Shopping in Northern Ireland

meanmachine3

Milly82 wrote: »

Going up to Newry tomorrow - can't wait. Does anyone know if any shops are doing pound for euro at the mo?

Thanks.

dont forget to send coughlan a postcard while your up there in fact maybe everyone that goes up should do it

Moanin

I was there last night. Sainsburys giving 83p to €. The toy shop "Toyztore" across the road give 1£ for 1 Eur put the prices are the same as the likes of Smyths here.There's no savings to be honest

V1llianous

Can someone confirm that there is a Sainsburys in Sprucefield - it's been mentioned a few times but not listed as a retailer on the Sprucefield website.

TIA.

Stillnotworking

V1llianous wrote: »

Can someone confirm that there is a Sainsburys in Sprucefield - it's been mentioned a few times but not listed as a retailer on the Sprucefield website.

TIA.

From the horses mouth

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shoppingandservices/storelocator/searchresults.htm?query=Lisburn

And it was there last week.........

zing

Anyone know if there's much money to be saved on the likes of car servicing in ni (specifically bmw main dealer service) ? Wondering if it would be worth while booking the car into a garage up there for a service next time I head up. Could be a pita as there'd be nowhere to dump bags during the day but at the same time I wouldn't have to worry about parking for the day

brettmirl

V1llianous wrote: »

Can someone confirm that there is a Sainsburys in Sprucefield - it's been mentioned a few times but not listed as a retailer on the Sprucefield website.

TIA.

It's not in the Sprucefield Shopping Centre itself...

At the roundabout outside the Shopping Centre, Sainsburys is at the opposite exit. So they are VERY close.

If that makes sense.

muincav

meanmachine3 wrote: »

dont forget to send coughlan a postcard while your up there in fact maybe everyone that goes up should do it

Now that is a cracking idea!!!:D

I also find it nearly impossible that Mary Coughlan, being from Donegal has never shopped across the border? or maybe she does and wont admit it..

V1llianous

mick_irl wrote: »

It's not in the Sprucefield Shopping Centre itself...

At the roundabout outside the Shopping Centre, Sainsburys is at the opposite exit. So they are VERY close.

If that makes sense.

Thanks !

meanmachine3

i recorded that progremme that was on tv3 last night, does anyone know if it's worth watching?

Our man in Havana

There is nothing in it that we already did not know. It is worth viewing purely to see the Tanáiste whinging.

milly4ever

looks like newry is going to be extremely busy over the weekend. i think im going to have to make my journey to belfast when the shops are shut to avoid sitting on th m1 for 3hours!

TarfHead

meanmachine3 wrote: »

i recorded that progremme that was on tv3 last night, does anyone know if it's worth watching?

I was wrong !
There is something more annoying than Karen Coleman on Newstalk !

Karen Coleman on TV3

If you're paying attention to what going in in this country and our nearest neighbour, there was nothing new or revelatory in the programme.

The mother of 4 who claimed to be spending €50 a week on school lunches ! Have you ever heard of home made sandwiches ?

the groutch

I have an easier way of saving money, stop buying stuff you don't need

bill_ashmount

Bond-007 wrote: »

It is worth viewing purely to see the Tanáiste whinging.

lol, that was the highlight of it in fairness

KhanTheMan

Bond-007 wrote: »

There is nothing in it that we already did not know. It is worth viewing purely to see the Tanáiste whinging.

In case that ould sow hasnt noticed, the whole shopping around thing is now working. If half of us didnt go North, then there would be NO sales on now in Dublin. The more we do it, the more the retailers have to sit up and compete.

whatsupdoc?

16 page pull out in tomorrow Irish Sun about where to go shopping in the North.
I'd guess most of it was copied from here :rolleyes:

consultech

Typical that I have had my shopping trip planned for the last 2 months, day off work etc, and half of the tabloid monkies in the country are gonna be up there this weekend after getting the idea because of this week's media coverage.

Are there any potential downsides to what is now a mass-awareness of the difference in value between north & south? (Please don't say economic crash, money being taken out of the economy etc - Im talking on far more ignorant, un-informed, and selfish terms. i.e. Is this mass awareness gonna ruin it for everyone??)

TarfHead

consultech wrote: »

Are there any potential downsides to what is now a mass-awareness of the difference in value between north & south?

NI retailers get greedy and increase their margins ? Who knows ?

Even if you're going past Newry, from Dublin, you're still at risk of getting delayed at the bottleneck of a roundabout at the railway bridge. If the recent media hype contributes to an increase in traffic, the whole town could be gridlocked all weekend.

milly4ever

TarfHead wrote: »

NI retailers get greedy and increase their margins ? Who knows ?

Even if you're going past Newry, from Dublin, you're still at risk of getting delayed at the bottleneck of a roundabout at the railway bridge. If the recent media hype contributes to an increase in traffic, the whole town could be gridlocked all weekend.

yeah i just think this weekend is going to be mad. near to xmas, and all this publicity. i have to drive from dub to belf and i don't think i am going to risk the m1 during shopping hours.

mailburner

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/shelves/Beer_in_Asda.html


here's a link to all the drink specials in the big supermarkets

Wertz

Don't forget it's december children's allowance on tuesday, this combined with the VAT cut and the media's continuing insistence on telling anyone who hasn't been living under a rock about all the savings to be found...I reckon the 2nd half of next week could be very bad in Newry...and tbh you'd be mad to attempt Newry at the weekend between now and the big day.

aquascrotum

TarfHead wrote: »

NI retailers get greedy and increase their margins ? Who knows ?.

