Trim traders express serious doubts about Monday"s High Street opening

Traders on Trim"s High Street are said to be 'bewildered' as to how the street can be ready for re-opening to through traffic on Monday as planned and many are concerned that there will be further delays. One businessman on the street said there was 'not a hope of it being open on Monday unless they bring in Paul Daniels with his magic wand.' Butcher David Dempsey also said that situation at High Street is a 'total shambles' and that the 'carry-on is a disgrace.' Mr Dempsey said he has seen at least a 25 per cent reduction in his business since the works started and that he is losing about €1,500 per week. He said up until they got a letter from the council last week, they were being told the works were on schedule but that 'any lug could see they were behind schedule.' Mr Dempsey said the situation is an 'absolute disgrace' and showed 'utter incompetence' on the part of the council. Trim Town Clerk Brian Murphy said that as far as he was concerned, the road would open to single lane traffic on Monday and that he had not been told any different. 'I was talking to the engineer and he said the place was swamped with employees so it is full steam ahead and there is a big push to get the works completed in line with the revised programme,' he said. The engineer who had been overseeing the reconstruction project was recently promoted to another area and Mr Murphy said they are waiting for Meath County Council to second somebody to take over the role. Mr Dempsey also told the Meath Chronicle how three lorries had arrived at the same time on the street and tried to get by a jeep and another 40 ft trailer arrived and they were all trying to 'squeeze' onto the street. 'It"s a pantomime watching the carry on,' he said. 'There was no work being done up my end and I asked for one parking space for my customers and they said no problem. But then the contruction workers started parking in it. They gave me the parking space and then parked in it themselves,' added an annoyed Mr Dempsey. High Street is the latest street to be reconstructed as part of the town council"s €5m revamp of the town"s streets and footpaths and was due to be closed for the months of June and July. However, a delay in commencing the project and builders holidays have led to the contractor submitting a new schedule of works. The street is now due to open to through traffic on Monday (25th August) and the remaining works are to be completed by 26th September. Brian Heffernan from Sherry Fitzgerald Royal said traders were 'bewildered' as to how the works could possibly be finished in time to open the street on Monday. He said that while they were anxious to see the street done up, the street was only due to close for June and July. 'Traders are severely disappointed and frustrated. A lot of businesses are losing money,' he said.