Supervalu in kennedy street to close

screamer · 02-12-2015 6:58pm #1

What a pity. Was in the shopping centre there about 2 months ago and it's so sad to see a place that was once buzzing with people and shops absolutely empty with empty shops. Fairgreen really finished it and when superquinn left there was no way a supervalu could save it. Over 50 jobs to go too not good at all.

road_high · 02-12-2015 8:04pm

Dissaponting but not entirely surprising. If say it's been struggling a long time. There's so many supermarkets in the town now and it was the only one charging for car parking despite the one hour free.

Snaffles2014 · 03-12-2015 1:06am

When will it close? I have to say it was really handy being in the centre of town but it was dearer than a lot of places.

hadepsx · 03-12-2015 9:05am

Hold on, is this not the store near the pres college? Or is it the old superquinn in the carlow shopping centre in the middle of town?

racso1975 · 03-12-2015 10:24am

It's the one where superquinn used to be. Due to close late Jan the 20 something.

contrary_devil · 03-12-2015 1:57pm

Is it really surprising that it isn't doing a good trade? I think it is hidden away, a poor location tbh, I had forgotten that there was a supermarket there. The parking is another issue that wouldn't help.
Sad to see jobs being lost and another nail in the coffin of the town centre.

BattleCorp · 03-12-2015 4:54pm

I'd say that the other tenants in the Shopping Centre will be very worried now.

This will make trading conditions for them very tough.

road_high · 03-12-2015 7:14pm

Who could they get in there? M&S would be good but Carlow has been really struggling so unlikely top of their list.
TK Maxx?

03-12-2015 7:15pm

So is the one in Market Place, Clonmel.

road_high · 03-12-2015 8:11pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So is the one in Market Place, Clonmel.

They opened exact same time, same as the one in Kilkenny. I'd say they've been struggling for sometime. I much preferred when it was SQ.

Nokia6230i · 03-12-2015 10:34pm

road_high wrote: »

Who could they get in there? M&S would be good but Carlow has been really struggling so unlikely top of their list.
TK Maxx?

Isn't TK Maxx "supposed" be going into where Darrers Stores was?

As a temporary anchor tenant *when* the Penneys redevelopment goes ahead it'd be an ideal fit for them surely?

It'd mean for the 18 Months to 2 Years the site is being redeveloped they'd still have a town centre presence and one that's only spitting distance from where they are; it's a perfect fit/no brainer surely?

They charge for parking as is so it wouldn't be a massive leap for their existing customer base?

The ownership of the Carlow S.C. car-park & the S.C. itself are separate.....

road_high · 05-12-2015 11:18am

BattleCorp wrote: »

I'd say that the other tenants in the Shopping Centre will be very worried now.

This will make trading conditions for them very tough.

They've been already struggling majorly. It's actually a lovely building. Carlow is over supplied with retail and so much of it in the wrong places. The retail park in Graiguecullen should have been built on a far smaller scale, Dunnes should have been encouraged into the town centre.

screamer · 05-12-2015 11:31am

I find the town centre is very inaccessible choked with traffic TBH. I prefer to shop on the outskirts as it's easier. There are plans to demolish those derelict houses on barrck street in order to open up a walkway between fairgreen and the caelow shopping centre but I've heard there is one objection. The old shopping centre unfortunately is a victim of its protected building status. It's outside is stern stone walls not open inviting. You'd hardly know what was in there unless you knew. A store like guineys would be great in there. You only need to see the guineys in kilkenny it's busy busy and in an out of the way location. TBH I don't see penneys ever doing the rebuild there. It's been slated for like 8 years and even the car park is falling to bits and they've done nothing with it.

strelok · 05-12-2015 11:34am

screamer wrote: »

I find the town centre is very inaccessible choked with traffic TBH. I prefer to shop on the outskirts as it's easier. There are plans to demolish those derelict houses on barrck street in order to open up a walkway between fairgreen and the caelow shopping centre but I've heard there is one objection. The old shopping centre unfortunately is a victim of its protected building status. It's outside is stern stone walls not open inviting. You'd hardly know what was in there unless you knew. A store like guineys would be great in there. You only need to see the guineys in kilkenny it's busy busy and in an out of the way location. TBH I don't see penneys ever doing the rebuild there. It's been slated for like 8 years and even the car park is falling to bits and they've done nothing with it.

people need to get over the obsession with town centres in the same way supermarkets got people over their obsession with corner newsagents and main street.

it's a new time, town centres should be more for entertainment, food/drink and living with shopping a little further out where the traffic won't be as much of a nuisance.

