The State must work harder to ease the burden on small business, the Tánaiste has said as his native city mourned the loss of a famous family-run chipper.
Micheál Martin was reacting to the shock news the much-loved Jackie Lennox’s fish and chip shop on Cork’s Bandon Road, which has been serving the city for 73 years, will serve its last orders on Sunday, with the loss of 30 jobs.
Its owners, brother and sister Brian and Frances Lennox, whose father, Jackie, founded the business in 1951, said they were, to an extent, victims of their own success as Brian blamed difficulties finding staff and the sheer burden of running a small business in Ireland today as among the reasons for the closure.
Mr Martin, who paid tribute to the Lennox family for their service over the decades, said the Government needed to reflect on Brian’s comments.
“There is no doubt that the regulatory framework around small businesses has become more burdensome,” he said.
“Those regulations come from a range of sources, and in and of themselves, they are individually there for what is probably a good reason.
News of the Lennox closure emerged on Monday night after Brian told staff first.
He told the later he had hoped the business would make it to 75 years but that was just “a step too far”.
The decision to cease trading had been very difficult but was not taken for the “lack of business”, he said.
“From a business perspective, we are at our busiest, the queues are unreal, but the stress of trying to run a business on our own, it’s difficult. And finding staff has been a huge issue too,” he said.
“Paperwork has become a burden. Every year, there seems to be more paperwork to fill in. The powers that be need to embrace small family businesses.
Former city councillor and senator Dino Cregan, who runs the Dino’s chain of chippers, paid tribute to the Lennox family and said Government seemed disconnected from the reality facing small business owners.
The Fry Chipper in Ballincollig also paid tribute to the Lennox family, and acknowledged the impact it has had on the industry, particularly in Cork.
Joanne Sheahan, whose parents, Tim and Rita Murphy, founded their business almost 40 years ago, said: “You’ve always set a high standard, and your contribution will be sorely missed. At almost 38 years in Ballincollig between myself and my parents Tim and Rita Murphy before me, along with my sisters, Olivia and Linda, we can only aspire to see 35 more. Congratulations on an amazing run.”
Former Lord Mayor, Mick Finn, described Lennox’s as an institution.
“It was a family business that grew from a small acorn into an oak — recognised all over Ireland and beyond,” he said.
“Its closure will leave a huge void on Bandon Road and so many people are upset over it.
“The shop was also a great source of employment for locals and staff were well looked after.”
He said his thoughts were with Frances, Brian, Duncan and the Lennox family for their commitment to the area for so long.
“I would hope that perhaps a buyer could be found and it could be kept open as one of Cork’s most loved chip shops,” he said.
The chipper opens on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with last orders on Sunday.
