IT’S BEEN a week of mixed fortunes for Rafter Street with one new business set to open its doors and another shutting up shop and leaving another comparatively large retail unit vacant in the town centre.

A new butcher shop, M&M Meats will have its grand opening this Thursday, however, almost directly across the street, Enniscorthy’s Sports Savers is one of many across the county to close down after the company announced they were to cease trading last week.

The sports retailers doors remained closed last week with a padlock on the front door and members of staff in Enniscorthy join those in Wexford, Gorey and New Ross now searching for work in the wake of the closure.

While one retailer is winding down, another is getting set to open on Thursday as M&M Meats prepares for its grand opening. A joint venture of Mick Crofts and Mark Hunt, the pair worked together for 26 years at Martin Doyle’s Butchers on Court Street before its shock closure in June of last year.

“It’s very exciting,” said Mick. “We’ve 70 years of experience between the two of us; we know the trade inside out, so hopefully we can make a go of it. Our aim is to combine the old style and new style of butchers. We’ll have things like protein packs and healthy eating as well as sauces and that kind of thing as well as some artisan stuff.”

For more on this story, pick up a copy of this week’s Echo.

M&M Meats on Rafter Street will officially open its doors on Thursday.

Sports Savers, Rafter St. Enniscorthy which closed last week. Pic: John Walsh