Agent Coulson · 05-12-2015 2:32pm

The old CKR building beside what was the L&N is now also for sale as well.

05-12-2015 2:36pm

road_high wrote: »

They've been already struggling majorly. It's actually a lovely building. Carlow is over supplied with retail and so much of it in the wrong places. The retail park in Graiguecullen should have been built on a far smaller scale, Dunnes should have been encouraged into the town centre.

I had heard that Dunnes had experienced alot of hassle with Carlow local authorities in terms of opening a store within the town boundaries. Where they are is technically speaking in Co Laois so its the closest to town they could get.

road_high · 05-12-2015 3:18pm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The old CKR building beside what was the L&N is now also for sale as well.

Sure the old L&N itself is another large empty unit itself too.

Agent Coulson · 05-12-2015 4:59pm

road_high wrote: »

Sure the old L&N itself is another large empty unit itself too.

There are so many big empty buildings around Carlow town.

Work your way from the Court House down Dublin Street and up Tullow Street just to see how many big spaces are empty and boarded up.

road_high · 05-12-2015 6:57pm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

There are so many big empty buildings around Carlow town.

Work your way from the Court House down Dublin Street and up Tullow Street just to see how many big spaces are empty and boarded up.

Dublin st is a write off, charity shops and auctioneers is all I can think of.

road_high · 06-12-2015 7:23pm

strelok wrote: »

people need to get over the obsession with town centres in the same way supermarkets got people over their obsession with corner newsagents and main street.

it's a new time, town centres should be more for entertainment, food/drink and living with shopping a little further out where the traffic won't be as much of a nuisance.

I think you need a healthy mix. Carlow has very few tourists so needs local business in the town for vibrancy.
The design of the town centre is problematic, as two busy areas around Fairgreen and Penneys are not linked or focused towards the Main streets.

road_high · 06-12-2015 7:24pm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

There are so many big empty buildings around Carlow town.

Work your way from the Court House down Dublin Street and up Tullow Street just to see how many big spaces are empty and boarded up.

The Living Cities initiative should be extended to Carlow town, it would really benefit.

Laois_Man · 07-12-2015 1:43pm

strelok wrote: »

people need to get over the obsession with town centres in the same way supermarkets got people over their obsession with corner newsagents and main street.

it's a new time, town centre's should be more for entertainment, food/drink and living with shopping a little further out where the traffic won't be as much of a nuisance.

I don't think there's much wrong with having retail in the outskirts, but all the empty units in the three retail parks near the town(Dunne's, PC World, Ken Black's). There has to be something in the town center too because Carlow is not big enough to have a town center focused on entertainment and food/drink. Even for entertainment, you have to go out of the town for most things like a half decent children's park, The Dome, The Big Blue Barn etc

It's atrocious planning!

screamer · 08-12-2015 6:40am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I had heard that Dunnes had experienced alot of hassle with Carlow local authorities in terms of opening a store within the town boundaries. Where they are is technically speaking in Co Laois so its the closest to town they could get.

Yep heard that too also heard it was something to do with not being able to locate in a town where a certain other store was already trading hence laois got dunnes in graigue.

racso1975 · 08-12-2015 7:04am

screamer wrote: »

Yep heard that too also heard it was something to do with not being able to locate in a town where a certain other store was already trading hence laois got dunnes in graigue.

I think that's more fable and gentleman's agreement.

They had wanted to get in the estate where woodies is but the requirements and cost for them was just farcical. Any level of forethought from council would see they'd be there for years. So get good rates over many years instead of killing the golden goose

Snaffles2014 · 08-12-2015 11:33am

screamer wrote: »

I find the town centre is very inaccessible choked with traffic TBH. I prefer to shop on the outskirts as it's easier.

This is true, need to be more free flowing to be honest.

There are plans to demolish those derelict houses on barrck street in order to open up a walkway between fairgreen and the caelow shopping centre but I've heard there is one objection.

This is something that should be made a priority, not just for the centre but the whole town, really really needs to have this connection to open it all up.

The old shopping centre unfortunately is a victim of its protected building status. It's outside is stern stone walls not open inviting. You'd hardly know what was in there unless you knew.

But even that, I just think they don't make the most of what they have in there either. There is a lot more you could do, they only have to look at McDonagh Junction to see what the possibilities are. There is little or no innovation in there and there is huge potential.

A store like guineys would be great in there. You only need to see the guineys in kilkenny it's busy busy and in an out of the way location.

I wouldn't put a Guineys anywhere to be honest. Debenhams is what should be going in there.

