Leitrim Business Network

5 Responses to “Experience Club - Question”

1. Patrick J O'Rourke
   May 7th, 2008 at 2:35 pm

   

   I would say it completely depends on the products or services that you are offering. If you are working primarily online and in person then it’s not essential to have a formal street presence at all in my opinion. The street premises would be just another overhead that gets passed on to the customer…something which the canny will spot. If working from home you still need the office as a separate entity from the house where people can come to do business I reckon. Of course if you’re in the local retail trade then a street presence is essential.
   I hope this helps..
   Cheers
   Patrick

2. Mary Dolan
   May 8th, 2008 at 7:44 am

   

   Thanks, Rick/Padrick.

   Carrick Chamber, along with many other chambers across the country, is concerned about the loss of business presence in the town centre (many shops & offices to let or buildings for sale for long periods of time) as commercial activity shifts to the periphery where free parking abounds. We are attempting to identify niche businesses for these high street units that would re-populate the town centre ocmmunity, be attractive to the large, mainly pedestrian tourism trade, and complement Carrick’s well established and well regarded hospitality, pubs/restaurants/arts venues. It appears that the fastest growth in small business (at least in Leitrim) seems to be in the training, IT, and creative arts sectors, which don’t require ‘premises’ in the traditional sense. The Chamber is looking for ideas and feedback!
   Mary Dolan

3. Bríd Campbell McManus
   May 8th, 2008 at 8:30 am

   

   Mary, I really think it depends on the business concerned. I know I
   commenced business at home 18 years ago, located out in the country.
   The Business has grown, because people are prepared to travel. Couples
   wanting wedding stationery often come to me late evening, after
   finishing their work. There is an “air” of confidentiality where the
   accounts are concerned. My clients, again either farmers or corporate,
   can have appointments early morning or late evening. I am not sitting
   waiting on them, I can have my family life which I could not accommodate
   if I was “sitting” in an office space in town. Of course one of the
   biggest assets to be working from home, is the lack of the overhead
   costs of rent and separate heating costs.

4. Leon Quinn
   May 8th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

   

   You have to realise that in the modern world, the small high street companies are not only competing with larger shops outside town with better parking etc.. but also with online stores which for the most part can sell most of the products seen in physical shops and a lot cheaper.

   Shoppers are increasingly trusting and using websites to buy all manner of things.

   The job you have to attract businesses back to town should maybe involve attracting the ‘niche’ businesses you mention and other businesses that people can’t buy from anywhere else.

   Oh and sort out Parking & Rents!

5. Vincent Durkin
   May 12th, 2008 at 10:24 am

   

   Hi Mary,

   As mentioned, of course it depends on the customer you are trying to find and the product you are selling.

   —————————-
   Most of uur clients are Manufacturers and so we would have no need for the High Street Office.

   The High Street Office / Shop acts only as an advertisement these days for alot of firms, it also being a place of work.

   As rent increases in the towns, more and more people are working from home office units.

   Example: One of our planning permission clients is a Dublin based interior designers. They are moving to Leitrim to run this business from a purpose built office unit on their holiday home plot.

   This demonstrates that with the use of modern technology, the High Street Office is no longer a necessity, and that a web presence is more important.

   Hope this perspective helps.

   Vincent Durkin.
   ________________________
   Durkin Planning & Design.