Glanmire residents are appealing to An Bord Pleanála to reconsider plans for a new takeaway in the Cork town.
Following the closure of the Glanmire Bank of Ireland branch in 2021, An Bord Pleanála approved plans for a Domino’s pizza to be built on the property.
The decision was met with objection from some locals, who claim that about 20% of all businesses in the area are already takeaway businesses.
They also claimed the new outlet would cause traffic issues.
'I'm a grown adult'
Speaking to reporter Josh Crosbie, one local woman claimed Glanmire already has takeaways “everywhere.”
“We didn't need another takeaway business,” she said.
Not everyone was opposed to the idea though with one young man saying he and his friends had been “excited” about the prospect of having a Domino’s in the town.
“We're happy, I’d be pro it [opening],” he said.
“I don't mind because I'm a grown adult and I can decide to get it or not,” said another local woman.
‘Oversaturation’
Glanmire Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairperson Karen Doyle said there is already an “oversaturation” of takeaways in the town.
“When the unit came up for rent, we were hoping we'd see something that might benefit the local community,” she said.
“We were hoping we might have seen a business centre go in there or a remote working hub or an incubation centre for local small businesses starting up.”
Former AIB Bank in Glanmire (Photo: Google)Bank closure
Ms Doyle said there was “too much fast food” in the town.
“We don't need as many as we [have],” she said.
The Vice Chairperson said when the Bank of Ireland closed, it was “a huge loss to the area.”
“People have to travel further for banking services – we’re only left with one bank in the area,” she said.
“We would like to see a bit of more variety in the shopping centre and maybe something a bit healthier for the younger people in the area.”
One local woman said the bank has left Glanmire residents with “nothing.”
“We have to travel miles now to get to a bank,” she said.
Real estate
Iris, from DNG Auctioneers in Glanmire, told Josh there was a “strong demand” for commercial units in the town.
“We have people in and out of the office every single day looking for units; looking to rent for shops, for decent restaurants – the demand is huge,” she said.
“We're saturated with pizza places here; we're saturated with takeaway places.
“We have no objection to having a sit-down kind of a restaurant, that would be very welcome.
“There is no supply and the demand is there both in residential and commercial units.”
A decision is due to be made on the plans for the building towards the end of September this year.
