Shopping in Northern Ireland

ntbman

DublinWriter wrote: »

The Damolly centre is about 5 miles further north, not walkable at all.

You could try either Zavvi or HMV for the MP3 player - they're in the Quays and Buttercrane respectively.

Sorry but the Damolly centre is NOT 5 miles away.....you are obviously thinking of the Outlet Centre in Banbridge i think.
The Damolly centre is within the town boundary and like another poster suggested, carry on the bypass and it is at the fiveways roundabout. McDonalds is on the same site....can't miss it.

ntbman

highdef wrote: »

Shopped in Sainbury's in Spucefield Park, Lisburn this evening. Now I wouldn't normally trek that far up but was in Belfast earlier on so it was on my way home so thought I'd give it a try.
First point is that it's a lot further from Newry than I had heard here. I have read posts from people saying it's 20 minutes up the road......my arse it is!!! On the way up, from the roundabout at the top of the hill in Newry to where I passed Lisburn on the way to Belfast took over an hour. There are major roadworks in several places along the dual carriageway and the old single carriageway road. I was travelling at around noon. Coming back at about 18:30/19:00, it took 39 minutes from Sprucefield to the roundabout in Newry. And that was with normal/light traffic and driving at around the posted speed limit almost all the way with no hold-ups at roadworks, etc. Thats over 90 mins round trip, however..........
The Sainsbury's in Sprucefiled was lovely. It was fairly quiet and it's HUGE!!!! A joy to shop in. They were offereing an excellent exchange rate when paying in Euros of 96.2 pence to the euro......almost parity!!!! Some excellent offers like ready meals 2 for 3 pound, 3 x 2 litre bottles of coke, Dr Pepper, etc for 3 pound. A full shop including a bottle of Southern Comfort and Vodka came to a little under 130 euro.....fan-bloody-tastic

I live in Newry and drive to Belfast for work......Newry to Sprucefield is 25mins. you probaby spent most of your time on the newry bypass, which you would be doing anyway even if you were going into newry.
You could always try Tesco's in Banbridge.....10mins north of Newry.

To tell the truth most newry people are now not shopping in newry, and going further north......less hassle with traffic, parking etc.

devil-80

I just come back from Enniskillen-very crowdy and empty in ASDA no point to go there now. Exchange rate about 0.91

okidoki987

empty

of people or stock?

copacetic

News of the bargains to be had has even reached San Diego, atlhough quotes don't
scan as real people..

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/20/eu-ireland-bordering-recession-122008/?zIndex=25633

devil-80

empty of stock-lots of shelve was empty.

Wertz

highdef wrote: »

Shopped in Sainbury's in Spucefield Park, Lisburn this evening. Now I wouldn't normally trek that far up but was in Belfast earlier on so it was on my way home so thought I'd give it a try.
First point is that it's a lot further from Newry than I had heard here. I have read posts from people saying it's 20 minutes up the road......my arse it is!!! On the way up, from the roundabout at the top of the hill in Newry to where I passed Lisburn on the way to Belfast took over an hour. There are major roadworks in several places along the dual carriageway and the old single carriageway road. I was travelling at around noon. Coming back at about 18:30/19:00, it took 39 minutes from Sprucefield to the roundabout in Newry. And that was with normal/light traffic and driving at around the posted speed limit almost all the way with no hold-ups at roadworks, etc. Thats over 90 mins round trip, however..........
The Sainsbury's in Sprucefiled was lovely. It was fairly quiet and it's HUGE!!!! A joy to shop in. They were offereing an excellent exchange rate when paying in Euros of 96.2 pence to the euro......almost parity!!!! Some excellent offers like ready meals 2 for 3 pound, 3 x 2 litre bottles of coke, Dr Pepper, etc for 3 pound. A full shop including a bottle of Southern Comfort and Vodka came to a little under 130 euro.....fan-bloody-tastic

Was up there myself yesterday afternoon/evening...got caught in the go slow between Banbridge and Hillsborough turn off for about 20-30 minutes. Sat nav took me around the Newry bypass by back roads so avoided all that hassle. On a decent day (with no roadworks) Newry to lisburn is about 20-30 minutes.
Sprucefield has an excellent sainsbury's...me and the mate's woman spent almost 2 hours filling trolley's. She couldn't believe the trolley load of stuff she got for €110 (they were giving 95p to the € ).
Drinks specials were nice, 3 bottles of nice cabernet for a tenner, usual lt of smirnoff for 14 and Southern comfort 700ml for 14 too.
Half price frozen turkeys (got a 4.2kg bird for a tenner), loads of bogof. Innocent smoothies which I could never justify spending €5 on down here were two for £4.
Great homewares section as well.
Lastly they have a sony 32" LCD for £350...I really really don't need any more TVs in the hosue otherwise I would have got one there and then...saw 2 different people wheeling them to their cars when we were leaving.
Traffic was grand on the way home but the weather was brutal and there are parts of the A1 that are a bit hairy to drive on at 60mph in the dark...

personaltrainer

going to banbridge outlet tomorrow..are we mad?? I know the place doesnt open till 1 pm....:o

kingshankly

personaltrainer wrote: »

going to banbridge outlet tomorrow..are we mad?? I know the place doesnt open till 1 pm....:o

dont be too dissapointed its nothing special alot of old stock in the shops

okidoki987

alot of old stock

True but at very good prices especially now :rolleyes:

rainbowtrout

copacetic wrote: »

News of the bargains to be had has even reached San Diego, atlhough quotes don't
scan as real people..

