That's the view of local tourist chief, Eugene Finnegan, who says a greater degree of public civic mindedness is required in order to improve the town's image. "A town like ours should present a pleasant public vista. Instead a lot of visitors leave Bray with an impression of a boarded-up town with a shuttered main street."

"I am very critical of a lot of the shutters that are in place, " he says. "I do sympathise with businesses, which I know can suffer dramatically from antisocial activity. Traditional shutters will always attract graffiti artists. I think more premises might look at the option of having shutters fitted internally.

"I've taken some criticism locally from business people who say longer hours simply aren't viable, but I don't accept that, " says Finnegan, who is chairman of Bray Tourism.

"The fact is that in a tourist town like ours there should be shopping facilities open to visitors outside of normal trading hours.

"Not enough people realise that tourism is a business that will raise all boats. It's not just amusement arcades or hotels or concert venues that benefit. Whether it's a book they buy or a bar of chocolate, when tourists come to town they'll spend money . . . provided they're able to.

"We should, I think, be trying to create a society where security shutters aren't needed. When you look around you realise that people don't always take it on board that graffiti and litter are everybody's problem."

Jason Cooke, spokesman for Bray Chamber of Commerce, says it's the aim of the Town Centre Rejuvenation Task Force to encourage businesses to invest in new shopfronts. "I would love for people to see shop windows in full blaze, rather than having the shutters down, " he says.

He disagrees with Eugene Finnegan about longer trading hours and says a sufficient volume of business doesn't exist to warrant staying open later in the evening.

Thomas O'Shea of C & S Shutters says internal shutters are becoming the norm in most business premises and retail outlets. "The kind of ugly galvanised shutters that were used in the past are no longer popular. A vandal might still be tempted to break an unprotected window but an internal shutter will certainly reduce the likelihood of a break in, " he says.

O'Shea, who's based in the Jamestown Business Park in Finglas, says shop owners are now more particular about how shutters are installed in order to ensure a less obtrusive visual impact.

"These days we find ourselves working hand-in-hand with window designers. A lot of people like to leave a considerable space between the shutter and the window, where they can create a display. Using a perforated shutter and the proper lighting you can create an impressive advertisement for late-night window shoppers.

"I always think Arnotts in Henry Street is a good example of a shop using this technique to perfection."