The pedestrianisation of Malahide has led to the advent of a “drinking street” in the north Dublin town, according to one resident.

It comes as Fingal County Council has agreed to proceed with works that will see New Street become permanently pedestrianised after a trial that began during COVID proved successful.

The new works will include the development of outdoor dining and seating areas as well as a water feature and bike parking.

On Lunchtime Live today, New Street resident Majella Dunne said she has lived there all her life and feels her concerns have been ignored by the Council.

“From my point of view, it’s all about the pubs, the coffee shops and it’s all about having a place for people to congregate and that sort of thing,” she said.

“They seem to forget that residents have to live there, put up with the noise, and put up with all the changes which are not helping us.

“They want to get traffic out of the town but it’s still there, it’s just diverted onto narrower residential streets.

“There’s a lot of drinking on the street, people think just because it's pedestrianised that it’s a parking street or a drinking street.”

An artists design of how New Street will look in Malahide once works are complete: Image: Fingal County Council

Ms Dunne said residents are “not being listened to” in favour of certain businesses.

“It’s not all about the fast-food businesses, coffee shops and pubs,” she said.

“I have businesses next door to my living room window where they have opened a hatch to sell coffee and people are queuing outside my house.

“Other shops have closed down [because of this], like a fish shop, hairdressers, and garden centre – a taxi office has closed too and is opening as a bake shop.”

Controversial decision

One caller to the show, Michael Place, who owns a road train in the village called Toots, said the pedestrianisation of New Street was a “controversial decision”.

“I’d be on the fence because I don’t live there and I’m not a resident, but I do sympathise and empathise with people,” he said.

“While it’s good to give people an area free of cars, at the same time we have to listen to all those concerned in the area – not just those who are strong and powerful.

In favour

Another caller named Pat was in favour of the works proceeding.

“If you pedestrianise a street, people can browse through along the shops and it enhances businesses,” he said.

“People might just pass a street with traffic on it and not realise that certain businesses are there.

“But if you can browse safely in a place that’s properly policed you might come across businesses that you would have passed before.”

A majority of 22 councillors agreed to go ahead with the development works at New Street following a meeting held on Tuesday, January 16th.

You can listen back here:

Main image: New Street, Malahide, 5-9-2023. Image: Noel Bennett / Alamy Stock Photo