Drogheda South Gate shopping centre?

positron

Is that what they are calling it it when its ready? Looks like they are working frantically to get it ready before Christmas, but I think they already missed a lot of action..! Any idea what else is going on there other than 'Colpe Cross Dunnes'?

From the new double roundabout it looks at least as big as Scotch hall - makes me wonder if those tight and slow double roundabouts were designed to get the shopping center maximum eye-ball time!

Biggins

Is this the one near the new large Tesco's (Opening Dec 8th).
Was up there recently, the place is a maze to get to and very bloomin' awkward to get to.

Won't be a regular spot for me to drive to.

positron

No, this is the one near Grange Rath / Colpe Cross.

bmcgrath

Yep southgate is what they're calling it. It opens this Friday too I hear. I might pop in.

Biggins

Ooo, not sure where that is.

I had to go up to Callans new shop (some shop, there was feck all in it) on the Donore direction. God, that was a right pain to find.
As I was saying, the Tescos up there is in the backend of nowhere!

positron

Biggins wrote: »

Ooo, not sure where that is.

Its on Dublin road, at the entrance of Gragerath, opposite to Europa hotel etc.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=drogheda,+ireland&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.818866,113.027344&ie=UTF8&ll=53.701165,-6.310937&spn=0.002864,0.012263&t=h&z=17&iwloc=addr

positron

Got a mail from Dunnes Stores today, they are opening on Dec 8th - €10 for every €40 spend there - once a week I think. Then noticed another mail, from Tesco, about their new shop, and €10 off for every €30 spend there. Bring on some competition and coupons..!!

andrew1977

positron wrote: »

Its on Dublin road, at the entrance of Gragerath, opposite to Europa hotel etc.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=drogheda,+ireland&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.818866,113.027344&ie=UTF8&ll=53.701165,-6.310937&spn=0.002864,0.012263&t=h&z=17&iwloc=addr

I can only imagine the traffic chaos this shopping centre will bring, the junctions around there are still dangerous even after news works
I see new set of lights installed ready to go on the Drogheda side of the shopping centre,, if i get nabbed at thos lights..it will add another 2 minutes to my commute:mad:

positron

andrew1977 wrote: »

I can only imagine the traffic chaos this shopping centre will bring, the junctions around there are still dangerous even after news works

I agree. They should have done just one big roundabout than those two tight roundabouts that's really slow to drive thru even when the road is empty..!

Dingatron

Yep looks like people are going to have to learn how to drive on these roundabouts. Already had a few run ins with drivers in the incorrect lanes in both directions. Think I'll be going through the toll for a few weeks till it dies down a bit.

Wertz

lol what's people's problems with the double r'abouts? There's a staggered crossroads and a huge volume of traffic that was never previously allowed for exiting (and entering) to grange rath, and I think the structure of the road here is to account for all that.
Huge improvement on what was there previously especially trying to exit the colpe road to head Drogheda direction.

As for people not knowing how to use them? No surprise really...if people could even use indicators correctly on the r'abouts it would save so much more time and avoid incidents. It'd be of a lot more advantage to sign post the approaches with "Please signal your intentions before entering the roundabout" or similar instead of the f*cking stupid speed indicator "Ooh your current speed is 62kmph. SLOW DOWN" :rolleyes:

positron

While I agree with what you are saying Wertz, but I do think the neck (what ever is the technical term) between two roundabouts is too narrow - made worse by adding a cycle track there - and the roundabouts themselves are a bit on the narrow side - would have been much nicer if they had one large, wide roundabout with plenty of flowers or a statue in the middle or something. IMHO, the current design is intentional to slow down drivers and make them more confortable to take an exit to checkout the shopping there..!

Okay, where did I leave my tin hat now..?

Wertz

It can be tricky all right, especially in the dark...I get the feeling that "safety" was built into the design, the thinking being to slow traffic coming into and on the r'about...whilst little thought has been given about safety itself (outside of the whole "OMG speed kills" issue) re; clearance space for larger vehicles, cyclists (why do they put cycle lanes so close to main roads like this anyhow?) and the like.
Given the seemingly god like abilty of shopping centres in the Drogheda area to dictate entire traffic routes (I'm looking at you Scotch hall, you've destroyed the North rd and are several accidents waiting to happen) to the local planners, your tinfoil hat may not be out of place.

CMpunked

Anybody know, apart from Dunnes being the anchor tennent.
What exactly is going into it?

positron

Wandered in there earlier today, mixed opinion - not sure if I like that open / outdoorsy setup - it might suit summer, but definitely not for these days. There's a cafe, and a florist open there, and a pharmacy is on its way. And oh, a butchers is coming up as well I think..! Dunnes itself isn't all that big - its probably a bit smaller than the one in Scotch hall. Hate their road setup all over - the traffic lights, lanes, road layout once your drive into the parking area - its all a bit all over the place and has a tight / squeeze as much in as possible / feel to it... The new set of traffic light is really going to be annoying real soon..!

aquascrotum

The traffic lights / roundabout setup is a nonsense, especially given that the 2nd roundabout (Dublin side) is the tie in point for the proposed southern link road to the M1.

Should have been 1 elongated roundabout, with access to the shopping centre from the Colpe road imo.

Biggins

The over-all consensus that I've heard so far from those that have been in it, that its nothing special, more of the same as else where and if you live up that far, its handy, otherwise, its not worth the hassle of travelling up to.

Porkpie

I heard it's pay parking too. Fook that then.

positron

Its free parking for now, but yeah, they have parking gates installed at the entrance, looks like they intend charge for parking.

One good thing that I can see is the walkway - they have completed that all the way from Boyne Valley Hotel up to Grange Rath - which I personally think is brilliant. Also makes me wonder why they never thought of doing that before... :rolleyes:

Dingatron

Porkpie wrote: »

I heard it's pay parking too. Fook that then.

+1 Won't bother me hole so. I can under stand Scotch Hall charging to some degree with the proximity to the train station but there's no reason for charging at South Gate imo.

andrew1977

i agree with all of ye lads too, they can shove their pay parking, up to Tescos new store i go.

delly

As a Grangre Rath resident, I'm happier about the path then the shopping centre. At least the wife can take the baby for a walk to the Black Bull or similar.

I popped in on Friday to take a look and in the rush to get it finished the place is still pretty filthy, obviously Tesco's opening day had an impact.

In relation to the roundabouts, yeah there not perfect, but that junction was lethal in the dark before the roundabouts were built. I saw an article in the Drogheda indo recently with the residents of GR giving out about them etc. I seriously think I live amoung biggest bunch of moaners. How can anybody who used that junction regularly say that its now unsafe?

positron

I am not a Grangerath resident, but I drive out to Bettystown and I know how touch and go that junction used to be. They had a perfect opportunity to sort it out - and they did a mediocre job, probably influenced by some business interests, imho. An elongated roundabout as aquascrotum suggested would have been much safer there..!

delly

One reason could be that the fourth exit from the roundabout nearest the Europa that currently goes nowhere, faces fields that is owned by............Shannon Homes!!!

louthandproud

Dingatron wrote: »

+1 Won't bother me hole so. I can under stand Scotch Hall charging to some degree with the proximity to the train station but there's no reason for charging at South Gate imo.

+2

Scoth hall charging is a little OTT too, I can understand charging people to avoid it being used as a free train station town centre car park, but on a Sunday?

At least a discount per € spent would make sense as well.

Anyway, now that tesco's are open with free parking I doubt I will ever darken scotch halls doorway again.

andrew1977

Scotch Hall have now reduced their parking rate to 1 euro 30 cent for 3 hours