Trim trade down by up to 30% at end of year 2008

In Trim, trade is down this Christmas by as much as 30 per cent for some businesses, though most retailers say business had picked up in the days running up to Christmas. Consumer confidence 'being at an all time low' is one of the factors affecting business this year, according to Pat O"Byrne who owns a menswear store in Trim. Mr O"Byrne said that business is down about 25 per cent for them this year, though they had been busy in the final days before Christmas. He said: 'It has been difficult, there is no doubt about it that things are down in line with the general economy. We are definitely down about 25 per cent. We are busy for the last few days but overall we would be down for Christmas.' Mr O"Byrne cited a combination of factors as to why trade is down, including consumer confidence being at an all time low, people being afraid of losing their jobs and he also said that people are afraid to spend money, even those who have money. He also said that things are very unsettled with the banks and the banks are not giving money to people. 'People are generally cutting back but having said that we needed a reality check. People were spending money they didn"t have on credit,' said Mr O"Byrne. He also commented that people are travelling north to shop. Francie Martin of T.F. Martin Jewellers said that business had been quite good in the last week, though trade had been slow to pick up this year and they would down about 10 per cent on last year. Trim councillor Ray Butler who owns a shoe shop on Market Street said he has been selling shoes in Trim for 17 years and that this year was the worst Christmas he could remember. He said that trade is down 30-40 per cent, He said that the volume of shoppers is simply not there this year, whether people were going up north, going to shopping centres or just not spending. However, he added that maybe some people are waiting for the sales and he also said that trade had picked up in the days coming up to Christmas. Cllr Butler also said that as a councillor, he is dealing with a lot of hardship cases where people have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay their mortgages.