Shopping in Northern Ireland

andrew1977

brianc42 wrote: »

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.

If you are an average family with kids to feed ,clothe and get set for xmas on an average income, it is certainly worth bothering with all that ****e,
What i have saved up north this Xmas has well paid for Santas invoice and let me with a few quid still in my pocket
Needs must in this current economic climate, they encourage us to shop down South, but at the end of the day no f*cker in Dail Eireann will pay my ESB bill for me if i dont have the money to pay it.

Racket

Nice to see so many others going the distance to save money, been going up north for ages now to save money.

heading up to Newry from Monaghan in the morning to get an Xbox 360 as a present for someone, will end up saving over €150 by the end and thats not including the other places I'll get to after getting just the Xbox and a few games, well worth the trip, especially with the € being around 86p atm

Sonnenblumen

Of course it is everyone's right to shop and buy where and what they choose. However there must surely be an inevitable reality that the steady recent decline in Irish manufacturing/service companies outputs etc will only be further exacerbated by these new pilgrimmages to NI supermarkets.

Reminds me of the schizophrenic Irish attitude to England and Premiership clubs!

ASTRACLUB

Quote:
Originally Posted by samo
Could do with some Boardsie advice for this...

I'm studying a map of the North and deciding to hit an Asda tomorrow rather than Sainsburys Newry. (and not Eniskillen)

Coming from the Meath direction via Slane onto the M1 - which would be the most direct Asda to reach (with best roads) between Belfast, Cookstown and Omagh - I know the road via Lisburn to Belfast well and that its a good 35 mins past Newry so have an idea for the Belfast one - but ftrying to compare as havent gone that direction before or Cookstown and Omagh - heading up the M1 and turning off in Newry - which is closest and best roads this kind of weather?

Omagh would be about 40 minutes from Monaghan so just factor in how long it takes you to get from Slane to Monaghan. Just stay on the N2/A5 going towards Derry. Cookstown is a bit further.

Left Navan Yesterday (Wednesday) at 12:15 reached Newry usual 40 minutes, no traffic till Newry first round about, after crossing round about heading towards Belfast, stuck in traffic and took 25 minutes to reach B&Q round about.
Took road towards Armagh-carlingford as had appointment there, left from friend (there portadown) at 16:15 towards IKEA and reached IKEA at 17:15, very quiet, relaxed shooping, check-out from IKEA at 18:30, took normal M3-M1 road toward dublin and stopped at Westwood Park-ASDA at 19:00, evening not much rush, plenty of beers/offers, everything looked cheap and was cheap (Remember you need £1 for trolley:mad: i didn't have any coin so took the hand basket:o) Anyway, good deal on cloths, bickies, and everything, straight to Booze, all in plenty, S'off, Bacardi both £13, Kingfisher Beer £1.94, Cobra-£1.89, left ASDA and reached Sainsbury at 20:00 sprucfield, veyr quiet, straight to Booze, full of wine and bacardi, only 1 S'off though, but she brought me a full box, Here Bacardi and S'oo were £1 dear compared to ASDA, Anyway, did shopping and left Sainsbury 21:00, i recommend night shopping as it is quiet there, however, you always feel that its late night and you have to drive long. Started back and heavy snowing till Newry, no traffic and soon we entered republic we were welcomed by rain, made to NAVAN 22:10, drinking my last Corona of the nigght before goign to bed, Cheers.
P.S: on both way we saw some south reg car broken and some were tow'd away by mechanic in truc :pac: whole saving went to Mechanics;;;
good night

okidoki987

According to the Asda website Kilkeel only stays open till 6pm
but I'm sure for December it would be later.

Our man in Havana

That store is tiny.

kingshankly

okidoki987 wrote: »

That NI or ROI?

both the misses teaches in newry and she's off

consultech

kingshankly wrote: »

both the misses teaches in newry and she's off

Polygamy FTW!

Lplated

I went up on Tuesday, left Dublin at 9.30. When i got to Newry roundabout, seemed to be a queque from there to the town so i headed on for Belfast (its only 40 miles on from there).

