'We are paying rates' nail bar and barber businesses defend their positions on Portlaoise Main Street

Laois business owners of the type of shops on Portlaoise Main Street under fire by Portlaoise councillors, have defended their place on the street.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, supported by Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, wants Laois County Council to take action on the number of vape shops, nail bars and barbers on Main Street, and also neon signs.

Cllr Fitzgerald criticised vape shops in particular for their signage and late opening hours.

“Particular consideration should be given to the increasing number of similar businesses, such as nail bars, barbers, vape shops” she said in a motion tabled to the Portlaoise Municipal District October meeting.

Cllr Dwane Stanley says shop signs are in “mad colours” that look like they were “bought off Amazon”, agreeing that the businesses should not be on the Main Street.

Bozz Barbers is on Main Street, run by business partners Asha and Dio for nearly eight years. It has a small neon sign in the window.

Barbering is big business now with young men and boys getting their hair cut monthly, as they explained to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“The competition is massive at the moment. It’s also from a lot of young people who are cutting hair at home and charging less.

“Our sign is turned off at night when we close at 6pm. It’s to show people we’re open. Especially for men who tend not to make appointments. If they are in town they walk by and pop in. This way they can see our shop from a distance,” Asha said.

“We are paying rates of €1,600 a year, water charge of €1,000 a year, our television licence too.

“The vape shops don’t affect us, everybody has to make a living,” Dio said.

“I know that in Kilkenny they removed all the neon signs. The coffee shop here has a neon sign too,” noted Asha.

Foxy Nails was filled with clients and staff, on a Thursday afternoon. They are so busy that they are moving up the street into a larger premises, into the former AJ Flynn's menswear shop that closed down last summer.

Steven Forsythe from Portarlington is the owner.

“It will be a much bigger shop, we will also offer Japanese head massage, a spa, nail and beauty treatments. That is what the customers ask for. We are literally providing a service to local people.

“We’re meeting a demand, people complain about vape shops and nail bars yet they are all full and thriving.

“I’ll only open a business if I know there is demand. You can see how full it is, they are thriving all the time. Some days we have to turn people away,” he said.

He also has outlets in Portarlington and in Athlone.

“We are paying our bills. If you want to save a clothes shop or a charity shop, go in and buy something. Shop local. I employ 30 staff over the three stores.

I do think that neon signs are a bit much, keep it elegant, keep it luxury. We are an Irish owned business.

“I realise a lot of my staff are foreign, but it’s because irish people don’t want to do this job. They don’t apply. My staff are from many different countries and the customers are delighted to have them,” Steven Forsythe said.

Safi Mobile and Vape shop which has neon signs in its windows was asked to comment but the owner was not available.