New Shopping Centre....

Kimbot

Does anyones know anything about the new shopping centre thats being built behind the cinema??

I know Dunnes Stores are opening up opposite Gala so thats not going in there.

aidanmoor

i have no idea whats going in there,but it will be mad trying to get tro that town after that opens up ,it bloody mad as it is,

Kimbot

Traffic is bad alright but there are plans to sort that out soon enought as far as I know!!

ianwalsh2

I heard there's a superquinn going in there. Don't know how true that is though.

Kimbot

ianwalsh2 wrote:

I heard there's a superquinn going in there. Don't know how true that is though.

I don't know to be honest. I think that would be too much for the town. There is Tesco, Supervalu and Dunnes is opening around christmas. Then you have Texas and a few others so I would imagine it would just be clothes types shops in it.

cherryghost

apparently theres M&S and a zavvi set for it

kerash

Pics here,
http://www.longfordtowncentre.com/ but no info yet! M&S and zavvi would be great tho.

suckslikeafox

If ya seen the News yesterday(not that I read it, I just saw the front page in the shop) theres a story about how they havn't got an anchor so they're delaying opening until next year...methinks someones gonna end up losing a lot of money over this centre

kerash

Yeah i read that, another shambles me thinks...
No decent roads, now their feckin up our shopping:p

The story basically says if they don't secure an anchor wont open until spring (rather that the initially planned winter opening)

I don't think they'll be happy to miss out on the Christmas shopping cash, if it's held back...

orbital83

I wonder will that place ever open. I get the impression retail is having a hard time round the town now that the building boom is over. A lot of places seem very quiet (N4 retail park, Providers) and of course Texas closed a while back.

I'd say the big names will think twice before opening up in that shopping centre. There was a lot of spending money around longford the past few years but those days are over

suckslikeafox

Another rumour doing the rounds is that they could turn it into a hotel...apparently the inside isnt fitted out so it wouldnt be that big a job. Probably not true though

Kimbot

suckslikeafox wrote: »

Another rumour doing the rounds is that they could turn it into a hotel...apparently the inside isnt fitted out so it wouldnt be that big a job. Probably not true though

I passed it yesterday and it looks like the inside is well and truely done bar the shop interiors like shelves etc.

kerash

jonny24ie wrote: »

I passed it yesterday and it looks like the inside is well and truely done bar the shop interiors like shelves etc.

Ah jonny! feck sake I thought ya had news!:pac:

No to a hotel, I want shops - stat!:p

Kimbot

kerash wrote: »

Ah jonny! feck sake I thought ya had news!:pac:

No to a hotel, I want shops - stat!:p

The sooner the better but what major store can they get to open the centre with?

Tesco: Already have one.
Dunnes: Already have one.
Super Valu: Already Have one.
Lidl/Aldi: Already have them.

There is no big name shop I can think of that they can base the centre around at the minute. Unless River Island/Zara/Pull & Bear or one of those come into the mix.

kerash

Thought it was supposed to be m&s or superquin?
+ lots of clothes shops plz!:)

Flashweaver

This place will die fast! Its way too big for a town like Longford! And since M&S pulled out no1 wants to be in it....not to mention that with the economy the way it is, there couldn't be a worse time to have something like this.

cherryghost

the economy isnt as bad as u think. the media is blowing it out of proportion.

Flashweaver

True....but its bad enough to stop the 2nd shopping centre from taking off!

Kimbot

Flashweaver wrote: »

True....but its bad enough to stop the 2nd shopping centre from taking off!

It think it has to do with rent prices mate. Longford are trying to be on Par with dublin on some of its prices for some mad reason and that is what is scaring the shops off not the economy.

cherryghost

the rent prices are all over the place. rent on houses are varied from 500 to 1000 per month. i got one for 450 myself, though i was a bit out of town

road_high

Did they still fail to get a tenant? Woluld they not be better just give it rent free for a few years rather than leaving it idle. Seems like a total disaster to me, why build a shopping centre in the first place without committed tenants

cherryghost

dont forget the council offices they sold thats supposedly being turned into another shopping centre. :S

EC1000

cherryghost wrote: »

the economy isnt as bad as u think. the media is blowing it out of proportion.