In common with most/all others, I found savings of up to 50%, on ordinary household food, clothes etc... Between petrol, toll and food, the trip 'cost' about fifty euro, but i did a couple of weeks shopping (and christmas presents), and reckon i saved over 400. Yes its a long day, yes its a bit of hassle, but I'd prefer to have that money in my pocket (it'll go towards our increased health insurance premium for next year).

smashey

ASTRACLUB wrote: »

Remember you need £1 for trolley:mad:

Just a note for anybody going to ASDA. A 20 cent coin will work in their trolleys.

Dubh Geannain

I posted in the Bargain Alert requests forum but didn't get much of a response. Anyone know of the differences between North and South for MBTs and where would be best to go?

Cheers

ntlbell

smashey wrote: »

Just a note for anybody going to ASDA. A 20 cent coin will work in their trolleys.

i think all trolleys in the ni take 1 and 20p's

sesswhat

smashey wrote: »

Just a note for anybody going to ASDA. A 20 cent coin will work in their trolleys.

I just take one of the big free ones with the extra storage on top (designed for child car seat).

In ASDA Enniskillen yesterday people were jumping on beer pallets as they were taking them out of the storeroom:D

Our man in Havana

All this talk of limiting sales in Asda is rubbish.

sesswhat

Bond-007 wrote: »

All this talk of limiting sales in Asda is rubbish.

Agreed.

Racket

In Newry at the moment, its absolutely packed, the carparks in the Buttercrane and the Quays are packed, can barely move in any of the shops, this is crazy.

DonJose

The Euro reached another new high against Sterling today, it is almost £0.87 to €1, that plus the VAT reduction means even bigger savings, Irish retailers are in for a shock :eek:

Our man in Havana

It is heading for parity.

ASTRACLUB

Originally Posted by smashey
Just a note for anybody going to ASDA. A 20 cent coin will work in their trolleys.

I had 10cent only did not work

I just take one of the big free ones with the extra storage on top (designed for child car seat).

All Child trolley at ASDA (Westwood) needed coin:(

Our man in Havana

I have noticed that trolleys in Asda Enniskillen don't need coins aswell as in Sainsburys Armagh. Newry is the only place I have seen coin operated trolleys in NI.

Fnz

smashey wrote: »

Just a note for anybody going to ASDA. A 20 cent coin will work in their trolleys.

ntlbell wrote: »

i think all trolleys in the ni take 1 and 20p's

Gawd-damn recession! Look at what you've done to us! :pac:

boopolo

Bond-007 wrote: »

I have noticed that trolleys in Asda Enniskillen don't need coins aswell as in Sainsburys Armagh. Newry is the only place I have seen coin operated trolleys in NI.

Trollys at Asda in Kennedy Way need coins.

Boo

jeanmec

sorry if its already been asked but having got thru 70 odd pages and didnt see it

heading up north on sat planning on leaving early but not sure where to go
looking for toy shops esp and clothes and then food in that order????

any help would be great

thanks in advance

jean

kingshankly

Bond-007 wrote: »

It is heading for parity.

If the bank of England keep lowering interst rate it will alright

whatsupdoc?

Find out shortly

Down 1% to 2%.

leex

Avoid Newry. I'd recommend Enniskillen - was there myself on Monday.

Kids clothes - Asda, M&S, Next. Adult clothes - limited enough I'd say especially for females.

Toys - not sure? Have a look at argos.co.uk prices. There is a toy shop across from Erneside centre - don't know what it's like. Think someone said earlier they were doing €1=£1. TEsco & Asda do some toys.

DonJose

jeanmec wrote: »

sorry if its already been asked but having got thru 70 odd pages and didnt see it

heading up north on sat planning on leaving early but not sure where to go
looking for toy shops esp and clothes and then food in that order????

any help would be great

thanks in advance

jean

Where are you planning on shopping? If we had a dedicated Northern Ireland Bargains Alert forum then this could be a stickey, come on support the Northern Ireland Bargains Alert forum,

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055429431

kleefarr

Did anyone go to Sainsbury Sprucefield near Lisburn yesterday morning?
Was there plenty of choice on the shelves? Would hate to get up there and find that them low on stuff and getting a delivery Thursday.

DonJose

Has anybody else noticed that the more people shop in the north, the more bargains there are to be had in the south, it just shows the huge profits the Irish retailers are making that they reduce prices never seen before the exodus to the north.

Our man in Havana

I agree totally. It is very strange how Tesco can now suddenly be able to sell 2x24 Guinness cans for €50.