Castlebar head shops to stay put despite protests

“We’re going nowhere”


Anton McNulty

The manager of a Castlebar head shop has defiantly said this week he has no intention of closing his business - and he attacked politicians for protesting outside his store and damaging his trade.
Chris Kelly, the Manager of ‘Downtime’ head shop on Castle Street, Castlebar defended his business following last week’s protests and said he has nothing to be ashamed of.
“I’m running a legitimate business here so I don’t know why they’re out there to be honest with you. I don’t see anything wrong with the products (in his shop). There are people coming in here all the time buying stuff and they’re doing nothing wrong either,” he told The Mayo News.
A group of between 20 to 30 protesters marched through Castlebar last week demanding the closure of the town’s two head shops. The protests began outside Cosmic Closet head shop on the corner of Charles and Richard Street where town councillors and members of the public gathered.
While the protesters called for the closure of the head shops, customers who used the shops said the politicians would be better off tackling the alcohol problem which they said was far worse.
“It is better buying from a place like this rather than from a drug dealer,” one woman in her thirties told The Mayo News. “Here you know what it is but you have no idea what a drug dealer has mixed in and what damage it can do. More teenagers get pregnant out of drink than from a few smokes.”
Yesterda , Castlebar Labour Councillor, Harry Barrett, welcomed draft legislation published on Sunday last which is aimed at preventing head shops opening across the State without planning permission.
Under the terms of Labour’s draft Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2010, planning permission would be required for a change of use of a premises to open a head shop. A similar bill was previously published by the party in relation to change of use of premises to open sex shops.

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