KILDARE: Naas Shopping Centre owners ‘won’t fill all the units there’

The owners of the derelict Naas Shopping Centre will not be in a position to find occupants for all of the units.

That’s the view of a Naas politician Bob Quinn, who said a broader range of retail and enterprise activity is needed in the Naas area.

“It’s about getting new business,” he said, adding there should be “positive discrimination” in favour of business and asking what Kildare County Council is doing to achieve this.

“We’re deficient and underserved in relation to some types of business,” he said.

He added that there is “400,000 square feet “ of retail space in the middle of the town and “the Roche Group (the owners) won’t fill it.”

He told a Naas Municipal District meeting that “we should throw the kitchen sink at getting new retail into Naas and Sallins.

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He said there are a lot of vacancies at The Waterways in Sallins.

Cllr Quinn called for the establishment of a new business forum.

Kildare County Council said its Local Enterprise Office is regularly engaged with the enterprise and retail sector throughout the county.

There is a regular social media engagement and an economic forum was hosted  in Naas in September.

KCC and LEO representatives regularly visit retailers and enterprises to support their applications for grants. It also hosts an awards scheme and a series of  online seminars is being arranged. A road show is touring the county and business get-togethers are being arranged.

KCC staff regularly meet with prospective investors, both retail and non-retail, to support their requests and provide advice. A property portal, established by KCC, also advertises available or vacant units across the county.