45 Phone shops in Cork City Centre - what needs to change!

Cork City: Same, Same, Same – A Saturated Market Stifling Growth and Innovation

Tired of the same old? Cork City’s local businesses and communities are feeling the effects of a saturated market. The result? Fewer of us want to visit, shop, or spend time in the city. Our children are often left at home, and families are seeking better options elsewhere.

Many towns and cities, not only in Cork but across Ireland and beyond, are plagued by a pandemic of boredom and monotony. Vape shops, barbers, fast-food franchises, coffee shops, phone stores – rinse and repeat. Boring, repetitive offerings that only lead to market saturation. This cycle drives people to online shopping and stifles the growth of local, unique businesses. The battle between great local food and large corporate operations is clear, but it’s the local options that are being overshadowed.

It’s time to rethink our approach and fight for what matters. With a saturated market and a lack of family-friendly services, we need to take action to reinvigorate our community.

Let’s Take Action:

• Identify gaps in the market and make better use of our spaces.
• Push for local councils and enterprise offices to promote and develop key areas. And businesses that succeed in other key city's and hubs
• Foster innovation and entrepreneurship, driven threw local enterprise offices and run and promote the establishment
• Create vibrant, community-centred spaces that support both local businesses and the broader community.

On a recent trip to Spain, I saw firsthand how public spaces and parks bring communities together through sport and recreation. Large groups of children playing football and basketball on public grounds in city centres foster companionship and healthy competition, with local businesses thriving around them. These spaces support health, community engagement, and opportunities for all ages. It’s time we adopt a similar approach here in Cork; it’s clear we’re lacking this focus.

The Problems a Saturated Market Brings: A market like Cork’s, with 45 phone shops within a central 1 km radius, negatively impacts local businesses and the community.

• Increased Competition & Decreased Profit Margins: As businesses struggle to stand out, price wars take over, leading to reduced profit margins, pushing out local businesses, and inviting larger brands to dominate. The result? More outsourcing and less money spent locally.
• Reduced Revenue: The customer base is split between so many businesses, leading to lower revenues for individual shops, with profits funneling into larger chains rather than staying in the local economy.
• Diminished Customer Experience: Many businesses struggle to differentiate themselves, leading to a lack of unique customer experiences and poorer service quality.
• Decline in Local Business and Community Engagement: In a competitive market, businesses may prioritise quantity over quality, resulting in poor customer service and fewer reasons for families to visit the city. This leaves local businesses and families impacted, with less money spent within the community.

The Way Forward: Identifying the Missing Link To improve the local business landscape, we must address the glaring gaps in family-friendly services and safe, accessible play areas. Many city spaces fail to meet the needs of young families, with few activities for children and older people alike. We need to rethink how we design our community spaces.

Potential Solutions:

• Family-Friendly Businesses:
• Community-Focused Initiatives:

Revitalising Cork City: The Power of Local Businesses We want to lead the fight for growth by forming a cooperative of local businesses, aiming to revitalise Cork City. Right now, the city is struggling with crime and a diminished sense of community, and it’s clear why on many levels.

With help from local hubs like Fáilte Ireland, the County Council, Chambers of Commerce, and local media, we can help more businesses bridge market gaps and build thriving community initiatives. Combatting monotony and market saturation will help protect and promote local businesses and create a unique shopping and social environment that reflects our community’s diverse needs.

By addressing the missing links in our community infrastructure, local businesses can differentiate themselves, attract new customers, and contribute to a more vibrant, dynamic Cork.

Taking Action for Change We need to identify what’s oversaturated in the market and pinpoint missing businesses to create a more diverse and impactful local economy. It’s not just big franchises that should spot these gaps – local and governmental action is essential.

There’s so much potential in Cork, but are we truly prioritising our community and well-being, or are we letting work and commercial interests overshadow what matters? It’s time to put communities first and act for change, so that Cork becomes a place where families, businesses, and communities thrive – not just commercially, but socially.

RYT Media