Business leaders, local officials, and community members in Athlone have expressed optimism about the government’s proposed expansion of the Living City Initiative, which aims to revitalise town centres by encouraging the refurbishment of vacant buildings and promoting “over-the-shop” living.
Architect Mel McGerr, Director of Adamson McGerr Architects, believes the initiative could play a transformative role in restoring vibrancy to Athlone’s urban core — if implemented effectively. His firm, which is moving from a retail park to a new town centre premises, sees the policy as a timely opportunity to tackle dereliction.
“Something like the Living City Initiative is a real opportunity to encourage people to come back into the town,” McGerr said. “You look at places like Connaught Street — beautiful streets with real character that have suffered from dereliction. If this helps owner-occupiers bring those buildings back to life, it can only be positive.”
However, McGerr warned that previous schemes have been overly complex and underused. He urged Westmeath County Council to hold workshops to explain how the tax reliefs will work. “You need to simplify these things to make them attractive,” he said. “The goal should be to get buildings occupied, restaurants busy, and the town thriving again.”
Retailers also see promise in the plan but caution that economic pressures remain a challenge. Rosie Boles, owner of Ireland’s oldest department store, Burgess of Athlone, said the tax relief could help offset the high costs of maintaining listed properties but warned the sums may be modest.
“Just on my quick figures, I think the relief could end up being around €5,000 over seven years,” Boles noted. “Retail is shrinking in Ireland — there are 17,000 fewer jobs this year — so businesses are under pressure. But I’d be delighted to see more people living in town; that would bring life back.”
Local business owners also believe the initiative could strengthen Athlone’s tourism appeal. Declan Delaney, owner of the historic Sean’s Bar, said: “It’s very sad to see buildings left idle. If this helps, it will be great. There’s real demand for living over the shop — people like being close to the restaurants, pubs, and cinemas.”
The Athlone Chamber of Commerce described the move as a “positive step,” pledging to work closely with Westmeath County Council to ensure delivery.
Local councillor Frankie Keena of Fianna Fáil called the plan “a real vote of confidence in Athlone,” urging swift action to identify regeneration areas. “It will bring new life and vibrancy into the town while addressing the housing issue,” he said. “We need to get moving quickly — we only have a five-year window.”
