What's the story with Argos? Anybody know?

what2choose?

I am just wondering if the Argos story is dead and buried as a no-hoper, or if there is the posibility that Argos are considering coming to Sligo?

Does anybody know anything regarding this?

AlmightyCushion

They are looking for a suitable site and according to them it's outside the borough boundaries. Shops outside of the borough boundary are only allowed sell bulk goods. Argos wants to sell more than just bulk goods and hence the problem.

bobcar61

is that why there is still an empty unit up carraroe retail park...is it been reserved for Argos incase the town chamber change their policy on what can be sold outside the town boundary.

And a note to the council or whoever....the town boundary should be extended further out as sligo is forever expanding

il gatto

I think if Argos do apply again, the outcome will be different. The Chamber of Commerce was badly stung last time, and I think the "established" retailers of Sligo realise that the writing is on the wall unless they move with the times.

Gillie

They'll probably end up out at collooney which wouldn't be so bad!

Culchie

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

They are looking for a suitable site and according to them it's outside the borough boundaries. Shops outside of the borough boundary are only allowed sell bulk goods. Argos wants to sell more than just bulk goods and hence the problem.

On a practical level, surely McDonaghs and Argos are carrying out the same business model.

The only difference is that McDonaghs have their items out of the boxes on display, when you want to buy an electrical item of any substantial size, the sales assistant sends you around the back anyway to collect it.

I'd agree if they set up anywhere it will be Collooney.

vesp

There are plenty of sites within the Borough Boundary for Argos. They just need to put their money where their mouth is. Sligo should expand from the inside out - otherwise the town centre will end up dead as happened in so many other towns abroad. I agree with the town development plan and the chamber of commerce.

magnumlady

I just don't get how that daft planning permission works.
Argos wants to sell more then bulk goods so weren't allowed in the retail park.
So how did toy city, halfords, harry corry and 2seasons get in there then, loads of items that aren't bulk.
One rule for one and one for another.

Culchie

vesp wrote: »

There are plenty of sites within the Borough Boundary for Argos. They just need to put their money where their mouth is. Sligo should expand from the inside out - otherwise the town centre will end up dead as happened in so many other towns abroad. I agree with the town development plan and the chamber of commerce.

You can't get Car Parking space, that's why.

I have recently opened a business, and have opened it outside of the town, people need quick access to and from any shopping experience. You can easily get stuck in traffic just in Dunnes car park for 30 mins, and that's mid- week.
As bad as Dublin is, you don't get stuck in Car Parks.

tuppence

Culchie wrote: »

You can't get Car Parking space, that's why.

I have recently opened a business, and have opened it outside of the town, people need quick access to and from any shopping experience. You can easily get stuck in traffic just in Dunnes car park for 30 mins, and that's mid- week.
As bad as Dublin is, you don't get stuck in Car Parks.

Parking I reckon everyone will agree is atrocious in Sligo. But surely that is something the chamber of commerce should be lobbying the town council about? A vibrant town is surely better then an ugly sprawling surburban wasteland of shopping jungles, car dependent and isolatory by nature and design. i am sure there must be a happy medium.
Of course if there were a proper public transport system from the hinterlands there'd be less cars as well....

vesp

tuppence wrote: »

Parking I reckon everyone will agree is atrocious in Sligo. But surely that is something the chamber of commerce should be lobbying the town council about? A vibrant town is surely better then an ugly sprawling surburban wasteland of shopping jungles, car dependent and isolatory by nature and design. i am sure there must be a happy medium.
Of course if there were a proper public transport system from the hinterlands there'd be less cars as well....

It is something the chamber of commerce have lobbied the town council about.
The borough council have been paid to provide more car parking spaces, but have not yet got the finger out. About 100 more car parking spaces were to be provided at the top end of adelaide street for example before xmas, band the planning permission sheet for it is on the wall, but what are the chances of getting the spaces before xmas. The 450 new spaces Dunnes is going to provide however should help things a lot. What the town needs is plenty of multistory spaces close to the inner relief road, so people can access them quickly + efficiently..

dingding

And they are converting cap parking spaces in the quayside into shops, and the johnston's court development used up the johnstons court carpark and a chunk of the wine street carpark.

The council thak money from developers in lieu of parking but do not provide the car park places.

vesp

Agreed. Incidentally, I saw a car load of tourists unable to find a public toilet in Sligo last week, and who urinated in a quiet cul-de-sac in town instead. All this when Sligo Borough Council are actually paying big bucks to have a superloo kept in storage out of the county someplace. Shame on them + their solicitor.

il gatto

I started a thread some time ago calling Sligo the worst run town in Ireland. I was roundly criticised, before several other threads were started about what you liked about Sligo or whatever.(o.k. not roundly criticised, but asked not to be so negative:o:)).
Anyhoo... I think the borough council have made a complete a$$ of the town with traffic control which is counter productive, flagrently refusing to acknowledge the parking problem and not even providing a pot to pi$$ in.
The developers are doing their part to drag Sligo into the 21st century, but the powers that be are doing a fair job of holding the place back.
The Argos debacle (strays back on topic,sorry) is just the poster boy for their brand of "democracy" which entails doing the opposite of what the vast majority of Sligo people want in the interests of a wealthy, controlling minority.

teddybear73

I totally agree with the last point there. Sligo has so much to offer and all we get is certain interested parties holding up progress. All this craic about lack of carparking is just a red herring. Try to get in to town from Strandhill and the traffic is backed up to the railway bridge. What is two or three multi storey car parks going to do to improve this. We need out of town Tesco's. The Argos debacle is an embarassment. I work for a company who struggle to attract highly qualified staff from other parts of the counbtry. One of the main reasons for this I would hazard a guess is that if you ever look at the situation with Tesco and Wine Street and trying to do your shopping. Anyone who ever visits me comments how big a joke the Tesco is. Also these new shopping centres might be in town but small shos are still closing down by the droves. O COnnell street is turing into a wasteland.

brianthebard

vesp wrote: »

There are plenty of sites within the Borough Boundary for Argos. They just need to put their money where their mouth is. Sligo should expand from the inside out - otherwise the town centre will end up dead as happened in so many other towns abroad. I agree with the town development plan and the chamber of commerce.

The problem isn't money, Argos want to build and extra store, which is huge and stocks just about everything in their catalogue. The chamber of commerce doesn't want that cause then everyone will realise that their prices are huge and no one will shop with them. Argos would happily take a town centre sight if it was big enough but the chamber has only offered small sites.

muffler

People, people, people. This thread is about Argos. If people have opinions on other matters then post them up in the Sligo - News and Views thread please.



Edit: I have deleted the last post here which was 100% off topic and then after reading posts from the regulars here who should know better I realised that there are a few others I could delete.

Simple way out of this is that Im locking this as its gone to the dogs so to speak