People still want ‘bricks and mortar’ shops – Report

Over two thirds of Irish people optimistic about bricks & mortar retail in their local town: RGDATA welcomes new research

Dereliction, anti-social behaviour and local business closures are the top concerns of Irish people revealed in an Amarach study for Penneys.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley attended a roundtable discussion on the research findings with Minister Kieran O’Donnell and other key stakeholders. Buckley highlighted the need for better supports for towns to do Collaborative Health Checks and develop plans for the future.

The second edition of the Penneys “Pulse of the Nation” Index explores how Irish people are spending their money and living their lives today.

Pulse of the Nation Index explores Irish consumers’ attitudes and behaviors when it comes to shopping online versus in traditional bricks and mortar stores, and the impact that this has on local town centres. We also shine a light on the “Penneys Halo Effect” – the positive impact that a Penneys store has on surrounding businesses in a community, helping to support employment and breathe life into towns and villages across Ireland.

The research shows a desire to keep the Irish tradition of ‘going to town’ alive and well.
Irish consumers want to spend time and money in their local town with 79% of people preferring to shop locally in their town when they can, while 86% believe that busy town
centres are vital for the health of the local economy.

However, the research does reflect some of the real challenges that exist in many regional towns with people admitting concerns around derelict buildings (57%), businesses closing
down (51%) and anti-social behaviour (41%); which rank as the top three issues in their area or town. Worryingly, only 29% of people in Ireland believe more shops will open than close in their
town centre over the next three years.

The report can be found here:

Penneys-Pulse-of-the-Nation-Index-Volume-2 (bigcontent.io)