha would have wanted."
On Monday as local people learned that the town had reopened the crowds, aided by fine weather, slowly returned to the High Street.
Though the mood was sombre and many people stopped at various points to pay respects to the dead and to read messages on the floral tributes, there was, nevertheless, a semblance of normality.
But many traders had mixed emotions about reopening, and some had expressed a sense of guilt and uneasiness.
Omagh Traders Association, along with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had been urging people to reopen their businesses.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Chairman of the Traders Association, Roy Allen commented; "We know the people of Omagh are grieving and suffering and we would extend our heartfelt condolences to all of those families who have lost loved ones or had members injured in the bomb. We also extend our sympathies to businesses who have had staff killed and injured and our best wishes go out to those who are still recovering from their injuries."
He said that it had been the wish of the Traders Association that local businesses would reopen to support the general public, however, much to the delight of the business community, the public had been offering local traders much support and encouragement, making their task more bearable.
Acknowledging that the road to recovery would be a long one for the town and the many individuals affected, Mr Allen expressed a hope that the various agencies, voluntary bodies and the community as a whole would, "Work together to ensure that Omagh gets over this terrible atrocity."
In urging businesses to reopen, Mr Allen said that if even one small business had to close, due to financial constraints, or if even one employee had to be made redundant, the Trader's Association would feel that it had failed. Indeed, he said, society would be deemed to have failed. Therefore, he affirmed that the Trader's Association would do everything in its power to avoid that situation.
Concluding, he said the eyes of the world were on Omagh and, he believed, that the families of the victims and the injured would want the town to get back to normality, in the knowledge that the people of Omagh will never forget the victims of the bomb.
As to the buildings physically damaged in the blast, Mr Allen intimated that the Association would favour a concerted and co-ordinated approach to reconstruction.
The Trader's Association comments come at a time when DUP Councillor, Oliver Gibson, and Community Independent, Paddy McGowan were urging the business people of the town to open for business and for the people of the town to turn out in numbers to support the reopening.
Said Councillor Gibson, "I am one of the grieving people. I lost a family member, but I am going into Omagh with another fellow councillor of another political persuasion to publicly encourage the people to try and get the town back to normal."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0163
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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