Shopping in the north

sm3ar

What's the nearest good shopping center north of the border off the M1?

Mihafm

sm3ar wrote: »

What's the nearest good shopping center north of the border off the M1?

Newry. Quay shopping centre. Buttercrane .

10green bottles

The Buttercrane is bit of an outdated oul hole imo but if you've never been to it before you'll probably find it ok.The Quays SC is just across the road from the Buttercrane and is a more modern,airy centre with good shops.
Avoid Newry city centre.It's a total dump of a place these days,no charm but the market in John Mitchell place is fairly decent(weds- sat it opens)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Great. A Louth forum giving advice on going North to shop. Such Irony.

MonkeyTennis

indeed!

Bosh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mekofQWyJb0

mada999

Chase Obedient Concrete wrote: »

Great. A Louth forum giving advice on going North to shop. Such Irony.

yup and allegedly we had a council who were hiring northern trades men and road makers while asking people to shop local years ago...such irony

blackpearl

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

tayto lover

blackpearl wrote: »

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

Yeah. I was going to go north for my heating oil but I decided to stay local and buy it here.
Though the supplier probably got it in the north come to think of it.

10green bottles

mada999 wrote: »

yup and allegedly we had a council who were hiring northern trades men and road makers while asking people to shop local years ago...such irony

EU rules on tendering for contracts state that any company who is tax compliant & have an address within a full other member country of the union can tender for them.There are plenty of ROI tradesmen and other employees also working on small/medium & fairly huge projects with different employers in the North.One of the largest of which is the ESB.
Of course that practice could end soon something i'm sure you'll be aware off & will be delighted with.

I live in the 'North' but i'm from Dundalk/Ireland and pay all my taxes there.

10green bottles

blackpearl wrote: »

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

When you're finished knee-jerking and face banging your keyboard there settle your self down and say 1000 x times = "i won't let my middle class upbringing force me to make stupid comments on the internet again"
Get a rhythm going there- :pac:

mada999

10green bottles wrote: »

EU rules on tendering for contracts state that any company who is tax compliant & have an address within a full other member country of the union can tender for them.There are plenty of ROI tradesmen and other employees also working on small/medium & fairly huge projects with different employers in the North.One of the largest of which is the ESB.
Of course that practice could end soon something i'm sure you'll be aware off & will be delighted with.

I live in the 'North' but i'm from Dundalk/Ireland and pay all my taxes there.

I really don't get what your point is ? The Council did the best for their pocket/budget at the time, I'm sure people will do what is best for their pocket /budget now also ? I was just pointing out how ironic it was for them to be pushing the 'Shop Local' tag when they were not doing the same

I personally wouldn't be arséd waiting in a queue on the road to Newry to get a bit of shopping but I'm sure there are people who will

ShiverinEskimo

Council have a responsibility to choose the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. The Northern construction companies were the MEATs probably due to their lower wages and equipment costs.

We can't shun cheap contracts and labour from the north while we take advantage of Northerners coming south for fuel. Until Sterling tanked after Brexit we were quite happy to let Nordies come and shop in the south.

blackpearl

10green bottles wrote: »

When you're finished knee-jerking and face banging your keyboard there settle your self down and say 1000 x times = "i won't let my middle class upbringing force me to make stupid comments on the internet again"
Get a rhythm going there- :pac:

Upper class if you don't mind the truth hurts do you not think:p

mada999

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Council have a responsibility to choose the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. The Northern construction companies were the MEATs probably due to their lower wages and equipment costs.

We can't shun cheap contracts and labour from the north while we take advantage of Northerners coming south for fuel. Until Sterling tanked after Brexit we were quite happy to let Nordies come and shop in the south.

Some people saw them hiring northern contractors as they were looking on from the dole, whilst been urged to shop local. I'm sure people will do what is most economically viable for them.

ShiverinEskimo

It's a European market with all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. We wouldn't have PayPal and Ebay (for now) in Dundalk without having access to the single market and that includes (for now) cheap merchandise 5 miles North.

In a few years time we could have none of the above. The shop local thing, while a nice sentiment, is largely futile. Even were the border closed, people still flock to Dublin to do their shopping as Dundalk hasn't the choice or the competitiveness to prevent it.

ShiverinEskimo

It's a European market with all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. We wouldn't have PayPal and Ebay (for now) in Dundalk without having access to the single market and that includes (for now) cheap merchandise 5 miles North.

In a few years time we could have none of the above. The shop local thing, while a nice sentiment, is largely futile. Even were the border closed, people still flock to Dublin to do their shopping as Dundalk hasn't the choice or the competitiveness to prevent it.

Lord TSC

blackpearl wrote: »

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

With the greatest of respect. At a time when money is short, responsible shopping is one that hurts your pocket the least. I would shop local if prices weren't twice what I can buy items for online from UK (and I say that as someone who is a sole trader getting frustrated by the Irish market).

