Shopping in Northern Ireland

dlambirl

DubDani wrote: »

There are 2 Argos in Newry, one in the Quays and one in the Creamery.

Where is the creamery??

dlambirl

sudo911 wrote: »

Excellent guide! Coming up from Wexford, is it best to take the N2 turn off at Drogheda, or turn off to Derry on the N53 at Dundalk?

Need to get in Iceland as well as Asda, so Cookstown 1st and then Dungannon! Saw what Newry was last last week - could well do without the hassle of fighting for spaces and sitting in traffic.

Sudo911.

Take the Exit for Ardee off the M1 Sudo.

Terrontress

When you are buying beers, be sure to make sure they are what you think they are.

As I understand it; Bud, Carlsberg and Heineken in NI will be different to that in ROI. Ireland manufactures those three items itself and as such are domestic beers.

The Carlsberg in NI is brewed by Carlsberg-Tetley in England and is about 1% weaker so cannot be compared like for like.

Heineken in NI (unless it says Cold Filtered in which case it should be avoided) comes from Holland and will be a bit stronger than the ROI stuff and is more expensive than alot of NI beers.

Look at the percentage labels. Aim for 5% European beers with things such as Stella, Kronenbourg, Staropramen and you won't go far wrong.

Also the little 250ml stubbies of Biere D'Or or Biere D'Alsace in Tesco is cheap but good. If you're drinking them in the house, they never go cold in the hand as they are small. I get about 5 swigs to a bottle so they are always cold and fizzy.

DubDani

dlambirl wrote: »

Where is the creamery??

It's the retail area where the Dunnes / TKMAXX & Poundstretcher are. It's about 3 minutes walk from the buttercrane center, If you exit the buttercrane on the non-dublin road side (Primark side).

The Argos itself is opposte of the Dunnes Home Store.

dlambirl

DubDani wrote: »

It's the retail area where the Dunnes / TKMAXX & Poundstretcher are. It's about 3 minutes walk from the buttercrane center, If you exit the buttercrane on the non-dublin road side (Primark side).

The Argos itself is opposte of the Dunnes Home Store.

Thanks

chancer_007

had a look at the sprucefield roundabout on google maps

do you take the sprucefield shopping centre exit for sainsburys(where M&S is) or is there another exit ?
thanks

sesswhat

chancer_007 wrote: »

had a look at the sprucefield roundabout on google maps

do you take the sprucefield shopping centre exit for sainsburys(where M&S is) or is there another exit ?
thanks

If you switch to satellite view you will see the first exit on the roundabout takes you left past Sainsbury's petrol station. Follow this road to Sainsbury's shop itself and B&Q.

Our man in Havana

Remenmber if coming down the M1 from Belfast take the exit to the A101 and not the A1 to get to Sainsburys in Sprucefield.

5500

I was planning a spin up on monday,what im wondering is will it be likely to be chaotic as par a weekend up there with it being the 8th?

Also if you leave it untill the afternoon/evening to head up is it a case of there'l be no booze left or is it constantly restocked?

Finally if traffic is nut's can anyone familiar with the area give a backroad route where you can spin off to avoid the traffic jams going into newry?

Glasshammer

Been reading this thread for the past few Days,
Fair play all some great info.
This has inspired me to take a sicky and do a booze run....
Heading up tomorrow Lisburn way hitting Sprucefield S.C first.
Will post on how we get on Friday
Have been advised to check out SemiChem (chemist)
Anybody know if there is one close by Sprucefield ??

grantlee

Me and the wife went up with her sister on Monday and couldn't believe the traffic even on a week day. On the way back we went down the side of the Quays and down through Omeath and Carlingford, then round towards Dundalk. Nice scenery, and sure as hell beat sitting in traffic for hours. You could get into Newry that way too, or come off the motorway at the Carrickdale and rejoin it a bit down the road.

We got all the groceries in Sainsburys (loads of nappies, baby formula, house stuff and toys and all that) but the drinks area was jammers so we were debating just leaving it but a woman told us about a place in Warrenpoint - it's only a few miles out of Newry - called Bennets Wine Warehouse. So off we went and it was a great tip. Great selection on wines and all (maybe not such a big selection on spirits that I saw but there might be in their offlicense which is separate) and the prices were great. They also do a load of bulk stuff to weddings and all down here I'm told.
We had lunch in Warrenpoint and then headed back home again and it was a nice break from all the trollys in sainsburys.

Friends of ours are going up to Newry on Friday night and staying in a hotel and doing their shopping on Saturday - they've worked out the cost of the hotel is more than absorbed by the savings they'll make.

DamoRed

I doubt I'll get up there before Christmas, but I'm cerainly aiming to head up after, for the sales. A new laptop is top of my list, plus a few other things.

Thanks to all who have given helpful directions and shopping centre locations, and those who have listed some very tasty bargains.

Damo

DonJose

Patriotism is irrelevant where value for money is concerned, an online survey has found.

