question about victoria shopping center

christy11

could anyone help me with this? i am going to belfast in a week with my family and were going around looking at belfast (im from the south). could anyone tell me if the 3 store in victoria shopping centre accepts euro and what the exchange rate is there.
if not is there a place that converts euro to pound there (bank or post office) and what has the cheapest commision.
thanks.

Monty Burnz

Why not just use a debit or credit card?

christy11

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Why not just use a debit or credit card?

dont have one

Monty Burnz

christy11 wrote: »

dont have one

You've no bank account?

christy11

Monty Burnz wrote: »

You've no bank account?

im 15 so no.
now can you answer my questions above???

Monty Burnz

christy11 wrote: »

im 15 so no.
now can you answer my questions above???

Nope.

christy11

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Nope.

if you arent going to help me dont bother replying.

does anyone else have a more intelligent answer than above?

awec

No shops in Belfast are going to take Euro.

There is a Halifax bank a 2 min walk from Victoria square, in front of city hall. They will do exchanges I reckon but bank rates aren't great.

Monty Burnz

christy11 wrote: »

if you arent going to help me dont bother replying.

Ok.

muffler

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Ok.

As you aren't adding anything positive here you can move along please. Thanks.

Onthe3rdDay

awec wrote: »

No shops in Belfast are going to take Euro.

Many shops will take euro but be wary of terrible exchange rates. Better off having sterling on you.

biko

You can change euros to sterling down here and bring with you.
Or have your parents spot you the money until you get back here?

muffler

christy11 wrote: »

could anyone help me with this? i am going to belfast in a week with my family and were going around looking at belfast (im from the south). could anyone tell me if the 3 store in victoria shopping centre accepts euro and what the exchange rate is there.
if not is there a place that converts euro to pound there (bank or post office) and what has the cheapest commision.
thanks.

You can buy the sterling in a bank in Ireland or Northern Ireland or at a Bureau de Change.

You can also use your bank card at an ATM in Belfast to withdraw your money in Sterling.

The post offices (An Post) are claiming to sell sterling without adding the commission that the banks do. However its all to do with the exchange rate they are operating.

66dunaras

Some stores in vic square do take euro but the exchange rate is terrible.
You are better off getting the sterling in the south.... the post office offer commission free currency exchange so you dont need a bank account.

Monty Burnz

muffler wrote: »

You can also use your bank card at an ATM in Belfast to withdraw your money in Sterling.

He doesn't have a bank account for some reason, which is what made this so complicated in the first place.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

You've no bank account?

christy11 wrote: »

im 15 so no.

muffler

On yer bike Mr Burnz.............

christy11

but does anyone know if the three store in the victoria shopping centre accept euro and what is their exchange rate?

Berns

Tried calling them?? Remember that victoria square has a website, am sure 3 stores would too.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=3+store+victoria+sq

christy11

Berns wrote: »

Tried calling them?? Remember that victoria square has a website, am sure 3 stores would too.

i checked the website for the 3 store but it had nothing.
could you tell me the code for calling up the north. i know the south one is +353 but im not sure if the north is the same

@berns: love the link

muffler

christy11 wrote: »

i checked the website for the 3 store but it had nothing.
could you tell me the code for calling up the north. i know the south one is +353 but im not sure if the north is the same

@berns: love the link

Belfast numbers (I'm not from there btw) are 02890xxxxx I think but in any event drop the 028 prefix and use 048. Its definitely 048 at the beginning when ringing from Eire.

awec

It's 0044. Not 48.

For a Belfast number, it'll start with 00442890 (0044 being UK, 28 being Northern Ireland, 90 being Belfast and then the number)

Here ya go OP:
00442890321183

muffler

awec wrote: »

It's 0044. Not 48.

For a Belfast number, it'll start with 00442890 (0044 being UK, 28 being Northern Ireland, 90 being Belfast and then the number)

Here ya go OP:
00442890321183

Sorry but 0044 is for England or for mobiles.

The Communications Regulator says its 048

Oh btw, I said 048 in my previous post and not 48 as you stated/quoted.

awec

muffler wrote: »

Sorry but 0044 is for England or for mobiles.

The Communications Regulator says its 048

Oh btw, I said 048 in my previous post and not 48 as you stated/quoted.

