This time last year, Galway was a thriving shopping and tourism centre with most focus on indigenous business. The family concern still survives in the centre, with Kennys Bookshop, Griffins Bakery, Anthony Ryan's drapery and Hills shoeshop among the best known, while larger outlets, such as Smyths have a local connection - through Mayo.
The map is changing fast, however, with the arrival of the UK multiples in force - Boots, River Island and now Currys in the Galway retail park. Recently, a Northern Ireland firm, Electric World, also took the electrical/ video/hi-fi business run by O'Connor's Incredible Planet.
Other multiples are due to surface in the £25 million Edward Square complex, an extension to the Eyre Square shopping centre which is due to open in the new year. Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop and Evans will be located in three separate fashion outlets leased by the Arcadia Group.
Brown Thomas has taken two units for A Wear fashions, alongside UK fashion chain Oasis. The anchor tenant in the complex is Dunnes Stores, which beat Marks & Spencers to it for a 65,000 sq ft premises linking to the adjoining centre.
"It's a fact of life, once we joined the EU," says Jarlath Feeney of Galway Chamber of Commerce who does not express any fears about the impact on local traders. "You go to Fuengirola and you see Dunnes Stores. This is the reality."
Galway Corporation's planning department has expressed a commitment to preserving the "traditional" character of Galway city centre in the past, with one former official stating he would not like to see it turning into another "middle England" high street dominated by chain stores. However, once Boots secured Naughtons, in Shop Street, there was a recognition the "free market" ruled.
"We would like to see a mix and balance," says Mr Feeney. "We'd like to see locally-owned businesses continuing to thrive, so that Galway can retain its unique character."
Despite perennial complaints about tourist seasons, the hotel sector is also mushrooming, with McNamara's building a 225-bed complex with car-parking at Lough Atalia/Fairgreen. A new hotel and tourism office is already being built on College Road, next to the train and bus station. All of these developments will depend, of course, on a ready workforce, but labour supply has replaced parking among the top five issues in the Galway Chamber of Commerce's most recent list of priorities.
The list is the result of an industry survey, and traffic is number one. Staff retention was also identified as a problem, highlighting the labour situation. Other needs, such as a new bridge over the Corrib, completion of the by-passes on the Galway-Dublin road and a direct Galway-London air service were also identified in the survey.
