Shopping in Northern Ireland

northdubgal wrote: »

I was just reading all those comments on what the governemnt could do to stop us from shopping up the north and it got me thinking...

Can they tax us on the way back through the border? Kinda like the way airport customs stop people returning from America and go thru their cases??

Can you image it, border control, going through all the bags of shopping with a calculator adding up all the bit n pieces to be taxed..

Wouldn't be surprised!

Then they'd also have to tax people bringing wine, etc.. back from the likes of France on the ferries and they certainly haven't been bothered about that over the years.

Took a trip up to Newry this morning. Got to Newry just before 9 and there was a small tailback heading into the town but I'd partially put that down to school runs & people on their way to work. Took us maybe 5 mins from the back side of the traffic until we were parked in the Quays. Car park was as good as deserted at that time and we did a couple of runs through Sainsbury's - mainly food the first time, dumped that out to the car and went back in for booze. Then took our time having some breakfast, wandering around a few other shops and left Newry around 12:30 - car park was wedged with people looping the place for ages and inbound traffic at that stage was backed up most of the way out the Dublin Road.

Based on what I saw this morning I'd say you're really need to be hitting Newry no later than 10:30. Any later and you'd probably be as well off to head to Banbridge or Sprucefield.

btw - one of the girls on the tills in Sainsbury's said the 1L bottles of both Smirnoff & Bicardi were dropping to a tenner on Wed.

Right, if it's going to be ASDA then it looks like it'll be Kilkeel. According to the ASDA website, it's the closest, but looks like a hell of a drive. Is there a car ferry across Carlingford Lough?

I have heared from my friend that Kilkeel is too small to drive that long,
Better go to EK or any other area..

Basic question but..

For an overall shopping day i.e. grocery, booze and browsing (clothes, music etc) where is the best town up the North to go to?

I really am dreading Newry tbh. Was thinking of going up to Belfast and staying a night, although we kinda did find Newry to have a more convenient experience on our previous trips.

And now Lisburn is an option.

Bah!

From http://www.revenue.ie/leaflets/pn1878.htm :

4. Duty-Paid and Tax-Paid Goods

(i) General
No additional duty or tax will be charged on goods bought duty and tax paid (e.g. in shops, supermarkets etc.) in another EU country. However, see below for Alcohol and Tobacco Products.
(ii) Alcohol and Tobacco Products
In the case of alcohol and tobacco products:

• they must be for your personal use,
• you must retain your receipts as proof that you have paid duty and taxes, and
• you must personally accompany the goods on arrival.

Where your purchases of the specific products listed below are equivalent to, or less than, the quantities shown in the table they will, generally speaking, be regarded as for personal use.

Max Goods

800 Cigarettes
400 Cigarillos
200 Cigars
1kg Smoking Tobacco
10 litres Spirits (whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.)
20 litres Intermediate Alcoholic Products not exceeding 22% vol (e.g. port, sherry, some liqueurs etc.)
90 litres Wine (of which only 60 litres can be sparkling)
110 litres Beer

gollyitsolly wrote: »

Just read on Breaking news.ie that John Gormley, minister for the enviroment, wants the government to stop the flow of shoppers to the north! What can he realistically do?

Knowing the shower of clowns we now have for a government they'll bring back the mobile customs patrols they used to have in the 80's that followed people once they crossed back over the border and stopped and searched their cars and confiscated any "contraband".

Used to be that anything over £25 (old Irish ones) was liable to vat and import duty. Of course that meant everyone used to get dodgy receipts from the shops in the North.

the groutch wrote: »

the EU would never allow it

Do you think that would stop the clowns in government??

Look at the european working time directive for instance! (why are doctors still working up to 120 hours per week?)

Also from the examiner:

THE Government has failed to uphold the basic rights of victims of crime, according to an independent human rights watchdog.

It said the Government had failed its obligations set out by the UN and the European Council Framework Decision of 2001.

This government does what it likes regardless of the eu.

handsomecake wrote: »

is there any of the following up there..............tommy hilfiger, fcuk,calvin klein,abercrombie and fitch????????? anybody know??

http://www.victoriasquare.com/

http://www.junctionone.co.uk/home.asp

.. for starters

big b wrote: »

Going to travel on a weekday from Galway, Enniskillen looks nearest/easiest. AA routeplanner says just over 3 hours, although I'm sure 4 is more realistic.

Anyway, having gone that far, would I be better travelling a bit further, or will the prices & choice in Enniskillen be as good as anywhere else?

Probably looking at buying a big screen LCD & Mrs Big B will want to go nuts buying presents & clothes.

Probably fill any remaining space in the van with food shopping.

Thanks in advance...

You'll probably get all you need in Enniskillen. If you were to travel any further, Omagh would be just over half an hour away and has a huge ASDA. It also has a place called DAC (Domestic Appliance Centre) where deals can be found on tv's.

Thanks guys

big b wrote: »

Fixed your post! :pac:

rainbowtrout wrote: »

No you would probably do it in about 3, if you're going galway, tuam, castlerea, ----carrick on shannon, drumshanbo, enniskillen or carrick on shannon, ballinamore, swanlinbar, enniskillen

the worst part of that journey will be the traffic between galway and tuam.

TBH i'd go Galway => Tuam => Sligo => Enniskillen, along the N17 to Sligo and N16 from there on, quicker route I reckon due to better roads. This will definately be done in 3 hours (or under), 2 hours max to Sligo (Unless you get caught in traffic in Claregalway/Tuam) and then 1 hour max to Enniskillen