Killybegs Seafood Shack could have to close after order to move location

Owners of the Seafood Shack in Killybegs are shocked and devastated at being given notice to cease trading in their current location.

Mairead Anderson owns  the Seafood Shack take away truck and the Boathouse Restaurant along with her husband Gary. She has been told that she can longer operate the Shack in its current location as of May 22.

“I hardly slept last night; I am feeling utterly deflated,” she told Donegal Live. 

“I am being told that this is because of the regeneration of Killybegs. That is a huge shock. I have been a big supporter of the regeneration project because I really believed it would be good for everyone in the town. 

“At one of the early meetings, some members of the public asked ‘What about the Seafood Shack?’ and the architect assured them that it was included in the regeneration plans. He even said there would be seating in the walls. I was delighted.

“So it came as a massive shock to get this phone call saying I can no longer trade.

“This is not just about me, it is about employment and revenue for the town. You can see that when the Shack is open, people come to Killybegs and they stop with us for food. They don’t just drive through. 

“There are people milling about the town centre and they go and spend money in other shops too. A lot of those people would simply drive on if the Shack wasn’t there.The lifeblood of any small town is its independent businesses, and Mairead and Gary Anderson run a business that comes right from the heart in every way. 

Deeply passionate about serving top quality food and providing excellent customer service, their focus on fresh seafood really taps into the spirit of Killybegs as Ireland’s premier fishing port. 

They have faced numerous challenges over the recent years, some of which, such as the reduced availability of tourist accommodation, the rising cost of doing business, and the ongoing staff shortages, are complex.

This issue, however, feels like something that could be quite easily solved. But only if there is a will to support this local business which has earned its place as a much loved feature of the summer streetscape of Killybegs.

“It was suggested that we could move the Shack down to the Traders Car Park,” said Mairead. “That doesn’t work for us at all because our fresh food is stored at the restaurant up the street. Our staff toilets and public toilets are there. We can’t move any further away from that.”

The short notice has particularly stung Mairead, given that she has only recently reopened the Seafood Shack for the summer season after several delays. And a long term alternative plan is also facing delays which are beyond her control. 

“We bought a building on Main Street but we have delays there with the various processes taking so long, so we are not ready to move in with the short time frame we have been given,

“I do understand that the reason they say we need to move the Shack is so that buses can stop safely but surely we can reach an agreement that works for everyone. 

“I know too that a few people have said that if there are crowds on the footpath at the Shack, people have to walk out onto the road. But that will be even worse if there are buses stopping there with people waiting, and getting on and off. 

“I am feeling so deflated and emotional right now. As I said, this is not just about us, it is for all of Killybegs. 

“We have these roadworks going on in the town centre for so long; we have a regeneration project that is supposed to be good for the town.

“But we need to support small businesses if we are serious about supporting Killybegs. 

“The food businesses always seem to be an easy target.

“I really hope there is a solution. Our business is good for the whole town and we love being a part of that.”

There has been a huge outpouring of support from members of the public and the Killybegs business community following Mairead’s announcement of the news that they had to move, and potentially close as a result. 

Comments on social media certainly support Mairead’s view that many people travel to Killybegs specifically to go to the Seafood Shack to enjoy good quality fish and chips by the pier. 

“Some people are saying that wherever we go, they will follow, and that means a lot to us,” said Mairead. 

“But I really hope that a solution can be reached for us to stay in this location.

“I’m off now to make 30 portions of fish and chips. We have the woman from the Institute of Study Abroad bringing a group of Americans here today. 

“That is a perfect example of what we bring to the town. She takes hundreds of visiting Americans to the area every year. When the Shack was closed, they didn’t stop in Killybegs.”