Good news for Dublin - Smithfield Market

olaola

The Corpo Fruit & Veg market in Smithfield is going to have 50% retail by Nov. Delighted myself, as I find the usual Farmer's market a complete rip-off.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0802/1224301719515.html

dudara

That is good news - something along the lines of Cork's English Market would be great.

SBWife

I hope the wholesale element doesn't get fully crowded out (or go retail with their prices). I went in on Friday to buy flowers and I noticed allot of suppliers were gone. We'd use it a few times a year to buy boxes of tomatoes for sauce or berries for jam etc.

olaola

SBWife wrote: »

I hope the wholesale element doesn't get fully crowded out (or go retail with their prices). I went in on Friday to buy flowers and I noticed allot of suppliers were gone. We'd use it a few times a year to buy boxes of tomatoes for sauce or berries for jam etc.

Slightly off topic but...
Oh, flower suppliers? I'm to go in this week to look for flowers for a wedding... Is it a waste of time?

SBWife

I bought the flowers for my marquee and church from Duffy's at the Smithfield market (have actually done it 3 times, 2 marquee weddings and a 60th birthday party). Ordered them ahead of time and picked them up on Thursday ahead of the wedding on Saturday which gave us plenty of time to do the arrangements and allowed the flowers to be fully open on the day. Tip Top around the corner had all the other sundry supplies we needed.

olaola

SBWife wrote: »

I bought the flowers for my marquee and church from Duffy's at the Smithfield market (have actually done it 3 times, 2 marquee weddings and a 60th birthday party). Ordered them ahead of time and picked them up on Thursday ahead of the wedding on Saturday which gave us plenty of time to do the arrangements and allowed the flowers to be fully open on the day. Tip Top around the corner had all the other sundry supplies we needed.

Good stuff! Thanks a mill Have done the same myself a few times, but not in the last 4 years. Was hoping they hadn't closed!

SBWife

I think 3 flower suppliers remain including Duffy's.

Corsendonk

Yeah the Corporation did its best to kill the fish market when it moved it out to Blanch. Last time I heard only two fish buyers left in Blanch. Hopefully the fruit and Veg wholesalers will open their own stalls.

olaola

Corsendonk wrote: »

Yeah the Corporation did its best to kill the fish market when it moved it out to Blanch. Last time I heard only two fish buyers left in Blanch. Hopefully the fruit and Veg wholesalers will open their own stalls.

Jaesus, I never even realised there was a fish wholesalers in Blanch?!

Corsendonk

olaola wrote: »

Jaesus, I never even realised there was a fish wholesalers in Blanch?!

One of the reasons it was an absolute failure. The Corporation plan was to move the fruit and veg out after them so they could have more lovely developments in the area of Smithfield without that early morning noise from the market. Ahh the Celtic Tiger and the Corporation long business lunches came out with some strange thinking.

If it was to turn into an English market style venue they need to bring back the fish side and bring in craft butchers ,

SBWife

Corsendonk wrote: »

Yeah the Corporation did its best to kill the fish market when it moved it out to Blanch. Last time I heard only two fish buyers left in Blanch. Hopefully the fruit and Veg wholesalers will open their own stalls.

I though most moved to Howth?

Kish is still in town and runs a very good retail shop.

Corsendonk

SBWife wrote: »

I though most moved to Howth?

Kish is still in town and runs a very good retail shop.

Nope most of them on the Quay in Howth were there before the market closed.

Irish Times 2005

The property market has a habit of turning full circle. This is illustrated by the recent closure of the Dublin Wholesale Fishmarket at St Michans Street, Dublin 7 and its transfer to the Millennium Business Centre at Ballycoolin, Dublin 15.
The Wholesale Fishmarket - together with the adjacent Fruit and Vegetable Market - was designed and built by Dublin Corporation in 1895. Some 108 years later Dublin City Council has, following negotiations with the tenants, agreed a compensation package to provide for the vacation of the market to allow the council redevelop the area

Corpo have being trying to drive the wholesalers out for years so they could cash in on the property value, obviously now with the recession they have to work with the wholesalers now,

castlewhite

if the city council are serious about this plan, they will need to finally spend a few euros on the market, it has being starved of investment for many years. It will require a lot of painting, new toilets etc.
Also improved carparking and longer opening hours esp on saturaday.

Even the old fish market( knocked down and now a car park) would make a great location for a "farmers market" on a Sat/ Sun.

Cardinal Richelieu

I heard that this is now delayed to next year. I was speaking to someone recently whose grandfather owned a bank in the market in the 1950s and the Corperation was discussing an English Market type market back then.