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Ennis Town Centre Health Check

16 December 2019

The Planning Department conducted an Ennis Town Centre Health Check in August 2019. The document illustrates the findings of a survey of the ground floor use of units in Ennis Town Centre.

The results of the study were compared with the results from previous years, to allow for comparisons to be drawn and patterns to be identified.  The findings from the health check illustrate that retail and retail services account for 35% of the total ground floor use of buildings within the town centre, this is a 3% increase from the first survey conducted in 2013. Leisure services such as restaurants, public houses and gyms encompass 11% of the ground floor usage in Ennis; these findings indicate that the Ennis is thriving as a social and cultural hub of the county. Financial and business services are also well established in the town accounting for 7% of the ground floor usage of buildings.  

Critically occupancy rates within the town centre have been improving, with a decrease of 2% in the vacancy rate since the town centre health check in 2016. 

Brian McCarthy Senior Planner said “An increase in occupancy and re-use in our town centre is a major boost for our town and the people of Ennis. People are shopping local which in turn allows Ennis to continue to prosper as the economic and social hub of County Clare.  It is hoped that this trend will continue where we will see a further reduction in vacancy rates in 2020.  The Planning Department have engaged with property owners/occupiers in Parnell St for example through the Parnell St Information sessions which were held on 14th October 2019 in the Old Ground Hotel, it is hoped that initiatives such as this will demonstrate to owners and occupiers the potential of properties within the town centre core.  An increase in occupancy rates will be to the benefit of all consumers and residents of the town and beyond.  These initiatives coupled with successes such as Ennis winning Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre in the nation’s Tidy town awards in September 2019, highlights that the local community take great pride in ensuring Ennis is clean, tidy and inviting for all the consumers and visitors in the town.  All of this demonstrates a very positive future for Ennis into 2020”.

Page last reviewed: 16/01/20

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