Athlone thread

Ryath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530931#Comment_119530931

It's certainly bigger than the one in Mullingar. They are taking over a good few units and upstairs sections I don't think were used by anyone but Elverys. Think only Art and Hobby and Quiz are open now but there is other units they can move too. Don't know if it's that much of a draw for the shopping centre. There's a lot of other retailers that I'd sooner see coming.

flazio

Incidentally, who are this Jysk operation out beside B&Q? Some sort of Ikea knock off?

rn

Scandinavian style and similar to IKEA alright. More homestore and more type shop than IKEA I would think.

rn

Moate show day for those in the Athlone area... Declan nerney at 15:00. "Well stop the world and..."

Troy is still trouble

https://www.ontheditch.com/postmaster-robert-troy/

cena

Athlone does not need sports direct. They don't cater to much sport other than GAA and soccer. I would prefer to see more of a USA sport type shop

flazio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119539862#Comment_119539862

Now why would you want a baseball bat shop?

cena

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119539896#Comment_119539896

We have a national baseball team an American football league and an ice hockey League

cena

We also have both male and female national ice hockey teams

veryangryman

Is our town too small to just say "f Mike Ashley and all his businesses"

Shades of Doonbeg people welcoming Eric Trump when he got them all a pint.

jimmyendless

Ah where would you draw the line.

Did you see poppy fields electricity bill today, f-ing hell.

rn

5k pcm - €400 in vat. Cruel. But it's a busy restaurant.

What was it this time last year?

Have seen a dairy farm electric bill before being well into the 4 digit pcm.

Sunny Dayz

That's an unbelievable bill for a small cafe. From reading the article on the Westmeath Indo she was with some Spanish provider before and bills were around €3k a time, had to move provider as the Spanish crowd left the Irish market. I wonder was she being underestimated on those bills. Just seems like a huge leap.

pawrick

I see it also made national news on the indo

https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/cafe-owner-in-shock-after-10000-electricity-bill-for-just-two-months-41947378.html

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543147#Comment_119543147

Ms Dolan said her annual electricity bill for the café was €12,700 in 2021, excluding Vat.

But based on the latest bill she faces having to fork out €45,000, excluding Vat, for a year.

😳

There's going to be an avalanche of small businesses closing soon if something isn't done, but even then I can't see what can be done that doesn't bankrupt the state as the energy prices are a global issue

pawrick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543380#Comment_119543380

saw a snippet of a story the other day where a politician from Belgium (i think) spoke about decoupling gas prices from the EU energy market as it and oil are artificially inflating the cost for other energy sources since the market prices is determined by the highest costing fuel in the energy mix. If thats the case it could be a temporary solution to bring down costs for the end user as at the moment the higher costs charged seem to be just inflating profits for renewable energy companies far beyond what they would have expected.

batman75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530931#Comment_119530931

Definitely the Town Centre. It will start in the former Ben Adams Unit, goes over the post office and on inwards to the former Elvery Sports unit.

flazio

Interesting, because if you ever saw the way they took over the Roches Stores (Debenhams, Corrib Shopping centre) unit in Galway city, you could easily see how they could do the same in the Texas/ Old Athlone Shopping Centre.

whyulittle

The old shopping centre is already taken over.

https://elevateathlone.ie/activities/

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543380#Comment_119543380

In fairness referencing the 2021 electricity costs is a bit irrelevant. The country spent most of the year locked up or social distanced.

I've found Poppy Fields is incredibly busy this year, so much so that I avoid it if I'm working in town as its often full during lunch, even with all the additional seating outside. Probably in part due to Murphys closing.

I don't doubt the difficulties businesses are facing, and while the electricity bill is enormous, some of it can be attributed to the fact that the footfall of the business has increased dramatically

Prominent_Dawg

Does anyone know what’s located in the building at the end of the car park of the train station

flazio

Edit, wrong station, wrong town

Prominent_Dawg

Athlone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552118#Comment_119552118

The main station near the Crescent or the one next to the barracks?, if it's the main station then I think it's used by track signalling staff and at the other station track maintenance.

I read this elsewhere so cannot confirm.

Prominent_Dawg

Yes at the main station

AckwelFoley

Yes. It's as dolanbaker said, its the signals offices

veryangryman

When is shannon barrier work due to complete?

FlicFlak

Does anyone know what the story is with the traffic light outside of Nuts corner? I only go past it in the evening, not during the day but it doesnt seem to be doing anything useful there. One way street, only turn left or go straight, whats the point of it? Cars from out of town still stop at it, cause they dont know any better and the traffic on the road it atrocious at the best of times anyway!!

How have the county council not taken it away? Is it on battery? Are they replacing the battery on it but just leavin it there?

yabadabado

Was thinking the same thing,most people seem to ignore it.

As far as I can work out, the lights are there for people who live along the waterfront to get out back up the main road, up the (down) one way street as their usual way out is closed for flood barrier work.