Bandon set to become brighter

Bandon is about to become a more vibrant and colourful town!

It's all thanks to €100,000 which was just awarded to Cork County Council to do just that. The local authority is now seeking applications from the owners of commercial, residential and unoccupied buildings in the town.

The funding is part of the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative to help towns and villages in rural Ireland to become more attractive places to live, work and visit.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys has announced that Bandon is 1 of 26 towns across the country that will benefit from the €2.6m fund.

The Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Danny Collins welcomed the funding.

He said: “Bandon is a fantastic, bustling market town with huge potential from a tourism and business perspective. The Streetscape Enhancement Initiative has been described as a facelift for our rural towns. It could be a chance to restore historic and traditional shop fronts, to install canopies, additional lighting, or something as simple as planting trees, shrubbery and flower boxes.”

Retailers and property owners in Bandon are being invited to apply for grants to improve their business and shop fronts. Eligible projects include upgrades to building facades, artworks, murals, lighting, street furniture and canopies.

Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council, said: “The initiative is part of Our Rural Future, the Government’s five-year strategy to revitalise rural Ireland. Cork County Council is passionate about rural development, about supporting places like Bandon to make our town and village centres more attractive places to live, work, socialise, visit and run a business.”

For more information about the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative or for an application form, contact bandonkinsalemd@corkcoco.ie or phone 021-4772154 to request a copy.