Mayo business takes hit from higher prices and destruction of local facility

COMMUNITY NOTES: BALLYHAUNIS - WESTERN PEOPLE (JULY 1 EDITION)

Record high prices for cattle have had a knock-on impact on meat prices, putting pressure on local fast food restaurant Supermacs.

“Prices went up in January and February,” explained Dinal Swaris, franchise owner of the Ballyhaunis outlet. “The cost of our meat patties went up and we had to absorb that cost.”

There has been a doubling of cattle prices in local marts over the past decade – as reported last month in this column.

Swaris is hopeful that a reopening of the Air Dome at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan will increase footfall. The destruction of the all-weather facility by Storm Éowyn earlier this year was bad for business, he says.

“We lost a good few buses, of schools that were playing in competitions there.”

He is also hopeful that the completion of two large apartment developments at the Square in Ballyhaunis will bring new customers. Both the former Bank of Ireland and Dillon’s building are expected to be completed in the Autumn.

“Definitely, if there are more people living in the town this will be good for the restaurants.”

The closure of two businesses near Supermacs on Main Street was a negative, said Swaris.

“As a town, two more vacant buildings can create doubt in people’s minds, it’s an image thing.”

On a more positive note, a mooted reverting of the VAT rate on hospitality sector from 13% to 9% would be good news.

“Definitely, this would help us,” said Swaris, who is also relieved that planned further increases in the minimum wage - to the level of a “living wage” - has been deferred by the Government, which had initially planned to start the phase in the next year.