Chamber gets £16,000 backing from council

Chamber gets £16,000 backing from council

7 May 2014

DOWNPATRICK Chamber of Commerce has received a £16,000 boost from Down Council.

The local authority is making £6,000 available to run a summer entertainment programme aimed at families at St. Patrick Square and £10,000 for additional Christmas lighting.

The news was confirmed during a meeting at the St. Patrick Centre last week when traders were joined by local authority officials.

Chamber members were under the impression that Down Council was only prepared to offer £1,000 to finance the summer entertainment programme, but it was confirmed last week that £6,000 is to be made available.

The money will be used to book street entertainers and promote the summer festival in council literature and publications, with council officials viewing the financial support as part of the drive to help the Chamber attract more people to the town.

The summer programme — which is due to start on July 5 with an official launch — will feature a variety of street entertainment at St. Patrick’s Square every Saturday. Talks are also planned with market stall holders who are based at this part of the town so the new weekend event can be accommodated.

Council official, Margaret Quinn, said the local authority is “100 per cent committed” to working with the Chamber of Commerce and wants to help the organisation play an increasingly important role in Downpatrick’s future development.

She agreed council officials will book the artists and programme the events over the summer months, suggesting someone from the traders’ group should be on hand to welcome the various entertainers when they arrive in Downpatrick.

Mrs. Quinn said while £10,000 has been set aside for Christmas lighting, the Chamber will be able to use the cash as it wishes and may want to organise additional festive entertainment.

Chamber president, Mr. Gary Flynn, is delighted with the financial and promotional support Down Council is offering and has thanked its officials for their efforts.

“We recognise the need to attract more people to the town at the weekend and believe a summer entertainment programme will help achieve that,” he said. “We are grateful to the council officers for their support and look forward to continuing working closely with them.”

Businessman, Bartley Murphy, said the Chamber wants to “inject a bit of life” into the town at weekends suggesting St. Patrick’s Square is the ideal location for street entertainment. He said it’s a venue where parents can bring their children.

“Providing entertainment on a Saturday will help create a bit of a buzz about the place and we know something like this is not going to attract thousands of visitors. However, we want to do something for the town,” he continued. “We want to start breathing new life into Downpatrick, create something different and attract people here. Everyone has to take responsibility for making things that better.”

John Thompson, who attended a recent brainstorming session attended by Chamber representatives and Down Council officials to come up with ideas to attract more people to the town centre, said it emerged that a small event in Groomsport where there is a clown, some music and children’s activities, “attracts hundreds of people.”

He added: “This is a really successful family event and if it can be done in Groomsport, surely something similar could happen in Downpatrick.”