From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 14, 2001

From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 14, 2001

10 November 2021

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick is in line for a major shopping boost from leading High Street retailers, Top Shop and Dorothy Perkins.

The county town is to feature heavily in a significant financial investment by the Arcadia Group, which will see new branches of the stores opening at the start of the new year.

A number of new jobs are to be created as a result of the move by the fashion retailers which are to open for business at The Grove shopping centre in Lower Market Street.

The Arcadia Group, which owns both retailers, has signed leases for two 5,000 sq ft units at the complex.

It is the first time a multi-national fashion retailer has invested in Downpatrick and it is hoped the new stores will encourage other firms to open shops in the town.

Agents handling the lease of the units at the Downpatrick centre say the move by Top Shop and Dorothy Perkins “clearly demonstrates” their business confidence in the town.

A spokesman for McKibbin Commercial property consultants said the Grove Centre occupied a prime location in the heart of the town.

Mr Michael Fitzell said with other major stores including NPO, Boots, Peacocks, Xtravision and Lidl close by, the new stores will be in good company.

Flagging up the St Patrick Centre and recently completed Millennium Square Mr Fitzell said McKibbin Commercial had been arguing the potential of the town to major retailers for some time.

SAUL — Children in the Saul and Raholp areas will soon have  a new playground. Work started last week on the new facility which is being provided at the grounds of the local gaelic club.

The scheme is a joint initiative by the Saul club and Down Council and work is expected to be completed within the new few weeks.

The arrival of the contractors on site late Thursday morning marked the end of a long campaign by local councillor Mr Peter Craig.

He is delighted work is underway and has no doubt the playground will make a major contribution to the lives of young people in the area.

He said the gaelic club’s premises are being used to house the playground because no other suitable sites could be identified in the area.

And in a bid to further improve safety standards, Roads Service officials are to provide new lighting along a footpath which runs from Raholp to the GAA pitch.

BALLYNAHINCH —A senior police officer has rejected claims from a Sinn Fein councillor that a police car sped away from a Catholic couple who had been attacked in Ballynahinch at the weekend.

Inspector Paul McClean has refuted Francis Branniff’s allegations that police allowed the assailants to escape after attacking the couple in fast food premises at High Street in the early hours of Sunday.

Inspector McClean has also rejected  Cllr Branniff’s allegations that the injured couple were questioned by an officer from a mobile support unit while their attackers were “allowed to escape”.

Alleging that the Catholic couple were “viciously beaten”, Mr Branniff said that after being head butted and “beaten to the ground” the woman ran to a nearby police car to get help while her husband was being assaulted.

He also said police allowed “the Loyalists to escape the scene of yet another sectarian attack on nationalists in Ballynahinch”.

NEWCASTLE — Two Stormont departments are at loggerheads after Newcastle beach failed a series of water quality tests.

Department of the Environment experts failed Newcastle beach because the level of sewage contamination found in the bathing waters was a breach of European guidelines.

But the Department of Regional Development, responsible for sewage treatment, has rejected the DoE’s reasons, claiming other factors are to blame.

Only three out of 16 Northern Ireland beaches failed the quality tests which must be passed if beaches are to be considered for the prestigious Blue Flag quality award. Tyrella passed the stringent tests for the seventh successive year.

Announcing the disappointing news for Newcastle, Environment Minister, Sam Foster, said the failure of the three beaches was due to sewage dischargers, which he added highlights the problems caused by the lack of investment in sewerage services.

However, the Water Service yesterday stressed that it was unlikely the discovery was due to the failure of the multi-million pound sewage treatment plant which was built at the town’s harbour in the 1980s.

A Water Service spokesman said there has been no failure at the sewage plant since 1990 and it is therefore questionable that it is the source of the problem.

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh Development Association will be unveiling its latest regeneration scheme at the end of the month.

The official ceremony will be performed by former Down councillor, Mr Sam Osborne, who will be joined by a number of people from the town and representatives from the International Fund for Ireland.

Work on the High Street project started in January and was completed in September and has transformed the area, with the ambitious £385,000 project including four ground floor shops, two first floor apartments and a cottage.

The cottage has recently been sold and the four retail units are currently available for rental with Association officials confident they can secure tenants.

Construction work began at the start of the year and the project team behind the scheme are confident the scheme will greatly enhance this area of Killyleagh which is close to the town’s historic castle.

CASTLWELLAN — Elderly people in Castlwellan are being disturbed by children running through their gardens, according to the local SDLP branch.

During a recent meeting of the Castlewellan and Kilcoo branch, the chairman, John Duggan, said he was concerned that some older residents were being bothered by a number of young people.

Mr Duggan pointed out that Castlewellan was an excellent place to live but said there was an absolute need for children to pay courtesy to their elders within the neighbourhood.

“What makes a good community spirit is the ability to have respect for others within the community. There have been some episodes recently where children have been running through gardens and hedges at homes of elderly people.

“I would ask them to give these members of the community the peace and space they deserve and consider their feelings in pursuit of fun,” he said.

BALLYKINLAR — Ballykinlar cross-community playgroup has been strongly praised by education inspectors for providing a positive ethos which promotes children’s confidence and self-esteem.

The Department of Education report lists a number of strengths of the playgroup which operates out of the old school on the Carricknab Road.

Staff are headily praised for their leadership and dedication to the children and the inspectors found there were only a few areas which need attention.

“The staff treat the children with care and respect and provide a secure, supportive environment which helps the children grow in confidence and independence,” said the report.

SAINTFIELD — The achievements and success of the younger pupils at Saintfield High School were cerebrated during a special junior school prize day last week.

The principal, Mr Robert Miss, said the school prided itself on being a family school offering support, interest and encouragement in all the pupils strive to achieve.

Mr Mills proudly pointed out that the school’s well established year eight induction programme seeks to ensure that all new pupils entering Saintfield High School settle quickly into their new environment.