I am planning a new photographic venture which will see me documenting the street where I work. It will take me out of my comfort zone as, to do it properly, I will need to take portraits of some of the shopkeepers and businesspeople on the street. There's a good sense of community on the street and I've got to know many of the people who work in the shops, restaurants and businesses. It's a matter of plucking up the courage to ask them if I can take their photograph. But I feel it's important as the recession has brought changes to the street and several shops have closed in the last four years.
These shiny new and unused bicycle stands have been erected by the Town Council as part of a Smarter Travel project to encourage people to leave their cars at home and walk or cycle to work and school. Safe to say it hasn't proven very successful to date, apart from annoying motorists when streets are narrowed to accommodate cycle lanes.
The empty shop was once a branch of Dunnes Stores, a very successful Irish grocery and fashion store. As the company has three other stores in town they closed this one, immediately removing one of the street's major attractions. Since then three coffee shops/cafes have closed, as well as a couple of clothes shops, a bank and a video rental store.