Open air dining is proposed for Kildare market site

Measures need to be taken to encourage more people to use the Potato Market site in Naas, which only opens once a week for a farmers market.

Kildare County Council, which leases the site adjacent to the Presbyterian church, has been asked to set up a “multidisciplinary working group, comprising council officials, local stakeholders, businesses, community representatives and politicians.”

Two councillors - Evie Sammon and Carmel Kelly - elected members, said this should “examine opportunities to enhance and increase the use of the market as a vibrant civic, cultural and community space.”

Cllr Kelly told a Naas Municipal District committee meeting that the site is underutilised and hasn’t reached its potential.

She said it could host cultural, recreational or community events and could also host outdoor dining and family orientated events.

Cllr Sammon said that it should be open seven days a week while Cllr Seamie Moore noted that advice or support should be sought from successful markets operating in Dublin or Cork.

Cllr Moore said a wider range of goods needs to be available at the Naas venue adding “we need roofing there, it's not suitable for the winter.”

KCC official David Creighton said substantial resources would be needed if the market is to be expanded.

He said the market is a “wonderful space within the town and presents a great opportunity for new and established traders to display and sell their products.”

HE said KCC has “invested significantly in leasing the space, carried out the works

necessary to allow a market to be established, engaged with traders and advertised

the market extensively before and after it was opened.”

He added the intention was that the market would “sustain itself with the traders taking a leading role in its ongoing operation.”

He also said there is a “small but regular group of traders (there) each week.”

KCC has met with the existing traders to look at “the operation of the market and how this can be improved.”