FERMANAGH shoppers have been urged to support local, with news of yet another closure on the Enniskillen high street this week.
Jay Lindsay, who recently closed the Enniskillen Crafters Market (although it was non profit) he pointed out how every purchase makes a difference to small shops and enterprises.
“Local businesses don’t have the margins or safety nets that large retailers do,” he explained.
“When public support drops off, there’s no buffer. One bad day for any small business can spell disaster.”
Mr Lindsay added, “Every decision we made was centred on supporting local makers rather than generating income for ourselves.”
Over its short lifetime, the market invested nearly £1,000 in advertising and promotion alone, aiming to give local businesses visibility they often couldn’t afford independently.
Despite strong interest from crafters and positive feedback from visitors, the market ultimately closed.
“Markets rely on people showing up in person. Without that footfall, there’s no mechanism to keep them running, regardless of effort or intent,” Mr Lindsay said.
He emphasised that supporting local takes many forms, from attending physical markets to engaging with small businesses online.
Even after the closure, the Lindsays continue to promote local enterprises via social media, often directing people to Fermanagh Enterprise, a key support organisation for regional businesses.
They are also involved in non profit community initiatives like TableTop Tales Fermanagh, which uses tabletop roleplaying games to help people of all ages reconnect and take a break from modern pressures.
“Supporting local isn’t about choosing one form of support over another. It’s about understanding what’s needed at different times and responding consistently,” Mr Lindsay said.
He stressed that without ongoing public engagement and understanding, small businesses and grassroots projects struggle to survive.
Mr Lindsay’s message was clear, without consistent community support many of Fermanagh’s small businesses will struggle to survive.
Indeed, the latest figures have shown Fermanagh and Omagh saw roughly 355 business ‘deaths’ in 2023 alone, highlighting the precarious position of small enterprises in the region.
