Center Parcs signs prompt ‘fair play’ call for local firms

Cllr Bill Collentine has called on the council to review its advertising policy for local businesses, in light of large signs appearing around the town for Center Parcs in Longford.

He wants “fair play” for the business people of Mullingar, claiming they have, in the past, made applications to the council for advertising signs but had been turned down.

“Businesses have looked for signs over the years. People are afraid Mullingar is being bypassed. Visitors are being diverted around town instead of through the town, where they could spend a few pound in coffee shops and restaurants.”

In agreement was Cllr Ken Glynn, who said the Center Parcs signs “went up overnight”.

“It’s not only around the town but it’s in the town, there’s one near the greenway entrance.

“I can tell you first-hand that it’s nigh impossible for local businesses to get signs erected,” argued Cllr Glynn, who said he couldn’t blame business owners for feeling aggrieved. “The local businesses deserve fair play,” he said.

Cllr Denis Leonard said there was a “dichotomy” between local businesses and large “multinational” businesses.

“I had to fight for four years to get a sign erected for Coralstown Church and Graveyard up off the N4. I fought for years to get signs for Kinnegad,” he said.

“Take Kinnegad Plaza, for example – it has concrete signs on every junction from every approach road, yet over the years half the local businesses signs have been removed. Small businesses support far more workers collectively than anybody else in this country,” he pointed out.

An annoyed Cllr Frank McDermott said he was “absolutely shocked” to see the signs.

“It’s annoying when you go from the Park Hotel out to Belvedere and you see this big bloody sign, and not a word about Belvedere – our gem! I’ve no problem with Center Parcs in Longford but I think we should be looking after our own businesses first.”

Cllr Aoife Davitt agreed, saying that Belvedere had effectively been “wiped off the map” as you’re travelling along the N4.

It is a marketing ploy on behalf of Center Parcs, said Cllr John Shaw.

“People are not coming to Mullingar looking for directions for Center Parcs. The type of people going to Center Parcs have smartphones, sat-nav technology – they know exactly where it is. This is purely a branding exercise on behalf of Center Parcs.”

Director of services, Martin Murray, denied there was any preferential treatment given to Center Parcs, however, and said he was not aware of any local business being refused signage.

“There has been no material alteration to the advertisement of services for the Mullingar area. An independent application for signage from Centre Parcs was administered by TII/Westmeath County Council through the normal application process.

“We have no control in respect of the advertising policy along the national primary and secondary routes. The majority of signs are on TII (Transport Industry Ireland) roads,” he said.

“We’ve investigated the signs at Belvedere and no Belvedere signs have been removed to make way for the Center Parcs sign.”

He explained that Center Parcs had made a formal application to the council for signs: “They [Center Parcs] got permission from a different authority (TII) to get signage as far as the roundabout, and from that roundabout they applied to have signage on the C-Link Road. We said we’d co-operate because of the fact that the national primary route had brought them to a certain point, so we allowed signage on the C-Link Road.”

Both Cllr Glynn and Collentine argued, however, that they had “first-hand” knowledge of local traders being refused signage over the years. To this, Mr Murray said he would review it.