Cork Chamber says traders in Cork will be facing a changed landscape when the lockdown measures are finally lifted.
Trade unions have previously warned that the retail sector is in a very precarious state and will need major Government support to get it back on it's feet.
630 jobs were lost in Cork in the last week as Debenhams, Oasis and Warehouse all announced that they will not be reopening their doors once the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Thomas McHugh from Cork Chamber told RedFM News that retailers will need a lot of help when they begin to transition back to normal trading.
"I suppose the nature of retail is evolving, and some people are pushing a very progressive agenda online and there are supports for the retail sector to get online and I would encourage people to use those.
"But fundamentally I think the transition back to normality will be a challenge for the sector."
