The Crescent Shopping Centre is now the number one place that people in the Mid West choose to do their shopping in, a new report has found.
Limerick Chamber’s Mid West Consumer Sentiment Survey for summer 2023 found that The Crescent was the preferred destination for shoppers, with 30 per cent of those surveyed saying they would rather go there than into Limerick’s city centre for a spending spree.
The selection and the diversity of shops on offer at the Crescent was among the main draws, as well as free and convenient parking.
A small number of respondents also cited the issues with anti-social behaviour in Limerick City as a factor in their decision.
The city did however come in second place, with 24 per cent of respondents across the region saying they liked to shop in the city, adding that they liked the idea of supporting locally-owned businesses and supporting the wider city.
The city centre has been hit by a number of high profile closures in recent times, with the Cruises Street branch of McDonald’s being the most recent to close its doors after 30 years.
Some respondents added they would opt for the city as their preferred shopping destination due to convenience and it being close to home, making the city a bigger draw for those already living locally.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Chief Economist and Director of Policy with Limerick Chamber Seán Golden said that the first step to increasing footfall in the city centre is to create more homes within it.
“What we found from our consumer sentiment survey is that people like to shop at an area that is convenient for them, and this is highly dependent on where people live and work.
“If the city centre wants to increase its footfall, then the first port of call will be offering more residential options for workers close to the city centre,” he explained.
“Of course, there are cost concerns when building in city centres, especially higher densified developments, and it’s important that there is broader government support for bringing options forward for purchasing and rental accommodation for workers in the city centre.
“Our last monthly rental market monitor found that there were just 14 homes to rent in the core city centre with the average cost being over €1,600 per month. This will need to change quickly to create an all-day footfall in the city,” Mr Golden concluded.
