DOWNPATRICK’S dirty streets have again come under fire, with traders calling for an urgent site meeting with council representatives.
Local businessman Maurice Massey said areas the solo sweeper couldn’t reach, such as verges and under public seating, were a “disgrace”, along with town centre pavements that desperately needed powerwashed.
Following similar complaints recently, Down Council agreed to power wash the pavements by the end of this month or beginning of September.
Mr. Massey said, however, this was not enough and that the quality of the cleaning and its frequency needed to be improved.
“My wife runs Cathedral Gowns and is bringing customers from all over Ireland,” he said. “I don’t know what they think.
“It is the weeds and the dirt, sometimes by the edge of unused buildings, or for example surrounding the post box on English Street.
“Market Street and St. Patrick’s Avenue are really going to seed and the bins are overflowing at St. Patrick’s Square.
“Up at the Mount Crescent car park it is wild with all the overgrowth — though I accept that particular issue is down to Roads Service.”
Mr. Massey said more needed to be done to make the town look attractive to visitors.
“Where are all the hanging baskets?” he said.
“Really we need a meeting with council, to walk them through these areas and establish who has responsibility for doing what and make sure they are doing it.
“Business rate payers need to know exactly what they are getting for their money.”
Tracey Quail, President of Downpatrick Chamber of Commerce, backed Mr. Massey’s comments and said traders needed single point of contact within council to have concerns addressed urgently.
She said the lighter colour of the new streetscape pavements was particularly unforgiving and that the powerwashing schedule needed to drastically increase.
“It is a disgrace the way Market Street is looking at the minute,” she said. “What would tourists here over the summer have thought? You wouldn’t get this in a town such as Bangor.
“I was down in Dublin recently and they had cleaners tackling every street.”
A spokeswoman for Down Council said: “Down District Council welcomes the opportunity to meet with a representative of the Downpatrick traders to examine the areas of concern. Following the deep clean of the pavements, we will monitor the conditions of the footpaths and make decisions on a future cleaning schedule.
“We would also ask businesses in our towns to help maintain the cleanliness of the pavements in the main pedestrian areas by undertaking some light washing around their premises.”