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/20/eu-ireland-bordering-recession-122008/?zIndex=25633

The phenomenon could reach its peak this weekend before Christmas as tens of thousands travel from up to 12 hours' drive away to cash in on Northern Ireland shops pricing goods in record-cheap British pounds

No a few things sounded a bit far fetched

Shulgin

Wertz wrote: »

Lastly they have a sony 32" LCD for £350...

Yeah, I picked up one of those last week, A fine telly for the money.
A couple of us drove up from Cork, Long spin, but we bought a lot of stuff and saved a fair bit of cash.

Esel

copacetic wrote: »

News of the bargains to be had has even reached San Diego, atlhough quotes don't
scan as real people..

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/20/eu-ireland-bordering-recession-122008/?zIndex=25633

Jack Lynch would be smiling in his grave at that headline, if only they left 'bargain-hunters' out. "We did not stand by....."

andrew1977

rainbowtrout wrote: »

No a few things sounded a bit far fetched

Yeah i noticed that myself, a 12 hour drive, where are some of the people coming from.. the moon ?:D

TheHairyFairy

I was in Asda at 9:45 on Thursday night in Enniskillen. Being local I stupidly thought it would be "late" enough to not too packed.

How wrong I was. Seriously best of luck to you guys getting the bargins coming up from the north, however there was no way I could stick that cattle mart, there was shoving, pushing and cursing, I'd rather have a chicken sandwich for my xmas dinner rather than suffer that.

We left a full trolley in the middle of the shop and walked out, went to Tesco and had an all together far better experience. It was still busy but wasnt the mart that Asda was.

Guvnor

Wertz wrote: »

Sat nav took me around the Newry bypass by back roads so avoided all that hassle.

Which sat nav do you have mate and where did it bring you out? How far up the A1?

Traffic was grand on the way home but the weather was brutal and there are parts of the A1 that are a bit hairy to drive on at 60mph in the dark...

I am not alone then!:D When dry not so bad but when wet the visibility goes to nothing and the colour of the road surface does not exactly help!

felinefeelins

devil-80 wrote: »

I just come back from Enniskillen-very crowdy and empty in ASDA no point to go there now. Exchange rate about 0.91

Hey Devil,
Was there yesterday too, shopping finished by 8.10am (shelves well stocked at that stage) n glad to be outa of the place, was up last saturday too and it was a totally different experience yesterday. Couldn't believe the attitude of some of the shoppers, nasty to say the least. Thought there was gonna be all out war at one stage as a few tried cutting in line to get at the till. And u won't need 3 guesses to figure out where they were from. And through it all the staff were calm and still managed a smile

kleefarr

I'm glad we went to Sprucefield. Sounds like it was heaven by comparison.

7mountpleasant

Could anyone tell me , is there much shopping in Enniskillen outside of the erneside and tesco/asda ?

bottlerocket

Don't know if anyone else has suggested it yet but we used the Rushmere Centre in Craigavon over the past few weeks. It takes a little longer to get there but its well worth it. Plenty of parking, no big crowds, good selection of shops. Has a Sainsburys, Tesco, Debenhams, Argos, Currys and a good selection of other shops. Only about 45 mins or so from Newry and has most if not all of the same shops. You'd probably be 45 mins waiting to get into the Quays and parked anyway. No big queues for anything and its not at all packed.

http://www.rushmereshopping.com

Scottie99

I'm thinking about going to Asda in Northern Ireland on the 24th very early. Does anyone know what the off licence laws times are?

7mountpleasant

Asda stop the drink at 11.

andyeire

Scottie99 wrote: »

I'm thinking about going to Asda in Northern Ireland on the 24th very early. Does anyone know what the off licence laws times are?

8 am till 11 pm

Wertz

Guvnor wrote: »

Which sat nav do you have mate and where did it bring you out? How far up the A1?
I am not alone then!:D When dry not so bad but when wet the visibility goes to nothing and the colour of the road surface does not exactly help!

