Tyrone customers urged to ‘shop early’ this Christmas

TYRONE retailers are urging the public to consider doing their Christmas shopping a little earlier this year, due to shortages in some supplies.

While Omagh shop, Kiddies Corner, which supplies baby products, toys and accessories, said there was plenty of stock available at the current time, they have asked local shoppers to try and buy earlier this year to avoid any sort of disappointment.

Staff member, Donna McAleer, said, “We have seen unprecedented delays in goods arriving this year.

“We were able to take some stock in earlier in the year but we would recommend to get ordering early as suppliers are saying anything after October cannot be guaranteed prior to Christmas.

“We still offer the Christmas club pay-in service and, like always, we will do our best for our customers but we would recommend to start thinking now about toys for Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Omagh fruit and vegetable shop, McCullagh’s Simply Fresh, said a number of items had become hard to come by of late, mainly dry goods. These are products that are non-perishable and deemed non-essential for transit.

But owner Rory McCullagh said they should have plenty of Christmas stock, as most of their produce is local.

Mr McCullagh said, “My vegetables are local so there hasn’t been too many problems with sourcing supplies of those products.

“The only sourcing issues we’ve had is sourcing products from across the water like organic and dry goods, which are becoming very hard to get.

“As most of the Christmas vegetables are local there will not be a problem getting things like Brussels sprouts.”

The transit industry across the UK has been hit by staffing problems with the number of HGV drivers becoming a real problem.

The UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has said he will ‘move heaven and earth’ to try and solve the problem of staff shortages in the haulage industry, which has led to a number of petrol station closures in England.

West Tyrone MP, Órfhlaith Begley, has said an agreement by Derry City and Strabane District Council to work with businesses to deliver a recruitment programme focused on addressing skills shortages, which will include the transport sector, will create new employment opportunities and provide a boost to the local economy.

The West Tyrone MP said, “I am delighted that after ongoing engagement with Derry City and Strabane District Council, they have agreed to work alongside local businesses to invest in a programme focused on addressing the current skills deficit locally.

“I have been pressing the council and the Department for Economy to take urgent action to deal with the existing skills shortages in the local area.

This has placed additional pressure on businesses and prohibited them from operating at full capacity.

“Businesses that depend on the transport of goods have been struggling due to the shortage of HGV drivers, as a consequence of Brexit and the pandemic.

“The council intend to work in a collaborative approach with local businesses to help address the skills gap locally and over the next couple of months they will be working alongside local businesses on attracting HGV drivers.”

Ms Begley added, “This initiative will provide employment opportunities which will be a vital boost to the local economy at a time when furlough is coming to an end and the prospect of job losses as a result.”

By Thomas Maher