Really!!!!! Not sure which planet you are living on!

del monte

suckslikeafox wrote: »

If ya seen the News yesterday(not that I read it, I just saw the front page in the shop) theres a story about how they havn't got an anchor so they're delaying opening until next year...methinks someones gonna end up losing a lot of money over this centre

the news aint that bad these days-- has much the same content as the leader

orbital83

Dunnes and Tesco cutting back their hours, several small retailers round the town running closing down sales. A main street lined with empty units.
I can't believe Dunnes' swanky new store will be closing at 8pm five nights of the week.

It would be amazing if that shopping centre opened before mid next year. I'd say never.
The ever lengthening dole queue stretching onto Killashee Street won't be spending too much on Gucci hangbags and Jack Jones jeans, I'd imagine.
Could they convert it to a multi storey car park with low rates - that might pull in a bit of revenue.

At least, next to the derelict barracks, we now have our own little monument to the day when we lost the run of ourselves.
(Along with Carrigglas Manor, Battery Court etc)

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4

dulchie75

I can't believe Dunnes is going to close early every night!! Longford is the worst town for shopping in you can't even get a chemist open early in the morning or late at night AHH

road_high

Is this place still on ice??

cherryghost

unfortunately, yes it is.

kerash

it looks pretty though....

Otis Driftwood

This place will not open for a long time.
Sad to say but Longford is a dump so what chance would any retailer have of making enough money to even cover the cost of renting a unit never mind paying staff,buying stock etc.

And before anyone says anything about my comment about Longford being a dump,Im from there so have it on pretty good authority.

Interceptor

nedtheshed wrote: »

And before anyone says anything about my comment about Longford being a dump,Im from there so have it on pretty good authority.

It could be worse - you could live in Castlerea I thought I saw work going on at the shopping centre earlier this week? Was I hallucinating? (its been known to happen...)

'cptr

road_high

Is this building still lying idle??

Kimbot

mfitzy wrote: »

Is this building still lying idle??

Yes.

JupiterKid

mfitzy wrote: »

Is this building still lying idle??

It's a symbol of the total and utter folly and madness of the property bubble and will remind Longford for years to come just how dangerously dependent the town and county became in having all its eggs in the construction basket.

midland muck

I see in this weeks longford Leader that their are plans to renovate the existing town shopping centre and construct a new facilty on the edge of town. See link http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/70m-shopping-plan-for-Longford.5810732.jp Does anyone else find this plan to be optimistic in the exreme in light of the difficulties the already constructed McNamara Centre has in finding retail tennants??

kerash

midland muck wrote: »

I see in this weeks longford Leader that their are plans to renovate the existing town shopping centre and construct a new facilty on the edge of town. See link http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/70m-shopping-plan-for-Longford.5810732.jp Does anyone else find this plan to be optimistic in the exreme in light of the difficulties the already constructed McNamara Centre has in finding retail tennants??

It sounds fabulous alright but I be surprised if it happened in light of the other shopping centre remaining idle.
I'd not be surprised at tesco moving out though.

It is believed that the two largest units in this centre would be occupied by two well-known chainstores, one of which would be providing supermarket 'trolley' shopping.

if tesco are moving out who will be the the large unit holders?

Twinned with this planning application is a proposal for the development of a 10,996 sq ft retail store at the Ballinalee Road roundabout, geared for weekly and bulky goods shopping.