I am from Northern Ireland, I call home on a regular basis. I am telling you now, it is 0044.

And from your link:

"You can also use the international dialling code for the United Kingdom (00 44) to call Northern Ireland numbers."

Though it seems 048 will work too.

christy11

thanks for all the answers above.
but does anyone know if the 3 store accept euro and what the exchange rate is?

awec

christy11 wrote: »

thanks for all the answers above.
but does anyone know if the 3 store accept euro and what the exchange rate is?

Why don't you ring and ask, like you've been told?

Richard

By the way, what arose you hoping to buy there? Mobiles will be locked to 3 UK and won't accept a SIM for 3 IRL.

The number is 02890321183, or 04890321183 from the south.

As others have said, they probably won't take Euros, but try a bank or post office.

Berns

Afaik, 0044 is basically the general uk & ni international code. Dunno what the deal is but 048 is NI landlines from Republic, lines startin with 028. Mobiles not included.

Say 02890123456 is the number
04890123456
00442890123456

both work, but there may be a cheaper tariff or something for the 048 version

Say a mobile 077xxxxx
needs to be 004477xxxx
04877xxx wont work

muffler

Berns wrote: »

both work, but there may be a cheaper tariff or something for the 048 version

Thats the bit I'd be worried about.

In days of old when you had the various regions listed by Eircom as being local or national (pretty much all one nowadays) I always recall that Strabane was listed as a local call for me from Ballybofey but most other places in NI were national rates.

jayo99

Bring your euro to any post office and get sterling commission free. Sorted !

christy11

Richard wrote: »

By the way, what arose you hoping to buy there? Mobiles will be locked to 3 UK and won't accept a SIM for 3 IRL.

i am getting it up north as it is a lot cheaper. the phone down south is €170 but up north it is £100 which works out as around €126 (according to google).

€44 less!

el tel

Christy11 if you plan on taking out a contract with 3 mobile during your visit to Belfast it won't be possible without a credit or debit card.

Buying a pay-as-you-go sim is a different matter - cash will do.

on the subject of 048 dailing code for calling Northern Ireland from the Republic: dailing 048 to land lines gives you national call rates, dailing 0044 results in International call rates.

048 is not usable with mobile numbers.

Richard

christy11 wrote: »

i am getting it up north as it is a lot cheaper. the phone down south is €170 but up north it is £100 which works out as around €126 (according to google).

€44 less!

Yes... But it'll be locked to 3 UK. It'll come with a UK SIM, which will mean when you go home it'll be roaming, so very expensive. An Irish SIM (from 3 or any other network) WON'T WORK.

It would be a waste of money.

awec

You can get it unlocked as far as I know but you have to pay.

christy11

Richard wrote: »

Yes... But it'll be locked to 3 UK. It'll come with a UK SIM, which will mean when you go home it'll be roaming, so very expensive. An Irish SIM (from 3 or any other network) WON'T WORK.

It would be a waste of money.

yes i know that but i have a friend who knows how to unlock phones so im sorted there.

i rang them there anyway and they dont accept euro and dont have my phone in stock

thanks everyone for the help anyway!

Richard

christy11 wrote: »

yes i know that but i have a friend who knows how to unlock phones so im sorted there.

Ok, fair enough.

Have you tried the Three store in CastleCourt? It's about 5-10 mins walk from Victoria Square. There are also many other shops from various networks in the vicinity.

Joeyjoejoe83

Don't just try a 3 store, try a carphone warehouse or phones 4 u etc, tons of places to buy phones, a few would maybe sell unlocked one too. AlsO if your mates unlocking it anyway, surely you can try any network phoneshop in north, Vodafone, o2, orange, virgin to name a few.

Also, I don't understand the issue with changing money, get sterling in south, head north and if it doesn't work out change it back when you get home. If you know someone with a student bank account this can be done for free.

The Guvnor

Plenty of currency exchange places on the way to belfast just around newry.

Other option might be a perfect card from Dundrum which you can use like a credit card or failing that a victoria store card which may accept euros.

Let us know how you get on? What are you looking to get in the store up there?

The Guvnor

^ Only just read the thread now! Got my answers. :-)