Easons at Heuston Station closed

Emme

L1011 wrote: »

Yes. Whats the relevance of that?

Connolly is a vastly busier station, about 60% more passengers per day - and the % of those that are commuters rather than more infrequent long distance passengers is even higher.

Heuston has long-distance passengers sitting around waiting; hence it has a bigger bar and lots of food options.

Connolly has shorter-distance commuters who are there ten times a week and hence liable to actually use a pharmacy for stuff that legally needs a pharmacy. Wet wipes and tissues are sold in Easons already!

Connolly is a bigger station and is equipped for a larger number of passengers. You make it sound like Heuston is a small rural station of little importance.

People commute from the South and West of the country via Heuston. It is a very busy station and the needs of passengers who pay handsomely to travel to and from there should not be dismissed. These people are also at Heuston 10 times a week and on average travel longer distances than those who travel from Connolly. This means the average Heuston commuter has less free time than those who travel short distances from Connolly. People travel from Kilkenny, Thurles and further 10 times a week to Heuston. If you work for Irish Rail I am not surprised at your attitude because from my 7 years commuting experience regular passengers who travel via Heuston are treated with contempt.

A pharmacy is badly needed at Heuston, there are more than enough fodder outlets there already. We don't get time to exercise properly due to our long commutes so our health is compromised. We need somewhere where we can pick up our heart, blood pressure, anti-depressant, sedative and other medication for conditions caused and/or exacerbated by long term long commutes under less than ideal circumstances. The green ribbon mental health campaign that has been running at Heuston is laughable, the commuting conditions would depress the most upbeat person. I speak from experience, my health has gone downhill all round since I started long term commuting.

L1011

The numbers of people making those commutes is so low (comparatively) that a pharmacy wouldn't be viable. You really don't seem to be getting the point. No other station in Ireland has a pharmacy and indeed its quite rare abroad even - usually the Boots in UK train stations do not have pharmacists in them and sell only general sales list medicines that WH Smith also sell.

Pharmacies are not cheap to operate and the profit margin has dropped hugely. You need a substantial regular prescription base; something Connolly can supply with its much higher regular commuter volume and also the CIE staff agreement.

XPS_Zero

There is a pharmacy near Heuston atm. I know it would be easier IN the thing. The Connolly one has saved me a lot of hassle since it opened.
HSQ Pharmacy Heuston South Quarter. Beside Anytime Fitness on Military Road.

Open 9-7 except Sundays.


The Connolly one appears to be tailored to commuters needs though and way more flexible. It opens 7am-9pm Monday-Friday, 9-6 Saturday and 11-6 Sunday.
I'm unaware of any other pharmacy in Dublin that opens that early, even the big longstanding ones in the CC start at 8am.
It's a nice late opening too. Besides McCabes in Dundrum and Swords which I think close at 11, it makes me laugh how these pharmacies all over the city call themselves "late night pharmacies" and then close at like 7pm, leaving their blinking cross thing on even in many cases which someone should tell them is meant to mean you are open.


By it being IN the station too you'd save a lot of time than diverting by car or foot to one nearby, you could have your script or OTC items in 5 min or less and be off.





There is a Boots with scrips in Euston station in London but that's the size of station you'd need, it's ENORMOUS, it has a tube station and a major intercity station under the same roof so it has the traffic to support that.


I honestly don't see how another food outlet in Heuston is needed it does seem very superfluous. Wheras Connolly needs one badly. In a rush to get an Intercity a few times I've gone over to the Coffee bar place to pick something out and it's very limited, those packed sandwiches are never the same as a fresh one, and the outlet beside the pub has an even more dull selection.

Emme

L1011 wrote: »

The numbers of people making those commutes is so low (comparatively) that a pharmacy wouldn't be viable.

Check out the crowds between 6am and 8am at various rural stations going to Heuston and you might change your mind. A good proportion of those crowds are regular commuters. You must be stuck in the 1980s when it was possible for working people to buy a house in Dublin.

Stephen15

Emme wrote: »

Check out the crowds between 6am and 8am at various rural stations going to Heuston and you might change your mind. A good proportion of those crowds are regular commuters. You must be stuck in the 1980s when it was possible for working people to buy a house in Dublin.