IMO that is highly unlikely - the shops in NI that are doing well are in very localised areas - ie border regions and Belfast. Elsewhere in NI (untouched by euros) retailing is as stricken as it is everywhere else in the UK/Ireland. Tesco, Sainsbury and co. can't raise their margins locally in Newry etc (there would be outcry), and I think increasing margins for all stores is a non starter. The trade from RoI is not so significant that it outweighs the importance of the local consumer throughout NI.

Even if you're going past Newry, from Dublin, you're still at risk of getting delayed at the bottleneck of a roundabout at the railway bridge. If the recent media hype contributes to an increase in traffic, the whole town could be gridlocked all weekend.

Go Armagh or Dungannon & Portadown/Craigavon via Armagh (N2 - Blayney - Keady).

mailburner

mailburner wrote: »

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/shelves/Beer_in_Asda.html


here's a link to all the drink specials in the big supermarkets

this is the big saver for all tiger lovers like myself

this was 11.55 in the supermarket last weekend
under a euro a bottle
it's some saving


http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?Store=1&Product=9806

kingshankly

TarfHead wrote: »

NI retailers get greedy and increase their margins ? Who knows ?

Even if you're going past Newry, from Dublin, you're still at risk of getting delayed at the bottleneck of a roundabout at the railway bridge. If the recent media hype contributes to an increase in traffic, the whole town could be gridlocked all weekend.

when heading to newry take the exit for jonesborro head into meigh take a right at johnny murphys pub you are now on the forkhill road straight to the roundabout not that much traffic can save you half an hour

Turnip2000

What are consols like up there? Xbox 360 in mind just shoppin around. Anybody have any ideas?

darkskol

which one of the main supermarkets is usually best for alcohol as I will be heading up from dublin soon?

465

During my last trip to Enniskillen I noticed that the big Supermarkets had posters outside saying they would give a conversion rate of 80p sterling for .
every 1 euro spent.
I used my credit card though and the rate I got was about 77p per euro plus
the A.I.B standard 1.25% conversion charge.
I know the rates are ALL DIFFERENT NOW but I am assuming the supermarkets will offer relative conversion for the current rate when you use euro notes.

So my question is.........
Is it better to use euro notes, credit card or sterling cash?
What do you guys think?

I will be going to Enniskillen shortly and would appreciate feedback on this.

DonJose

465 wrote: »

During my last trip to Enniskillen I noticed that the big Supermarkets had posters outside saying they would give a conversion rate of 80p sterling for .
every 1 euro spent.
I used my credit card though and the rate I got was about 77p per euro plus
the A.I.B standard 1.25% conversion charge.
I know the rates are ALL DIFFERENT NOW but I am assuming the supermarkets will offer relative conversion for the current rate when you use euro notes.

So my question is.........
Is it better to use euro notes, credit card or sterling cash?
What do you guys think?

I will be going to Enniskillen shortly and would appreciate feedback on this.

You are probably better off paying in Euro, I was in Asda Enniskillen today and they offered 83.1p per Euro, get there early, I arrived at 10am and there was a typical wait of 1 trolley per cash register, on my second trolley load an hour later there was a wait of 3 or more trolleys per cash register, it was pretty busy by 12 when we left. They are out of Absolut Vodka, its selling 2 bottles for £18, the bargain shelf was empty but I found 6 bottles in the Vodka section and grabbed 2

anotherlostie

I headed up today. 20 minutes to get through Newry at 11 o'clock (I was going on to Banbridge but the traffic looked like I was backed up into the city from the end of the dual carriageway - on a Wednesday). They also said there was rock blasting going on from 12-4pm and that there would be delays on the relief road.

The Outlet at Banbridge was pretty empty and very few stores offering sterling to euro parity. I'm underwhelmed by this place, I must admit.

On then to Belfast to do the most of the shopping - Debenhams were offering 85p to the Euro. I reckon I saved over €100 by buying stuff there instead of paying the extortionate price they charge down south (slightly greater than 50% whereas the exchange rate was adding 17%).

And finally to Sprucefield on the way home, in with a list of items for Sainsburys but I still managed to spend a fortune. It was absolutely not busy, but the off licence looked like it had suffered recently. They had no regular bottles of Southern Comfort (@€;14), and no Miller (MGD), so I came home via Newry (after 7pm) where it was equally quiet, but the shelves looked pretty bare and still no Southern Comfort There is a new Next Home opening beside Sainsburys this Friday, and Currys had a sign saying they were already reducing the price of VAT rated items.

DonJose

I was in Enniskillen today, hit Asda like always then hit M&S in the nearby shopping centre. The missus bought something (don't know what she actually bought as I wasn't listening to this part ) and she said it cost £39/€46 in the north and €69 in Liffey Valley :eek: Thats a saving of €23 on 1 item of clothing. From now on the missus will use Liffey Valley to try on things, then we'll buy the actual item up north