IT WAS the end of an era in Wexford town on Saturday as Furlong’s butcher’s in the Bullring closed its doors for the final time, having decided to concentrate sales efforts in its Whitemill and Gorey outlets.
Three jobs have been lost as a result of the closure with one other person put on short time.
The butcher’s, which was established in 1621 and is the oldest butcher in Ireland, called time on 114 years of history in the area with proprietor Paul Furlong saying that the closure was caused by “double yellow lines and bollards”.
He said: “We were growing year-on-year and were one of the busiest shops in Ireland. We had 23 staff. Then one day about ten years ago, the council came and put double yellow lines down one side of the street and a few months late came back and put them down the other side as well.”
Mr. Furlong remarked that there had been no consultation with local businesses ahead of this move. Despite the lines, he said people still wanted to shop in the premises but now had to contend with the traffic warden.
“It was like shooting fish in a barrel for them and eventually people just went somewhere else where they wouldn’t get a ticket. Our product is perishable and heavy so people need to be able to pull in for five minutes.”
The shop underwent a refurbishment in October and Mr. Furlong approached the council, requesting one loading bay but was refused.
“I asked for one loading bay but it wasn’t up for discussion. The end result is closed doors on another business and another empty premises in Wexford town.”
[Full story in this week’s Echo]
