Cross border shopping affects Kells Christmas trade

In Kells, traders felt the benefit of free parking. Chamber of Commerce president Jess Olohan said the free parking had certainly improved business but there was a noticeable effect on business from cross-border shopping. Ms Olohan said that several shops in Kells had held pre-season sales, which helped to boost trade. Local businessman and Kells Town Council cathaoirleach, Brian Curran, said business was down on last year and people were spending less. He said the town had been affected by cross-border shopping, but many people had shopped locally, especially over the last three or four days of trade. Kells businesswoman Rosemary Dunne agreed business had been slow this year but she was thinking positive and hoped the New Year would see improvements. "It has been slow, but if we don't stop talkig recession, we will never get out of it," she said. Oldcastle pharmacist Donna McQuaid said she had been busy with Christmas shoppers as well as for prescriptions. "Business may be down a little bit on last year, but not that much," she commented.