DOWN ON THE FARM.

As discussed previously on this Blog, we are somewhat spoilt for choice here in Kildare when it comes to shopping, leisure and amenities. Many of our attractions are of national or even world importance so it's hardly surprising that we get a lot of visitors and that the town prospers somewhat as a result.
One attraction which is fast becoming a magnet for Kildare is Kildare Farm Foods. Located just five minutes from the town centre, Kildare Farm Foods is a highly innovative business which offers more than just food shopping. Owner David Sexton has created a conceptual shopping experience for the food lover which makes shopping a sheer pleasure. The store itself has a pleasant buzz about it. Neat, well stacked shelves with the finest food produce are the order of the day. The wood panelled walls and rows of glass fronted refrigerators give it a bright, airy and clean ambience. It is almost always busy but not chaotic.

The finest farm produce including Beef, Poultry, Veg and Dairy products are all on display and the remarkable value for money is surely one of the main draw cards to the farm. However it is the added extras that set Kildare Farm Foods apart from main food retailers. A lovely cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating, serving world acclaimed Java Roast Coffee is a nice touch. But the piece de resistance is the Open Farm which is situated at the rear of the building. A safe walkway takes you through the large enclosures housing a mix of farm and exotic animals. Turkeys, Geese, Fowl, Alpacas, Minature Pigs and a recently added pair of Ostrich make great entertainment for visiting families. It's a great way to make a shopping trip a pleasant experience for the kids.
Like all great marketeers, David Sexton has the customer at the centre of his plans and there are lots of new plans in the pipeline for the farm.

Kildare town is not light on retail competition. For a small town we have quite a choice. Aldi, Lidi, Tesco and Eurospar all have sizeable outlets right in the middle of the town. This has not prevented Kildare Farm Foods from proving what we know here at Heffernan Tyres. If you are the best at what you do, people will come and buy from you. Again and again!

GOVERNMENT FAILS TO TACKLE PART WORN COWBOYS!

It was with great disappointment that we learnt last week that the government has sold legitimate tyre retailers down the Swanee yet again!
The Government's''Closing the Gap'' strategy was hoped to be the tyre industry's biggest chance to see meaningful legislation brought forward to ban the importation and sale of part worn tyres in Ireland.
Instead the Government has opted to kick the can down the road. This decision comes despite warnings regarding safety, VAT evasion and the threat to jobs in legitimate retailers.
It beggars belief that such warnings have seemingly been ignored. The Department of Transport has let us down. However we must not give up.
Perhaps a different angle and approach may yield positive results for us.
Surely there must be something that can be done at a European level to stop the transportation of what is effectively environmentally hazardous waste? Adjunct to that, there is probably an angle regarding consumer rights here. If a consumer is being asked to pay a fee for ''environmental disposal''every time a tyre is removed, then surely the he/she is entitled to have that service supplied. Tyres which are removed, sold on again and removed at the end of their ''second life'' are having the so called ''disposal'' fee applied twice.

At Heffernan tyres we welcome our customers to check our environmental credentials. All of our removed tyres are sent to Crumb Rubber where they are recycled for use in playground surfaces, equestrian centres, etc. We will continue through our presence on the board of ITIA (Irish Tyre Industry Association) to lobby for change in the trade of second hand tyres in Ireland. That is our commitment to environment and safety.