TOWN TEAM CONFIDENT THAT MONAGHAN WILL WEATHER THE STORM

PETER HUGHES

Monaghan Town will face challenges and changes in the aftermath of the UK decision to depart from membership of the European Union – but the momentum for business recovery and development that is in the air, and the innate instinct for innovation and natural resilience possessed by local people, will see the area weather the Brexit storm.

This was a summation of the views expressed to The Northern Standard on Tuesday by the Chairman of the Monaghan Town Team, Alan Johnston, and Town Centre Retail Co-ordinator Trevor Connolly.

Reflecting on the preoccupation with the consequences of the UK exit that was evident in the town since news of the referendum outcome broke early on Friday morning, Mr Johnston said he thought there was reassurance for the local commercial sector and the public at large that the Town Team was now in place and was pursuing a remit to promote the town and its surrounding environment, through increasing customer footfall and ensuring that as much spending as possible was retained locally.

The Town Team has been in place for six months now, its membership comprising representatives from across the broad gamut of business and service sectors in Monaghan, and is following a number of key objectives, to which specific working groups have been assigned, with a view to improving both commercial prosperity and the general town environment.

Mr Johnston felt the fact that the team was now firmly in place and already had a number of initiatives realised or close to fulfilment left it in a good position to provide both support and reassurance in the immediate post-Brexit environment of uncertainty and insecurity.

“We want to get the message out there that there is now a support organisation for …