02 shop donegal town - closing

ednwireland

just got a text sayiing its closing on 27th jan - another empty shop unit in the town

irish1967

Yeah. Got the same text. That leaves 2 left in the county ! Letterkenny and Carndonagh. Looks like the end of me queueing for IPhones on launch day. Have to say the staff were excellent there. Ringing customer service is no substitute for face to face.

sligopark

Doengal town seems to be just withering away.

byte

Yeah, I got the text too.

I had heard rumours last week, but didn't believe them - seems the rumours were right.

It's a shame. As sligopark says, it's like the town is gradually withering away. Especially after Alpha Communications losing the o2 agency, then leaving town altogether (I think they're only in Bundoran now).

So, if we wanna buy a mobile phone in town now, we only have Kelco Vodafone.

Firblog

Wasn't there an O2 shop in Ballyboffey up untill a one or a couple of years ago? It seems that O2 have abandoned the whole area between Sligo and Letterkenny... With Kelco/Vodafone being the only mobile phone franchise in the rest of the county I'd hope that they don't try to take advantage of their virtual monopoly.

Firblog

sligopark wrote: »

Doengal town seems to be just withering away.

I'd have to disagree, Simple Simons, O Hehirs, Mango Hair Studio and Deli have all opened in the last year; while some businesses have closed there are always people willing to try to get their dream up an running. The problem seems to be that the landlords (around the Diamond) are living in cloud cuckoo land, where their rents can only keep going up...

ednwireland

Firblog wrote: »

I'd have to disagree, Simple Simons, O Hehirs, Mango Hair Studio and Deli have all opened in the last year; while some businesses have closed there are always people willing to try to get their dream up an running. The problem seems to be that the landlords (around the Diamond) are living in cloud cuckoo land, where their rents can only keep going up...

i'm guessing the same their seem to be landlords who think they can still charge the prices that the charged 3-4 years ago and they are just losing the tenants.

sligopark

Firblog wrote: »

I'd have to disagree, Simple Simons, O Hehirs, Mango Hair Studio and Deli have all opened in the last year; while some businesses have closed there are always people willing to try to get their dream up an running. The problem seems to be that the landlords (around the Diamond) are living in cloud cuckoo land, where their rents can only keep going up...

We'll have to agree to disagree then Firblog - whilst two new businesses have opened and another refocused its business, businesses are being massacred with way more businesses closing than opening, and factories are slipping away. It has little to do with rents either to be honest or the excorbitant rates.

Gallaghers in Ardara announced 124 jobs to go, 25 jobs to be moved to Dublin and the rest to go if buyer is not found for the brand, Killybegs is a ghost town, and in the town, Abbotts has been slimmed down massively, and the mart development never happened, a development that would have drawn in long term sustainable business, and tourism? There was a report of a tourist last September but no one has been able to confirm it.

muffler

Ever tried getting a handy parking spot then?

Carrickman

Sure Mary Coughlin can use it for her campaign office for the next month.

sligopark

muffler wrote: »

Ever tried getting a handy parking spot then?

tbh any time I have been up there lately its not being a bother unlike how it used to be.

ednwireland

just noticed that sherry fitzgeralds moved into the old furniture /motor factors opposite the italian

sligopark

ednwireland wrote: »

just noticed that sherry fitzgeralds moved into the old furniture /motor factors opposite the italian

Aren't those not just 'for rent' signs?

ednwireland

sligopark wrote: »

Aren't those not just 'for rent' signs?

oops maybe, just glanced at it driving past this morning

sorry

Carrickman

They weren't long ripping out the O2 shop!!

Carrickman

sligopark wrote: »

Aren't those not just 'for rent' signs?

Looks like they are based in there alright and I see McGinley motors are moving back to the town.

Firblog

Yup, saw that alright nice to see it. The estate agents moved to Breslins alright, now the bottom floor of the diamond centre is empty, hopefully who ever owns it, will reduce rent and fill up those 2 units again soon.

byte

Owned by Duncan's.

Be good if they got filled alright.

Anyone hear rumour about the old Ulster Bank turning into a pub?

Post 15,000... yay...

irish1967

You can have pint in the new pub to celebrate.

Didn't hear that rumor .... Yet

byte

irish1967 wrote: »

You can have pint in the new pub to celebrate.

Didn't hear that rumor .... Yet

It could be false, we shall see.

You might've heard who supposedly bought it? I'm not naming here though.

irish1967

Nods

ednwireland

planning permission sign on the shop now for.....



wait for it .....


a fast food outlet, yep thats what we need, another one of those

byte

ednwireland wrote: »

planning permission sign on the shop now for.....



wait for it .....


a fast food outlet, yep thats what we need, another one of those

Yeah, somebody mentioned it in another thread.

I wouldn't have thought there'd be a need for so many similar establishments on or near the Diamond.

Pangea

Can anyone tell me if the 02 shop is closed yet?

ednwireland

yep sure is closed, a long while now

Mint Sauce

ednwireland wrote: »

planning permission sign on the shop now for.....



wait for it .....


a fast food outlet, yep thats what we need, another one of those

Oooo. Never noticed that. Is it a chain/franchise, or a private/independent looking to open?