TBH I don't see penneys ever doing the rebuild there. It's been slated for like 8 years and even the car park is falling to bits and they've done nothing with it.

Agreed, and they don't make use of the back entrance at all.

road_high wrote: »

The Living Cities initiative should be extended to Carlow town, it would really benefit.

What's that? Never heard of it

Laois_Man wrote: »

I don't think there's much wrong with having retail in the outskirts, but all the empty units in the three retail parks near the town(Dunne's, PC World, Ken Black's).

And they are so far out, and if they were consolidated you could see them adding value but the half empty sites are brutal.

There has to be something in the town center too because Carlow is not big enough to have a town center focused on entertainment and food/drink. Even for entertainment, you have to go out of the town for most things like a half decent children's park, The Dome, The Big Blue Barn etc

It's atrocious planning!

The planning is really poor, and with all the development that took place in the last while there is no particular town centre with a bustling atmosphere etc. Traffic management is poor.

racso1975 wrote: »

They had wanted to get in the estate where woodies is but the requirements and cost for them was just farcical. Any level of forethought from council would see they'd be there for years. So get good rates over many years instead of killing the golden goose

Is this true? The council prevented Dunnes from going in there? That is absolutely mental if true.

Laois_Man · 08-12-2015 12:41pm

Yes it's true that Dunnes were originally after a unit in the Woodies retail park. But it gets worse, they're now going in there. in a new building in the field that's at the end of that car park. The field between that retail park and Feltham Hall.

Bizzare but true.

I'm not sure when, but it's happening. And I don't know if they will close the one on Sleaty Road or run the 2 of them. I'd imagine they'll close the one out there...making it a completely deserted retail park. Even Lifestyle Sports won't stay there when Dunnes are gone.

Snaffles2014 · 08-12-2015 1:18pm

Laois_Man wrote: »

Yes it's true that Dunnes were originally after a unit in the Woodies retail park. But it gets worse, they're now going in there. in a new building in the field that's at the end of that car park. The field between that retail park and Feltham Hall.

Bizzare but true.

I'm not sure when, but it's happening. And I don't know if they will close the one on Sleaty Road or run the 2 of them. I'd imagine they'll close the one out there...making it a completely deserted retail park. Even Lifestyle Sports won't stay there when Dunnes are gone.

That is brilliant, good news there. Its going into this field so right? Hopefully the other sites around that car park get developed as well. It would be brilliant if there was access via the junction of Green road, Hanover road, Granby road and Blackbog road.

BattleCorp · 08-12-2015 1:25pm

Snaffles2014 wrote: »

That is brilliant, good news there. Its going into this field so right? Hopefully the other sites around that car park get developed as well. It would be brilliant if there was access via the junction of Green road, Hanover road, Granby road and Blackbog road.

Probably not great news for the retail park where they are now.

Laois_Man · 08-12-2015 3:17pm

Snaffles2014 wrote: »

That is brilliant, good news there. Its going into this field so right? Hopefully the other sites around that car park get developed as well. It would be brilliant if there was access via the junction of Green road, Hanover road, Granby road and Blackbog road.

Yes that's the field. There's a whole new road being considered which does involve connecting Blackbog Road to the retail park and onwards to the Eire Og roundabout over a new bridge (not certain about that). That twin roundabout at the Hanover Road/Green Road/Blackbog Road junction is horrible as it is - so if they're adding a new 4th exit to it, something better is going to have to be figured out. Another access route through Feltham Hall also, but the residents there aren't best pleased.

byhookorbycrook · 08-12-2015 9:37pm

Laois Man, do you have a source for that?

road_high · 08-12-2015 9:47pm

Laois_Man wrote: »

Yes it's true that Dunnes were originally after a unit in the Woodies retail park. But it gets worse, they're now going in there. in a new building in the field that's at the end of that car park. The field between that retail park and Feltham Hall.

Bizzare but true.

I'm not sure when, but it's happening. And I don't know if they will close the one on Sleaty Road or run the 2 of them. I'd imagine they'll close the one out there...making it a completely deserted retail park. Even Lifestyle Sports won't stay there when Dunnes are gone.

Can't ever see that happening. Dunnes haven't opened a new store anywhere since the beginning of the recession. Especially when you see SV closing a very modern and attractive store closely, there's not a hope in hell of them building another white elephant in Carlow, especially when they have a a very large store already in Carlow. Why would they close that one? It's a very modern flagship store, no way they'll be closing that to move. It makes zero sense.

Supervalu in kennedy street to close

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