It has been widely speculated that Tesco would occupy this proposed development but the promoters refused to be drawn on this issue.

cherryghost

jesus christ WHY? we dont need it.

garfieldsghost

The article doesn't go into specifics, so it's hard to envisage exactly just what the developers have planned. However, when you consider that the Longford Town Centre has been mothballed due to lack of interest from retailers and also look at the Longford Centre in it's current form (with a number of long-term tenants closing/relocating), then it's hard to see how they're going to find occupiers for all these new retail units unless they can magically pluck them out of thin air. :rolleyes:

Am I right in thinking that when they mention a site at the "Ballinalee roundabout" that they're referring to the Triad/Barber site?

bugs

garfieldsghost wrote: »

Am I right in thinking that when they mention a site at the "Ballinalee roundabout" that they're referring to the Triad/Barber site?

Doubt it, traffic would be insane. I'd assume somewhere closer to the abbott plant (the roundabout) would make more sense.

orbital83

It sounds fabulous alright but I be surprised if it happened in light of the other shopping centre remaining idle.
I'd not be surprised at tesco moving out though.

Visit the UK for some good examples of dead town centres which is what we should see before long here if this sort of planning is alllowed to proceed.

March 2010
Work commenced today on Phase 1 of a development which will revolutionise our shopping experience. This phase consists of a large shopping outlet with filling station and ample parking located on the outskirts of the town. The next phase will involve redevelopment of the existing Shopping Centre site which will offer a range of new high street stores and boutique outlets.

July 2010
Tesco have completed their move to a new retail outlet complete with filling station and free parking. However town centre traders have expressed concern about the impact on their businesses. All hope now rests on Phase 2 of the plan to revitalise the retail experience which focuses on redevelopment of the existing Shopping Centre site.

September 2010
Plans for redevelopment of the town's Shopping Centre has been scrapped. The economic climate and an existing oversupply of commercial property in the town centre have been cited as the main reasons. This will amplify the fears of town centre businesses which have seen trade fall off sharply since the town centre Tesco outlet became vacant a few months ago. Several other units in the Shopping Centre have since closed with the possibility it will soon be totally vacant leaving the town with two abandoned shopping centres. Local traders have pinpointed the decision of the Town Council to introduce paid parking in the shopping centre car park as the main reason for the death of town centre retail.

lt_cmdr_worf

Above prediction is not far off, John. I see the same thing happening in Athlone.

Visit the Texas Centre in Athlone for an example of an abandoned shopping centre. And with vacant retail units around it.

The new ATC is a dead fish. Shanique, Vanilla Garden, Barratts and Premaman pulled out this year, and HMV do not want to touch it. There is hardly anyone there, even on a busy Friday.

garfieldsghost

The empty units around Aldi are another prime example of a failed "retail development"...

bridgitt

John J wrote: »

Visit the UK for some good examples of dead town centres which is what we should see before long here if this sort of planning is alllowed to proceed.

March 2010
Work commenced today on Phase 1 of a development which will revolutionise our shopping experience. This phase consists of a large shopping outlet with filling station and ample parking located on the outskirts of the town. The next phase will involve redevelopment of the existing Shopping Centre site which will offer a range of new high street stores and boutique outlets.

July 2010
Tesco have completed their move to a new retail outlet complete with filling station and free parking. However town centre traders have expressed concern about the impact on their businesses. All hope now rests on Phase 2 of the plan to revitalise the retail experience which focuses on redevelopment of the existing Shopping Centre site.

September 2010
Plans for redevelopment of the town's Shopping Centre has been scrapped. The economic climate and an existing oversupply of commercial property in the town centre have been cited as the main reasons. This will amplify the fears of town centre businesses which have seen trade fall off sharply since the town centre Tesco outlet became vacant a few months ago. Several other units in the Shopping Centre have since closed with the possibility it will soon be totally vacant leaving the town with two abandoned shopping centres. Local traders have pinpointed the decision of the Town Council to introduce paid parking in the shopping centre car park as the main reason for the death of town centre retail.

Correct, in other countries they have learnt that town should expand from the centre outwards.

mink_man

its a kip!

blackbetty69

its a shambles bill