‘I Street’ extends into ‘i town’

‘i Street’ extends into ‘i town’


Anna-Marie Flynn

PEARSE Street in Ballina may have kick-started the ‘i Street’ campaign but now the whole town is getting in on the act -  and now traders the length and breadth of the north Mayo capital are transforming their businesses in a bid to scoop €50,000 worth of advertising. 
The efforts are all part of the i102-104 ‘€50K i Street’ radio competition in association with Connaught Gold and with just days to go, the traders labours, supported by both Ballina Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce, have accelerated. 
Ballina Town Councillor, Mark Winters initially suggested that Pearse Street traders enter the competition in a bid to promote the street as part of the re-launch of the main thoroughfare following its €1 million makeover. “I know there are ideas for a street carnival and comprehensive re-launch to promote the revamped street and I think this competition, and hopefully winning it, would be perfect to top off the day,” he said
Following the suggestion, businesses spent the last two weeks transforming their window displays to ‘display their i’ with banners bearing the phrase ‘It’s not my town, it’s i town’ visible throughout Pearse Street - and now traders across all four of Ballina’s main streets have jumped on the bandwagon. As part of the competition, businesses must display posters and signs bearing the Galway-based iRadio logo and the local businesses are confident that the promotion has given the whole town a lift.
One trader told The Mayo News: “Let’s be honest, the whole revamp of Pearse Street did have a serious effect on business on this street. The fact that it was closed to traffic for the past three weeks has certainly been a challenge, particularly in this economic climate, but this competition has come at the right time. Everyone is doing their bit and it is giving a new focus to the traders here. The prize fund would be invaluable for a town like Ballina and would certainly help give a huge lift to the town and the wider area – and just in time for the re-launch of Pearse Street.”
For the winning town, the bonanza €50,000 advertising prize fund will be divided into a share of €40,000 for the town and €10,000 for the winning business.  Scores of towns across the region will go up against Ballina for the title in what’s sure to be an exciting finale when the winner is announced later this week.