Are the opponents of John Lewis still so sure?

So even if, as you reported last week, the public inquiry takes place at the beginning of next year and it rules in favour of the development, does anybody envisage construction starting any time soon?

Indeed, it now seems possible this golden opportunity may have passed us by forever.

Presumably the opponents of the scheme will shed no tears if that is what happens. But for the rest of us, it will be a desperate disappointment.

Ironically, if the development had gone ahead those who didn’t want to see it here could have pointed to John Lewis as the reason why so many shops have closed in Lisburn in the past year.

It would have seemed obvious that all the dire predictions about drawing trade away from Lisburn had come true.

But that isn’t the situation. If Lisburn is suffering it’s because of what the ‘city’ itself is - or more accurately - isn’t doing.

While out of town centres continue to offer long shopping hours, easy access and free parking, drivers are still in fear of leaving their car in Lisburn for fear of returning to a £90 ticket.

Supporters of John Lewis always said it would draw more trade to the whole Lisburn area, would put huge amounts of money into the local economy through staff wages which would be spent across a range of shops and services here and create a thriving and vibrant centre from which everyone would benefit.

As we watch more and more shops being boarded up in Lisburn, can the opponents of the scheme now tell us if they are still sure they were right.

Pessimistic Businessman