“Given IKEA’s stated interest in developing a new store outside of Dublin, with Cork understood to be their preferred option, it would be remiss of Fermoy Municipal Authority not to promote the area as a suitable location for any new store they build in Ireland,” Cllr Noel McCarthy said this week.
Following a discussion at the October meeting of the municipal authority, it was agreed to write to IKEA asking them to consider the three local towns in the region – Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Charleville.
The Swedish retail giant said the opening of their second Irish store recently ‘is just the first step in our expansion plan in Ireland’ and there have been meetings between IKEA and Cork County Council about potential store locations around the county. Cllr McCarthy said each of the three towns has much to offer in terms of location, transport and a skilled workforce. Regarding Fermoy especially, he said any new business in the area would have a positive domino effect for existing businesses.
“Other towns have made pitches for it, why can’t we? It would be a great addition to Fermoy, or to Mitchelstown or to Charleville I do think IKEA are looking for something in the Cork region. We’ve been criticised in Fermoy in the past for not bringing businesses in. I’m in business myself, the more businesses that come into town the better, it’s up to the other businesses to feed off them and I think if IKEA did come, they would bring more footfall to Fermoy and everyone’s business in the town would benefit.
Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://avondhupress.ie/never-knock-opportunity-ikea-urged-consider-local-towns/&media=https://cdn.avondhupress.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/05185150/ikea-store%4005-10-2016-181246.jpg&description="Given IKEA’s stated interest in developing a new store outside of Dublin, with Cork understood to be their preferred option, it would be remiss of Fe){kind=link}