Desperate times call for equally desperate measures

It was with bewilderment that I read in this newspaper last week the carry-on of three of our councillors at a meeting of Navan Town Council the previous week. While this county is on its knees and crying out for help, this lot are behaving like spoilt, selfish adolescents trying to score political brownie points. This may come as a shock of gigantic proportions to these people, but they need to be reminded that neither they nor their political careers are the issue here. The town of Navan, its businesses and its people are what matter. Not only are these public representatives more than well paid annually, they also would have been paid expenses for this evening’s display of puerile puke. They were supposed to be coming up with ways to attract more shoppers to Navan this Christmas. Cllr Francis Deane suggested one hour’s free parking for every hour paid on Saturdays in November and December. But then Shane Cassells had the mother of all hissy fits, threw his toys out of the pram and started calling Cllr Deane names. Very mature. Then, as often happens when three children play together, a third one - in this case, Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons, jumped in, took sides with Cllr Cassells, and ganged up on Cllr Deane. Eventually, the Mayor stepped in, told Cllr Cassells he was not playing nice and made him say 'sorry’. So, what exactly did you all decide, gentlemen? Oh, silly me - there was no consensus reached, was there? Apparently, the other councillors took issue with the proposal to reduce parking fees as Cllr Deane had supported the raising of fees in the last budget. Therefore, by some faulty sense of logic, Cllr Deane’s latest suggestion should be considered null and void. So what if he did raise fees in the past? What most of us want to deal with is the present and the future, and reducing parking fees in this struggling town is but one measure the council should be willing to take. Granted, since the boom went pop, shopping doesn’t induce the same physiological response experienced by fighter pilots; no longer do we have to battle our way through the multitudes thronging our streets and shops. However, trying to find a parking space in Navan can sometimes be like trying to avoid stepping on a land mine. Apart from the multi-story car park, parking in this town is often described as a frightful task. I am convinced that the traffic wardens lay in wait for some poor, unsuspecting motorist to park in the wrong place; then…Kerching! Another €40 for the coffers. Then there is Kennedy Place. Dear God, would someone please explain this place to me, for the whole idea eludes me. Is it a car park, a seating area, a pedestrian area or just some very expensive area of total and utter confusion? I am afraid to park in it, terrified to walk through it and far too busy to ever sit in it. Although in the minority, some sales staff throughout this country give the distinct impression that they would rather we all stayed at home. When we have the audacity to want to pay for our purchases, we are merely grunted at while our shopping is practically flung on the counter for us to do with what we will. A bag? Who the hell do you think you are, looking for a bag? One word for the employers of these rude, ill-tempered store assistants - Newry. Book a bus, load up all these so-called salesperople and head up the M1. Make them observe how civilised, professional sales staff are supposed to behave, and you might well be amazed at the rise in turnover. OK, you may well point out that there is paid parking in Newry, so why not in Navan? The answer is simple - Newry can afford to charge motorists - Navan can’t. These days, we are all very conscious of shopping locally, and most of us want to do just that. We all know that money spent locally stays in the town. There are many deserving businesses in towns like Navan deserving of local custom, and their owners are doing their utmost to keep them viable in such trying times. These are desperate times; desperate measures are called for. Navan Town Council should be doing everything in its power to attract shoppers this Christmas - by far the most challenging one in years. This is simple - if you want to attract more shoppers, offer them free parking. If politicians are remotely serious about improving retail sales in Navan this Christmas, they will quit their petty bickering and work together for the common good. In other words, grow up, lads, and do the job you are paid to do.