One of the €40 route66 ones from halfords (see bargain alerts thread).
When I got past the cloghoge r'about and on to the Newry bypass, I saw the traffic coming to a standstill...you tell the sat nav that the road is blocked for the next 2km and it finds a way around it...took me left on to the camlough rd, down through bessbrook and then up and down over a series of back roads that looked like the circuit of Ireland route, crossed the aramagh rd and eventually emerged just beside that old bar/restaurant/bowling alley near jerretspass. All in all I'd say I did 7 miles of back roads instead of 4 miles of decent ones but once I was moving I didn't care.
...and whatever about the A1 in the dark I wouldn't have done those roads in the dark for anything.

ukpoker

Went upto the Quays yesterday AM.

Left Dublin at 5.15am after being informed that Sainsburys were opening at 7am. Ha. It was 8am when the doors finally swung open but we'd got to the top of the queue on opening so that was ok. Journey took 90 mins from Tallaght with no traffic at all to deal with!

Three of us each got a trolly and off we went. Official EURO rate was .97 at Sainsburys for people paying in € at the till.

The 32" TVs were disappearing fast (€349) as was all the booze. People were queing throught the entire store just to get into the beer area!

So we filled our 3 trollies spending just shy of €400 on the lot. Shopping for the same stuff at Dunnes would have cost us AT LEAST €600.

Some 'bargains' were:

24 cans of coke for €6
Pringles crisps - €2 (BOGOF)
Tin Of Quality Street - €5
20 Bottles of Budwiser - €15
8 selection boxes - €2 each

Well worth the trip and will be back in 4 weeks time & monthly thereafter for our monthly shop. Never doing the monthy shop in Ireland ever again whilst these prices exist!

Queues at the tills were massive. They have 20 till at Sainsburys and all were open with a queue of upto 20 people for each till when we left at around 11am.

After Sainsburys took a look around the stores adjacent to it and bought 2 BLU-RAY DVD's for €30 (€40 in Dublin).

Left at midday and no traffic coming down the hill whatsover!

Mr Lehihan - You HAVE a problem!

:eek:

Our man in Havana

I was up there on Friday and Saturday having stayed in the Belfast area on the Friday night. I drove up via Cavan and Monaghan thus avoiding the M50/Newry/A1 traffic problems. Went to Sainsburys Forestside on Friday night for alcohol and non perishable shopping. It was not overly busy at 9pm and got around comfortably. Only complaint was that many shelves were not restocked.

We returned to Sainsburys on Saturday morning and obtained what meat and vegetables we needed and done a shop in M&S before heading for Argos in Sprucefield. It was a good move to buy the alcohol on Friday night as you could not get into the off licence on Saturday morning. After Argos, we went into Sainsburys to look for stuff we forgot. It was like the fall of Hanoi in there, forget about trying to buy booze. I would hate to see how Newry was.

We then headed home via Armagh and Cavan arriving home at 7pm. Good shopping was done and we are all set for Christmas.

Edit: What did amaze us was how busy Dunnes and Tesco in Monaghan was. With Armagh only 16 miles up the N12/A3 what the hell is going on? I guess the FF propaganda is working in Monaghan town.

Guvnor

Wertz wrote: »

One of the €40 route66 ones from halfords (see bargain alerts thread).
When I got past the cloghoge r'about and on to the Newry bypass, I saw the traffic coming to a standstill...you tell the sat nav that the road is blocked for the next 2km and it finds a way around it...took me left on to the camlough rd, down through bessbrook and then up and down over a series of back roads that looked like the circuit of Ireland route, crossed the aramagh rd and eventually emerged just beside that old bar/restaurant/bowling alley near jerretspass. All in all I'd say I did 7 miles of back roads instead of 4 miles of decent ones but once I was moving I didn't care.
...and whatever about the A1 in the dark I wouldn't have done those roads in the dark for anything.

Cheers Wertz! I did try a shortcut one night via flagstaff - was following a local at 50 mph on a road the width of a sink!:D At the end he turned left - I said follow him but then he turned three doors up to his house so thought best not let him think I was following him home so I turned right - as it happens right was bringing me towards omeath - nice houses but the roads were tiny! Obviously Newry past the Clog roundabout arriving just after the bridge was a mere 300 yards to the left!:D

Adamcp898

Can anyone tell me what rate the ATM's in the North are giving sterling at, heading shopping tomorrow and know that some of the clothes and entertainment shops are still only giving 80-90p for a euro, would I be better to run into the bank to buy some sterling because I don't feel like bashing the credit card.

Stevie Dakota

I am sure this has been covered but I am new to this! I'm heading up to buy a TV in Currys in Newry, it is £600, does it make any difference how I pay, am I better of paying euro cash, sterling or CC? Anyone know if they do 1€ to 1£?

Thanks.

Richard

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I am sure this has been covered but I am new to this! I'm heading up to buy a TV in Currys in Newry, it is £600, does it make any difference how I pay, am I better of paying euro cash, sterling or CC? Anyone know if they do 1€ to 1£?

Thanks.

I think for big purchases you are better paying by credit card. They offer more protection. But maybe you need to ring your cc company and then ring currys and compare rates. It'd be worth posting your findings here.