It's a vicious cycle, admittedly. People don't buy locally so shops struggle, and up their prices to cover less sales, which in turn drives less people to shop locally. But people will always shop in the way they get the most "bang for their buck".

tigger1962

I feel I do buy locally... I live between Dundalk And Newry. My local shop is in the north and at times it is cheaper than Dunnes and Tesco for food. I still do my weekly shop in dundalk but thats only because at the moment its cheaper for most items i tend to buy. Tesco in Newry is cheaper than Tesco Dundalk for many branded items though and alcohol!! There are also 2 UK companies in the Retail park that i feel are ripping off irish customers compared to their Newry counterparts and they cannot use vat/sterling as the reason! they always claim its the higher running costs for the price difference. one item is 500euros cheaper in Newry for the same item and both companies do not have a local irish support contacts they are all based in the uk. So outside of the shop staff themselves who would i be supporting?. There are many louth people working both sides of the border so to me i am helping the local economy they just happen to be either side of a line caused by strife/politics. I did enjoy buying from local companies in the Taste of Louth yesterday and it was great to see local companies I didn't know even existed. I would buy from them again! But given the limited amount of money i have to spend, I buy where it makes the best value in the european market that we live in.

Donal55

blackpearl wrote: »

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

Perks of being in the EU. I lived in a small town in eastern Holland years ago and most of its residents shopped in Duisburg in Germany.

tayto lover

In this country we get loaded with taxes and charges which reduces our ability to buy the things we want and need. It's a bit rich condemning people for seeking out a bit of bang for their buck.

blackpearl

Its the long term affect that worries me,it happened the last time the English pound took a hideing

dundalkfc10

blackpearl wrote: »

Come on the town that's just for football not for shopping it would make you sick,when some of your sons and daughters are laid of because people from the town are running up to the north to do their shopping then the grin will be on the other side of your faces.SHOP LOCAL NEVER MIND THE UK.

Why would I pay €100 for my shopping a week in Dundalk when I could do it in Newry for €60/70?

Why would I spend €1000 on Xmas Presents for the kids in Dundalk when I can buy them 5 minutes away for €600/700?

Think before you speak, we are not all rolling in the money!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Why would I pay €100 for my shopping a week in Dundalk when I could do it in Newry for €60/70?

Why would I spend €1000 on Xmas Presents for the kids in Dundalk when I can buy them 5 minutes away for €600/700?

Think before you speak, we are not all rolling in the money!

So "c'mon d'town" is just for football?

I'm on a pension but try to spend as much as possible in the town because I have seen what happens when the money earned in the town was spent in the North in the past. Shops close, businesses that provided employment closed. More local people became unemployed, choice for shoppers reduced and a vicious circle ensues. Of course there are times when an item isn't available locally or we may go elsewhere as an away day but if we buy the essentials elsewhere we'll loose in the long run.

henryporter

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Why would I pay €100 for my shopping a week in Dundalk when I could do it in Newry for €60/70?

Why would I spend €1000 on Xmas Presents for the kids in Dundalk when I can buy them 5 minutes away for €600/700?

Think before you speak, we are not all rolling in the money!

Well you're not exactly stuck for a few quid talking about splashing €600/700 on presents

tayto lover

Chase Obedient Concrete wrote: »

So "c'mon d'town" is just for football?

I'm on a pension but try to spend as much as possible in the town because I have seen what happens when the money earned in the town was spent in the North in the past. Shops close, businesses that provided employment closed. More local people became unemployed, choice for shoppers reduced and a vicious circle ensues. Of course there are times when an item isn't available locally or we may go elsewhere as an away day but if we buy the essentials elsewhere we'll loose in the long run.

Before Aldi and Lidl came to town those same shops fleeced us.
I think loyalty is a two-way street.
I never shop in Newry but I don't blame people for wanting to save a few bob.

Glico Man

henryporter wrote: »

Well you're not exactly stuck for a few quid talking about splashing €600/700 on presents

You're missing the point entirely.

The OP was saying they can't afford to spend €1000 on X, but by going elsewhere they're able to buy X for much, much less.

I understand the argument for spending locally, it keeps people employed. Though the argument against and spending elsewhere is saving people money, but like another poster said, its being responsible.

henryporter

Glico Man wrote: »

You're missing the point entirely.

The OP was saying they can't afford to spend €1000 on X, but by going elsewhere they're able to buy X for much, much less.

I understand the argument for spending locally, it keeps people employed. Though the argument against and spending elsewhere is saving people money, but like another poster said, its being responsible.

Was being facetious - I'm of the opinion that shoppng local has somewhat of a social and moral obligation- but that obligation also extends to the retailers. I would love to see the same buzz around the Town as there was last Christmas, but I fear that the skewed value systems of modern life will win out.

10green bottles

This is quite interesting:

http://www.thejournal.ie/sterling-euro-christmas-shopping-3077021-Nov2016/?utm_

MugMugs

I saved 650 quid by driving to Belfast for one purchase recently....... And I really don't see the problem with that. I'd rather have 650 quid in my back pocket than know I've lined somebody south of the borders pockets. I'd also question how I saved that much retail on that item.....

tayto lover

MugMugs wrote: »

I saved 650 quid by driving to Belfast for one purchase recently....... And I really don't see the problem with that. I'd rather have 650 quid in my back pocket than know I've lined somebody south of the borders pockets. I'd also question how I saved that much retail on that item.....

That's some amount of difference in the price of 1 item. You were right to go.
Some mark-up here. No wonder 25% will go north before Christmas.