HUGE DRIVE TO BOOST CASTLEBLAYNEY CHRISTMAS TRADE

By PATSY McARDLE

SHOPKEEPERS in Castleblayney have set a huge headline this Christmas to boost business in the Mid-Monaghan town in the countdown to the Festive Season by embarking on a number of avenues to attract hundreds of extra shoppers from the North, as well from all the surrounding areas.
THE latest drive was initiated following a largely attended and enthusiastic public meeting of Blayney town traders on Wednesday night last at the Scout Hall in York Street, which was convened to explore current trade trends and promote an intensive drive to highlight the various advantages for the wider public from choosing to visit Castleblayney to shop.
Several speakers at the meeting highlighted the fact that shoppers visiting Blayney in the countdown to Christmas would find much better value in the local stores, than if they traveled outside the area.
And the recent steady influx of shoppers from the North was seen as a pointer to the fact that Blayney shops have now gained the excellent reputation of being as equally competitive, and are also able to provide better value than many of the stores across the border, to which some local shoppers previously traveled.
As one spokesperson at the meeting proclaimed : “Shoppers can get much better value now by visiting the stores here in Castleblayney than by going outside the town—our task is to get that message across to the public”.
The spokesperson added : “This is a united effort involving all shopkeepers, and we are determined to ensure the town attracts the maximum Christmas business to which it is fully entitled—-in view of the great range of produce, its top quality, and the rock-bottom prices which are in force for everyone to see and should certainly convince all shoppers”.
The Blayney traders decided at Wednesday night’s meeting to launch a major publicity campaign to promote all facets of business in the Mid-Monaghan town.
STERLING ALLOWANCE
The Castleblayney shopkeepers, as a declared expression of their support for the latest huge trade drive, unanimously agreed to beat the fluctuating currency exchange rates, by giving a whopping 20 per cent euro allowance on all sterling that is tendered by Northern shoppers in the local shops until Christmas!.It was also decided that all stores will remain open, until 8 p.m. each Friday night in December, until Christmas.
The extension of the Friday night shopping hours is to facilitate people from the outlying areas, and from across the Border, to travel to Castleblayney and benefit from the town’s “Best–Value- For-Christmas” campaign.
Another huge weekend attraction for shoppers visiting Blayney was a further decision taken by the traders at Wednesday night’s meeting to introduce general Sunday opening, from this Sunday.
This means that that the various shops will remain open each Sunday until Christmas, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Castleblayney traders, in launching the present drive, have also agreed to embark on an intensive advertising campaign which will feature in The Northern Standard to further assist shoppers in making those all-important local Christmas purchases.
The traders also hope to spearhead further business promotional measures, in conjunction with the local Chamber of Commerce, over the Christmas period and into the New Year, so that the full potential of Castleblayney’s business sector can be fully maximized.