Hope for Henry Street traders as deal for market stalls is on table

There was an outcry from traders when they received notification from Dublin City Council on November 11 that the market was to be stopped this Christmas over Covid-19 fears.

Traders argued that if retail shops were allowed to open in a move from Level 5 restrictions to Level 3, then they should be allowed trade too because their stalls were all outdoors.

The market has been an annual fixture on the street for around 80 years.

Dublin's Lord Mayor Hazel Chu convened a meeting between the street traders committee and council officials on November 20 to try and quell the row over the cancellation of the market.

Following that meeting, the council sought the views of the traders on a possible compromise that could give the market the green light.

The council proposed that a maximum of 10 or 11 stalls could be accommodated on Henry Street, with 15 further stalls spread over Moore Street, Liffey Street, and possibly Coles Lane.

Traders were sent letters with return envelopes to either give the proposal the nod or not.

The letter said that if the proposed stall numbers were oversubscribed, then the decision on who would be allowed trade at the markets would be chosen by the drawing of lots for the allocated stalls.

Hopeful

It is understood the traders have sought certain clarifications, and an announcement could be made today on whether the market will run or not.

"We'll have to wait and see what the council comes back with. It's all up in the air at the moment," said Sadie Grace, chair of the Henry Street traders committee.

"A lot of us have bought stock early in the year, and we are hopeful that some sort of way can be found so that the market can take place," she added.