THE government is looking to pay an individual or company £20,000 over the next three years to open and shut a security gate on Derry’s Walls.
The wall is located between the Fountain estate and Bishop Street.
The area has witnessed ongoing sectarian violence over the years and the gate is locked each night for security reasons before being re-opened every morning.
The Derry News can reveal that the contract for the opening and shutting of the gate is now up for grabs.
The deadline for companies or individuals to apply for the £20,000, which will cover a three-year period, was yesterday.
The applications had to be submitted to the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) at the Northern Ireland Executive.
A number of security gates were removed from the Derry Wall’s last year in a bid to open up the 400 year –old structure to more tourists.
The removal of eleven of sixteen of the gates was approved by the Justice Minister David Ford, and was coupled with a £28,000 in additional CCTV coverage in and around the walls.
The gates around the Fountain Estate will remain in place due to security reasons.
The new contract will come into force on February 1 this year.
 
 

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