The latest CSO figures show that the picture is improving for retailers nationally.

Retail sales rose by 12% in the month of July, an increase of 2 per cent from the same time last year.

Waterford Business Group spokesperson Michael Garland says there’s been a definite lift in Waterford city centre recently.

“The City in Bloom, which is all the flowers (adorning city centre shop fronts) has lifted it,” he says, “and I know there’s plans afoot between ourselves and the Council to take over Tidy Towns and make it bigger and better.”

Michael Garland says it’s a tough time for retailers generally in Waterford but that the green shoots of recovery are visible, particularly after the redevelopment of the Applemarket.