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Morning Ireland reporter Cian McCormack, was in Fermoy to find out how businesses are faring in the run up to Christmas. Photo: Stock

They don't expect people to spend every penny they have in Fermoy, but to come to the town, see what it has to offer and spend a bit.

That's what the Chairman of Fermoy Business Action Group, Adrian Godwin, told RTE's top current affairs show 'Morning Ireland' on Monday.

Reporter Cian McCormack, from the show, was in Fermoy to find out how businesses are faring in the run up to Christmas. He mentioned the hundreds of job losses the town had suffered in recent years and said it is now considered to be 'a dormitory town'.

The business action group Chairman explained what they had organised for Christmas this year to try to attract people into the town. The weekend market, which proved such a good success the previous weekend, unfortunately had to be cancelled this weekend due to storm force winds and heavy rain.

Their job, he said, was to offer incentives to people to come to the town to shop. After that it was up to individual businesses to play their part. The shopping 'blitz' continued at the weekend for the second time, with most businesses featuring special offers, promotions and deals.

FBAG's Chairman mentioned the Arts Festival that's planned for the first weekend in February, which they'll be supporting, and the annual Teddy Bears Picnic they organise in the town park as other examples of working pro-actively to incentivise people to come to town and to boost trade.

The business group's PRO, Susan Hickey, told Cian McCormack she'd noticed a pick-up in business since the summer.

The Morning Ireland reporter spoke with a local couple whose view was that things are still very difficult in the country generally, with earnings being eaten away by various taxes and charges. David Gahan of the Mens Shed also contributed his views to the programme, pointing out that young people are still having to emigrate to find work.

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