89% of 1,000 people surveyed said patriotism is irrelevant, and nearly half (46%) said they planned to shop in the North before Christmas, the new survey by Empathy Research - a division of Pigsback.com - found.

93% believe that the government should take responsibility for the inflated euro against sterling rate that is offered by many UK retailers. Only 7% believe the reason that it is more expensive to run a business in the Republic.

Over half agree people should spend more wisely in Irish owned stores to restore the economy.

When asked about items that were generally perceived as cheaper in the UK, the list was topped by alcohol and clothes from high street retailers.

Ikea and Asda came out on top for savings, with Tesco and Argos identified as the worst inflation offenders.

http://www.rte.ie/business/2008/1203/retail.html

kingshankly

eireal wrote: »

I was planning a spin up on monday,what im wondering is will it be likely to be chaotic as par a weekend up there with it being the 8th?

Also if you leave it untill the afternoon/evening to head up is it a case of there'l be no booze left or is it constantly restocked?

Finally if traffic is nut's can anyone familiar with the area give a backroad route where you can spin off to avoid the traffic jams going into newry?

my advice would be leave early try to be in newry for 8;30 that way youl have no trouble with traffic or empty shelves there are a few alternatives to the m1 but you should be ok mind you all the schools are off monday

beolight

PurplePrincess wrote: »

I also went North yesterday for shopping so here's my experience.

left Dublin at 0615, was parking in Asda at Kennedy way just after 8am. the place was empty (its open h24). Plenty of stock, loads of beer/wine/spirits. Good few special offers.

few miles up the Falls road is the Park Centre. Woolworths/Superdrug/Dunnes stores the main tenants. Loads of toys on special in Woolies and great deals on toiletries in Superdrug. Dunnes just cheaper than here with stg diff.

Continued on to Belfast, sales/special offers on in loads of shops. Gap/Boots/Debenhams/Clarks/Zaavi to name a few. Lovely Christmas market in front of city hall, great atmosphere. Parking no problem in Castlecourt centre @1.70 an hour


Stopped in Sainsburys Sprucefield (lisburn) on way home, fairly quiet aswell. similiar special offers to Asda but not as much stock left in alcohol section, however they were offloading pallets of stuff that had just been delivered. You get a petrol discount voucher with your shopping if you need to refuel before you head home.

Also an argos/currys/next home here. If you're wanting stuff from argos, reserve it online and they have an automated in store system, just go to the kiosk, input the res number put in credit card and away you go. Saves queueing.

Basically give Newry a miss!!!!

http://www.theparkcentre.co.uk/shops.html

nice tenant list

did you drive past curleys??

danois

any one know if maplin is better value up north??

wyndham

Don't forget you can also use UK coupons, and there are a lot more of them available online than there are for Ireland. Loads of sites where you can print your own for that extra saving.

http://www.wow-coupons.co.uk/grocery.php

This one has coupons for pampers and loads of other stuff, very useful if bulk buying. Google throws up a lot more of them.

danois

Can i use the voucher you get free in argos when you spend 100 euro in argos uk???

Our man in Havana

No.

Dooish

asda enniskillen have max stay of 3 hours in their car park. if you stay over this its a £60.00 fine.

this is to stop workers in the town using the carpark for full day parking and leaving less room for euro shoppers to park

Our man in Havana

These are not fines and are not enforceable.

Dooish

Bond-007 wrote: »

No.

Bond-007 wrote: »

These are not fines and are not enforceable.

what you mean?

gonker

Had a few jobs to do up in Dundalk today so popped over the border. No traffic going into Newry. Went to Easons in the Marshes before I went over and priced a book it was 14.99 euro went to easons in Buttercrane and it was 8.02euro. Awear was doing £ for € and was mental. Newlook in buttercrane...my daughter tried on a dress that was 44€ in Dundalk and was €36 in Newry. Sainsburys was mental inside but outside I got parking no problem. This was at 3 oclockish.

okidoki987

all the schools are off monday

That NI or ROI?

Zonda999

ROI, i would imagine

Our man in Havana

Dooish wrote: »

what you mean?

Shopping centres cannot fine anyone for parking. Only the police/councils can do that. All a load of hogwash to threaten the meek and unsure.

okidoki987 wrote: »

That NI or ROI?

Catholic schools will be off on both sides of the border.

brianc42

My sisters were up in newry on thursday doing their christmas shop.It took 3 hours from dublin.People were fighting over car parking spaces.Its getting worse the closer to christmas.They did save about 250 euro though.I personaly would not bother with all that ****e.

PADDYPOKER

Driving up from Dublin, where's the nearest Asda to Newry?
Tx & apologies in advance but there's too many posts to get through them all.

muincav

24 x 440 ml cans of Strongbow cider £12.98
Absolut Vodka 1litre £14 in Sainsburys....mmmmmmmmmm

Richard

PADDYPOKER wrote: »

Driving up from Dublin, where's the nearest Asda to Newry?
Tx & apologies in advance but there's too many posts to get through them all.

Kilkeel, I belive, but www.asda.co.uk should have info