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Rachel Jardine, who runs a bar and restaurant in Perry Street, said she was supportive of redevelopment, highlighting regeneration of houses opposite her businesses that had made the street more welcoming for customers. But she said she could understand concerns about Scotch Street. "I can understand why the traders, like us, get frustrated with lack of shopfronts for other shops to go into, especially within the prime part of the town centre where people are walking past to see other shops and it's not ideal having front doors rather than windows," she said. She said she was optimistic about Dungannon, but that businesses faced challenges with staffing and costs, including rates. "We would love to see more businesses coming into the town because getting more business within the town brings more people to the town," she said. Ms Jardine added that for her industry, hospitality, she had "seen more places closed within the town than open". "The more there is, the more people will come in to see what's within a town - come for something to eat, go to a coffee shop, and we are very much missing that at the moment. "We're optimistic with the town itself. We have put a lot into the business that is here. "We'll continue to do so and we would like to see the town come back to life."
