“I’d have no problem with regulation” – head shop manager

‘There are customers coming in here every day’ –?Chris Kelly, proprietor of ‘Downtime’ head shop on Castle Street in Castlebar.?Pic: Michael Donnelly

“I’d have no problem with regulation”


Edwin McGreal

As a group of Castlebar Town Councillors and local residents protested outside ‘Down Time Head Shop’ on Castle Street on Wednesday lunchtime, shop manager Chris Kelly defended his business but admitted he was open to greater regulation of so called ‘head shops’.
“I don’t see the sense in the protest,” he told The Mayo News. “I’m running a legitimate business here so I don’t know why they’re out there to be honest with you.
“I’d agree with them (protesters), there could be greater regulation. If that comes, then let it happen.”
With regard to the lack of clear labelling of some products, Mr Kelly, from Ballina, stood over his products but did concede that regulation, particularly in this regard, would help.
“I don’t see any damage in them, I don’t see anything wrong with the products. Maybe that’s their problem (labelling) but hopefully the regulation can change that and so everyone can be happy. There are people coming in here all the time buying stuff and they’re doing nothing wrong either. I’d have no problem with whatever regulations might come in.”
But, clearly angry with the protest outside his door - there was a tense moment when he took a picture of a parent talking - Mr Kelly said he agreed with the protesters right to protest but claimed they were stopping him from trading.
“They’re allowed to protest, that’s their choice. But I don’t know why they’re out there to be honest with you. And they’re blocking all my door too. I can’t get any of my customers in.
“I wouldn’t be here unless my customers come in. There are customers coming in here every day. There’s probably half of them out there in that gang but they just won’t admit to coming in. Ah yeah I have a nice flow of people coming in, I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
And he strongly refuted claims that under 18s were buying ‘legal highs’ from him.
“As you can see I have signs here that people have to be over 18. As I said to them at the meeting (a public meeting last week) you don’t have to be 18 to buy a t-shirt or to buy a hat or jewellery but all these products (points to the ‘legal highs’ under the counter) you have to be over 18 to buy.”
‘Down Time Head Shop’ is trading for close to three months on Castle Street. The shop has various iconic t-shirts on display on the wall, various items of jewellery for sale and a wide-range of ‘legal highs’ are on view in glass displays.

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