Hallowe'en traders' impact on local businesses raised

Concerns have been raised over the impact seasonal traders have had on established local businesses during Derry's Hallowe'en celebrations.

The chair of Derry City & Strabane District Council’s Business & Culture Committee, SDLP Councillor Shauna Cusack, raised the matter at their monthly meeting in Strabane on Tuesday.

Colr. Cusack heaped praise on those involved in the 30th annual Hallowe’en celebrations in the city and district last week. Speaking under Chairperson’s Business, Colr. Cusack congratulated everyone involved on staging such a “humongous success”.

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“It was a lot of hard work but look where it brought us,” she said.

Colr. Cusack detailed how the festival was started at grass roots level by local people taking it upon themselves to create a carnival atmosphere. She added that the Council had invested heavily on the back of this to create the major event Hallowe’en has become locally.

“Where we are today is thanks to everybody through the years who have brought it to this stage,” she said.

Colr. Cusack said however that she was aware that there were local businesses in the city who feel “a wee bit aggrieved” with regards to businesses that were brought in.
“They felt it detracted from the business they could have made,” she said.

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“Hallowe’en is something they invest in. We need to consider our bread and butter local businesses and support them in any way we can.”

UUP Councillor Derek Hussey said he also believed there was an issue with traffic management during Hallowe’en that needed attention.

Tens of thousands attended the Hallowe’en celebrations this year.

The Journal reported last week how medical chiefs and the PSNI had praised the organisers after there were only a handful of potential Hallowe’en related A&E attendances and no arrests or incidents during the official celebrations.