Three years after Wexford business woman’s death, shops still lie idle with stock gathering dust inside

Last week marked exactly three years since the late Colette Doyle passed away. Having worked at the side of her later brother Colman Doyle, the running of the family's business empire, which accounts for a large chunk of South Main Street, had passed to Colette after his passing in 2015.

At once, the furniture, lighting, carpet and homeware shops closed. Notes were placed in the window and staff were left facing uncertainty. 

"We’re in limbo and awaiting instruction,” one staff member said at the time, days after Ms Doyle’s passing. “There are deliveries due and people have stuff on order.”

The shops would never open their doors again. Inside the shops, furniture and other items still sit as they did in the days after the owner’s passing. Untouched, with labels still reflecting the prices on the day the shutters came down and marking items half price and on sale.

Reportedly, at the time of her passing Ms Doyle left no will behind her, creating a complex legal situation. The large buildings bearing Colman Doyle’s name would have to go through probate and all the legal complexities that this process involves.

However, after three years, the buildings remain idle, leaving a major void on a section of town that can ill afford more large-scale commercial vacancy.

"As I understand, those buildings are still in probate,” Chief Executive of Wexford County Council Tom Enright said. “It is a source of frustration, but I suppose the main positive is that the buildings are at least reasonably well presented. 

"I think the hope would be that when the legal aspects around these buildings are sorted out, that they will be put on the market and brought back into use again. It’s a shame to see the furniture and other stock just left sitting there for so long, especially when there are people in Wexford finding it very difficult to furnish their homes.”

Having raised the issue of vacancy and dereliction in the town centre at several points in the past, Independent councillor Leonard Kelly is urging Wexford County Council to do everything in its remit to move things along.

"I don’t fully know the legalities of probate, but I hope the council is actively engaging with the individuals involved to see how far along the process is and established some kind of reasonable timeline for when things will be resolved.

"For example that building on the corner of South Main Street I’m sure would be a desirable building. One of our main assets in Wexford town is our Main Street and it’s not looking the healthiest right now. We need to be doing whatever we can to change that.”