There is one memory that will always stick out for me from during my brief stint as a data entrant in the City Centre earlier this year.
It’s 5.30 p.m. and I’ve just left work along with my colleague from Letterkenny. As we head down Shipquay Street, it’s as if we can hear a pin drop.
That’s right. Despite there being no news of trouble, the future City Of Culture is dead. Why are we hearing nothing but the sound of silence during 5 and 6 on a calm weekday night?
It’s an oddity, and not just because our neighbour in the east tends to have lots and lots of people trundling down Donegall Place, onto Royal Avenue and through Queens Arcade at the same time, especially on a Thursday.
My former work mate had already told me how active Letterkenny was by comparison. But that was nothing compared to what Cool Discs owner Lee Mason had to say to me about the vibe in the Galway streets in the early weekday evenings. Why do our friends in the south seem to have so much more “life” in them, even during rush hour?
What are they doing right that we aren’t?
While it’s true that everyone looks to go home between 5 and 6, you would expect more people, in particular those who don’t have access to a car, to pass through the city centre on the way home, especially when there is late night shopping.
On the other hand, the Foyleside centre is outside the city walls. And that is where we see the most shopping activity and the most popular coffee houses such as Starbucks and Costa. It’s also worth noting that the brand names in The Big Smoke are more easily accessible in the city centre.
And while I know that I have previously promoted our need for Derry’s identity to hold firm at the expense of franchises, maybe some more popular corporate trade in the city centre might not be such a bad idea after all. Failing that, how about organising more cultural events between 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.?
It’s quite possible that we may yet need more than the likes of Cafe Del Mondo, Café Artisan and Cafe Nervosa if we are to really increase the early evening life in the Walled City.
Good point Simon. I was showing a Spanish friend around the city last Thursday evening, and we both noticed how quiet the place was around 6pm. It was only later that we noticed a bit of activity around the pubs.
some very good and relevant points made in your piece Simon.
Is it not about time the shop shutters issue was brought to the fore and shops leaving their window displays open after closing time.
This would bring a whole new image to the City instead of shop fronts covered up row after row.