High Street may get a Kells makeover!

SCENES from Oscar nominated film 'The Secret of Kells' could be painted onto shop hoardings in High Street in order to brighten up the city.

This is according to Kilkenny Mayor Malcolm Noonan who made the suggestion at this month's meeting of Kilkenny Borough Council.

He was speaking in response to an appeal by Cllr Seán Ó hArgáin that

local shops make a better effort to improve the appearance of their shopfronts during construction work.

"There should be minimum standards as to the way buildings look while work is being done. It is not enough to just to throw up a few sheets of plywood. Maybe they should be painted like they are in other towns," he said.

He also expressed concern over the general appearance of vacant shop

units. "In the Market Cross Shopping Centre empty units are given to

other shops so that they can use the windows for displays. This way

the shops look like they are being used. Maybe empty shops on High

Street could be given over to community groups while they are empty,"

he said.