'Friendly’ residents – but the traffic is ‘ferocious’ in Enniskillen

Mervyn Hall and Roy Cathcart.

“Compared to my young day, there is absolutely loads and loads of places where you can go for a coffee," said Mr. Catchart, "Go back 50 years or more when I was in school there was maybe two places; the Derby and the Golden Arrow”.

With a laugh, Mr. Hall said: "In The Housewifes’ Choice, I can remember Aidy Dunbar sitting there with a crowd of girls around him with a cigarette, he had it even then!”

He also remarked on the Enniskillen as a shopping town, highlighting long standing family businesses which attract cross Border trade.

Mr Cathcart added: “It is sad to see so many empty shops in the town, and the type of shop you get in every sizeable town throughout Britain basically; charity shops, chain stores.

“The biggest thing and I’m sure everybody who talks to you will say this, we need is a bypass, it’s the parking in the town is the problem.

“I hope the new regulations that are being brought in will help sort out some of the problems with people parking irresponsibly and it maddens me to see people parking in disabled spaces."

At another table, Iain Kennedy and Don Swain are enjoying also a coffee and discussing the area.

Iain Kennedy and Don Swain.

Mr. Kennedy said: “I just like it here, it’s a very mixed community which is the first striking feature and that’s what’s good about it.”

Mr. Swain, who lives in Letterbreen added: “It’s good place to bring up the kids, it was really big thing for us".

Mr. Kennedy has lived in Enniskillen for 33 years and spoke of how the Enniskillen bombing and its aftermath influenced him to move to the town.

"When that happened society nearly disintegrated here. We were in Belfast and I heard Gordon Wilson.

“The job came up in the Lakeland Forum and I said to my wife, Michelle, I think I’m going to apply for that. Underpinning it was this whole thing about Gordon diffusing the tensions, and from where I was, I thought that’s not a bad place to live.”

Both commented on a rich community full of sporting and cultural activities, Mr. Kennedy said: “ A lot of people in other parts of Northern Ireland think it’s a cultural dessert but its actually quite the opposite, it’s the most vibrant cultural place you can be.”

Referencing ongoing issues for transport, Mr. Kennedy added: “I’ll not be alive when the railways come”.

Shaking his head in agreement with his friend, Mr. Swain said: “Worst thing they ever did.”

There was a splash of colour on Middleton Street as artist Kevin McHugh painted Jenny's Coffee House. The theme was the Mad Hatters' Tea Party with the bright colours of the paint and playful theme weaving some new life into the building which dates to 1877.

Julie Kenwell, Osborne & Co. Enniskillen.

Elsewhere, Julie Kenwell was returning from her lunch break. The staff at her shop, Osborne and Co. can sometimes be found preparing social media skits but instead were busy on the shop floor.

Mrs. Kenwell commented that the people in Enniskillen "are probably the friendliest you’ll ever meet".

She added: “I think the town is looking amazing at the minute, especially, when the weather is so good. The buildings look beautiful and lots of amazing decoration and stock as well.”

Maureen Wilkin, Leslies Bakery.

In the hollow of the town, Maureen Wilkin is behind the counter in Leslie’s Bakery, catching up with customers, pausing during her answers to greet a customer by name or wave them off.

Again, parking is an issue raised, she said: “I have many of the older generation who just can’t get parked, and then delivery drivers, the loading bays are usually full.

“We need a multi-story carpark as traffic is horrendous, that back road especially [Wellington Road], you wouldn’t go on it. Sligo Road is a no go, you just won’t get back in.”

One idea for the town that she and her husband Leslie raised was a town centre hotel near bars and restaurants, she said: "I would like something 100m or 200m from the bars, when you go on holiday that is what you look for.”

Mrs. Wilkin commented on the community spirit within the town and commented: “It’s like Coronation Street, people say here is Roy’s Rolls.”

Joe and Kathy McAleer, Erne Pharmacy.

Elsewhere, Joe and Kathy McAleer stressed the importance of bricks and mortar high street for the community. Kathy said: “It’s so easy to shop online, and maybe you can get a bit better value online. But at the same time, if you continue to do that you're not going to have your local shops and you're not going to have local shops, you're not going to have your coffee shops to meet a friend and all the social aspects of that community.”

She added: “Our customers come in here in the love chat and we love chatting with them and you get to know them and that social interaction is very important for the mental health.”