Although, is there one really needed? Look what happened to subway, Duffys only opens in the evenings, never really a big crowd in Abras or the Four Lights bar after chucking out time, and people aren't going to head up that end of town for food at that time unless its preety special.

Pangea wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if the 02 shop is closed yet?

Closed a couple of months at least. Noticed Andersons Estate Agents (I think it was them) are using it currently as a display window.

theblueirish

Did anything open in the O2 shop?

Looking for somewhere different to stop tonight.

Ayla

Nope, still vacant.

irish1967

New pub is coming on well next to Central Hotel. The front appears to be one large glass panel. Not a place to try and sneak into for a quiet pint. Looks like it could be up and running in a week or two

Firblog

New pub 'The Bank' open now, seems alright, bit bare.. wouldn't really be my kinda place

Conbhar

Firblog wrote: »

New pub 'The Bank' open now, seems alright, bit bare.. wouldn't really be my kinda place

Yeah seems like a really nice looking place but theres not much atmosphere about it though. Suppose that will come with time i guess.

Firblog

Passed by on firday, signs in windows, 'Vintage antiques coming soon'

killerbeg

Firblog wrote: »

Passed by on firday, signs in windows, 'Vintage antiques coming soon'

Great, I'm fed up with all those 'modern' antiques.

ednwireland

killerbeg wrote: »

Great, I'm fed up with all those 'modern' antiques.

apparently they are stocking only antiques as a lot of antique shops would stock reproduction stuff as well !

irish1967

Modern antique (an apparent oxymoron) can have various meanings. Since customs laws and dealers often stipulate an age of at least a hundred years for any item to be legitimately called an antique, the term is sometimes used to describe a collector's item that is technologically obsolete; for example, an older computer or retro toy.

killerbeg

Ok...........well is was just a lighthearted quip but if we are to be pedantic the term 'Vintage Antiques' does not convey any type of clear message to me. The word 'Antique' I understand to mean something that is over one hundered years old, to preface it with the word 'Vintage' is just confusing. Bit like the person outside Donegal that sells potatoes that belong to a strawberry; 'Strawberry's Spuds for Sale':)

muffler

Guys, there's a Collectibles & Antiques forum where things can be debated further. Can we get back on topic again please.

Carrickman

I seen in today's post that Quinnlans Newsagents is closing on the Diamond after 40 years of trading.

laura.

irish1967 wrote: »

Yeah. Got the same text. That leaves 2 left in the county ! Letterkenny and Carndonagh. Looks like the end of me queueing for IPhones on launch day. Have to say the staff were excellent there. Ringing customer service is no substitute for face to face.

there is actually two in Letterkenny, one in Buncrana and one in Carndonagh

Firblog

@ Carrickman:

Chinese beside Toni's bistro closed, Computer Shop up by Super Valu gone, and I believe a coffee shop too (won't name it as not positive it is). 3 or 4 since new year... bloody awful

irish1967

Mill Restaurant gone
Quinlans Newsagents going
O'Donnels Bookies gone
DOms Pier 1 closed mon- thurs

ednwireland

reminds of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhhSBgd3KI

i've did my shopping locally this xmas, and bought a guitar off paddy

donegal_road

Paddy has decent guitars, I have bought a couple there over the years. I heard Martina's video shop had a closing down sale in December.

hairyprincess

irish1967 wrote: »

Mill Restaurant gone
Quinlans Newsagents going
O'Donnels Bookies gone
DOms Pier 1 closed mon- thurs

Mill Restaurant - is that the place in the back of Bank of Ireland, way upstairs?

feelpablo

hairyprincess wrote: »

Mill Restaurant - is that the place in the back of Bank of Ireland, way upstairs?

Nope, the one across from magee's factory and beside cassidy's store.

Rumour around the town is that a few more places aint gonna last till paddys......

Really sad times

hairyprincess

Ah that's too bad. Didn't that used to be Doolittles?

Is that place that I was asking about still there? I'd imagine there will be an awful lot more closures in the next couple of months. It's sad to see.

Oh and another one is that Ryans Bakery place, across from the courthouse, where Kearneys used to be back in the day, it is also closed

Firblog

That coffee shop closed well more than a year ago.

byte

Is the coffee shop up in SuperValu still open, as I was led to believe that the guy who had the computer shop had leased the coffee dock, or whatever it's called now?

As for Quinlans, that was a bit of a surprise, as it's been a mainstay on the Diamond for years. I guess both Timonys and the strange change for Foodys to a similar store didn't help Quinlans, though they'd a fair bit of touristy stuff.

It's wierd driving past a closed Doms during the week. I'm not fully sure, but it seems that The Peak (The National) is also closed midweek?

Carrickman

byte wrote: »

Is the coffee shop up in SuperValu still open

It's open under new management and seems to be doing ok was in a few times and have to say the food is a lot better than it was when it opened away back.

ednwireland

books direct closed up as well today (not really suprising)

Firblog

Books direct only opened as a 'popup' shop, very short term lease just to get part of the christmas spend in Donegal Town and move off again.