Retail News: Best Towns and Cities announced

Posted on Oct 15, 2012

Retail Excellence Ireland have announced the league table of the best towns in Ireland after months of suveying towns and cities, and the people living and working in them. 

It may come as little surprise to readers that Westport, Co. Mayo ranked at number one on the list of the best 100 towns and cities in the country. Killarney, Co. Kerry and Swords, Co.Dublin also made the top three. Dubliners will be interested to know that aside from Swords, two more Dublin towns made the top ten with Malahide and Skerries earning praise from REI and the Stakeholders in the towns. Other towns that made the top 100 include Portarlington, Co. Laois, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, Drogheda, Co. Louth and Dublin City. 

The table was constructed based on a number of key questions focusing on accessibility, car parking, unique landscaping, quality of restaurants and pubs, number of activities available and so on. The winning town proved well above the average standards of towns and cities in the country. The popular tourist location has 25% more restaurants and bars than any other town or city in the country and a 28% more attractive street/landscape. Dublin City, meanwhile, has 21% more things to do than the national average and higher quality retail facilities. 

The league table highlights the positive nature of many of Ireland's towns and encourages improvement to meet better standards in order to drum up more business for the local retailers. REI's report stated that there are some tell-tale danger signs in underperforming towns such as local residents prefering to shop elsewhere, lack of accessibility (not near a motor way or good bus route) and expensive prices for parking cars. 

REI are adament that this report will act as a guideline for improvement in town and city standards. Read the full report here.