RETAIL SUPPORTS

Waterford City and County Council launched the “Shop Waterford, Support Local” brand in May 2020 in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 to the retail sector across Waterford City and County. To date the Shop Waterford campaign has been supported by numerous businesses and enjoys extensive community engagement.

The Shop Waterford brand aims to:

• To create local awareness of the economic impact of Shop Local and Support Local amongst Waterford people.
• To create local pride in the Waterford shopping experience and for Waterford people to act as brand ambassadors.
• Promote Waterford as a vibrant and authentic retail destination to a wider audience within Ireland and create a balance to current retail leakage outside the South East region.
• Engage actively with retail and food and beverage businesses to feature the unique and independent nature of the Waterford shopping experience.
• Actively promote Waterford City and towns and villages as place to Shop, Eat and Enjoy to shoppers outside Waterford and the South East.
• Promote the Shop Waterford brand across the City and County and create brand visibility in street and road signage.
• Create brand clarity for the promotion of Waterford as a retail destination in order to increase footfall in our Town and City centres.
• Waterford is a vibrant and authentic retail destination with a broad range of high street retailers, independent boutiques, shoe stores and artisan craft retailers all complimented by a vibrant café culture.
• The visitor experience in Waterford City Centre, Dungarvan Town Centre, Tramore Town and across all of the towns and villages from east to west Waterford is enhanced by the ongoing investment in our high quality public realm.

To find out more or to become part of Shop Waterford, please email business@Waterfordcouncil.ie and join the conversation about supporting local.
#ShopWaterford #SupportLocal
TW: @shop_waterford, FB: @shoplocalwaterford, Instagram @shopwaterford1

Waterford City & County Council is offering incentives for the encouragement of retail and other businesses within the core retail area of the City Centre, towns and village centres in Waterford (as defined in the City and County Development Plans), in order to bring vibrancy and vitality to the city and town centres, and to address vacancy in urban areas.

It is Waterford City & County Council’s policy to support economic growth within the city and county.  The aim is to attract a variety of retail, service and office based businesses that will create opportunities for all citizens.

For more details see the link below.

• EIS Application form
• EIS Terms & Conditions

Waterford Council have launched a pilot Shop Front Improvement Scheme which aims to support city centre businesses to enhance the external appearance of their premises.  The scheme, which opened for applications on Tuesday 4^th August, provides for up to 50% of the cost of a shop front refurbishment up to a maximum of €1,000 or €2,000 depending on the nature of the works.

• In order to encourage best practice approaches to shopfront maintenance and presentation, applications should be in line with the criteria outlined in the following documents:
  • Waterford City Development Plan 2013-2019
  • Retail Design Manual 2012 and other Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines
  • Waterford Council Shopfront and Signage Guidance Document
  • Application Form
  • Shop Front Improvement Scheme (SFIS) Criteria

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 30th April 2021.

For more details of the scheme, please contact:

Waterford City applications:

Maureen Fitzsimons, Waterford Council, 35 The Mall, Waterford, X91 DN23 or email mfitzsimons@waterfordcouncil.ie

Dungarvan town applications:

Bernadette Drohan, Civic Offices, Dungarvan, Co Waterford X35 Y326 or email bdrohan@waterfordcouncil.ie