In an article in the Meath Chronicle, businesses such as Mother Hubbard’s, the Blueberry Restaurant and the Monastery Inn, in Clonard and Moyvalley, have admitted that turnover has dropped up to 70% since the new motorway has opened. In most cases this has resulted in layoffs. In the case of Mother Hubbard’s 9 full time jobs and 26 part time jobs, the Blueberry too has laid off staff although no figures are available and the Monastery Inn has let go “a number of our staff”.
Commenting on the downturn Louise Kennedy from the Monastery Inn called into question the NRAs commitment to provide adequate signage and direction to rest and food facilities off the M4 in particular noting that they had received many phone calls from motorists and truckers wondering how to leave the M4 to get to Clonard.
Brendan Glynn of Mother Hubbard’s commented that Trim is signposted from the motorway yet none exists for Clonard or Moyvalley. Both Louise and Brendan are having difficulties with signs they have erected being removed by Eurolink.
However Moyvalley Gardening Centre has noted that traffic volumes are starting to return to pre motorway volumes. Anecdotally locals in the village are also commenting that traffic volumes through the village are starting to increase as the honeymoon period for the motorway draws to a close.
But the good news from a resident’s perspective is that Fridays and Sunday evenings still appear to be much quieter and residents of Clonard village are able to join and exit the N4 with far greater ease than before the motorway opened.