I think s/he is merely pointing out that a lot more people are using Connolly for commuting than Hueston as more are using the DART network, Maynooth, Northern and now PPT trains to Newbridge and Hazelhatch (which are taking more daily commuters out of Hueston) than are commuting from Hueston.

L1011

Emme wrote: »

Check out the crowds between 6am and 8am at various rural stations going to Heuston and you might change your mind. A good proportion of those crowds are regular commuters. You must be stuck in the 1980s when it was possible for working people to buy a house in Dublin.

More irrelevant nonsense.

The actual number using Connolly is vastly greater.

Emme

Stephen15 wrote: »

I think s/he is merely pointing out that a lot more people are using Connolly for commuting than Hueston as more are using the DART network, Maynooth, Northern and now PPT trains to Newbridge and Hazelhatch (which are taking more daily commuters out of Hueston) than are commuting from Hueston.

Not all commuters from rural Ireland who use the train lines going into Heuston change at Newbridge. Quite a few go all the way into Heuston and get a bus or Luas to their place of work. Or they might cycle or walk. I'm not arguing that there are more commuters in Heuston than in Connolly but in my opinion there are enough regular commuters to justify a pharmacy IN Heuston station.

Strumms

Not everyone wants to read a book too. You could just pick up your favorite magazine, a gift or two etc.

For Forks Sake

Ardent wrote: »

Why would you need a book, magazine or newspaper when you have the internet?

Three words: Irish Rail Wifi.


(also coverage blackspots along the lines if using 4g)

Beechwoodspark

I personally would love to see easons reopen it was a great little asset/gem to the station. And the staff were really good.

Maybe a pharmacy counter could be part of the easons store? At the back maybe or at either of the two sides near the front which were slightly forgotten about when easons had it.

I can’t see brambles adding much to the station offering. Maybe I’m wrong?

XPS_Zero

Does anyone know when the new place in Connolly is opening? and is it just that one store?

Hilly Bill

XPS_Zero wrote: »

Does anyone know when the new place in Connolly is opening? and is it just that one store?

M&S arnt going into Connolly, Starbucks is going in at the corner with an entrance outside with tables outside which will be nice for the beggars and junkies that hangaround out there. Fallon and Byrne is going into the new build where the booking office used to be. O'briens sandwich bar is going in at the corner by easons.

Emme

Hilly Bill wrote: »

M&S arnt going into Connolly, Starbucks is going in at the corner with an entrance outside with tables outside which will be nice for the beggars and junkies that hangaround out there. Fallon and Byrne is going into the new build where the booking office used to be. O'briens sandwich bar is going in at the corner by easons.

Rip out Supermacs in Heuston and replace it with Fallon & Byrne - the cleaning costs of trains would drop dramatically.

tabbey

Emme wrote: »

Rip out Supermacs in Heuston and replace it with Fallon & Byrne - the cleaning costs of trains would drop dramatically.

It would not!

Passengers would have to bring food from somewhere else. Nobody could afford Fallon & Byrne.

Emme

tabbey wrote: »

It would not!

Passengers would have to bring food from somewhere else. Nobody could afford Fallon & Byrne.

I agree that not everyone can afford Fallon & Byrne but it would be a short walk from St Pats if the consultants want to get out for a bite to eat and for the big shots in the HSE office across the road.

In the meantime a hang sangwidge or similar made at home is a lot less messy or smelly than greasy takeaways. If someone brings curry chips onto the train and is eating them in carriage A you can smell them in Carriage F.

XPS_Zero

Hilly Bill wrote: »

M&S arnt going into Connolly, Starbucks is going in at the corner with an entrance outside with tables outside which will be nice for the beggars and junkies that hangaround out there. Fallon and Byrne is going into the new build where the booking office used to be. O'briens sandwich bar is going in at the corner by easons.

They will just have to make it plain right off the bat (via security) that it's not their personal hangout unless they're buying stuff there. If they get hassled constantly while in the first few weeks trying to set up a presence they won't bother.


I always forget that's an Easons, since I see no books there, God they were so horrible to work for like really really awful....
I like the idea of an O'Briens they will TOTALLY clean up I'm telling you, the sandwiches on offer are terrible in the other places. Ether the lettuce is wet and slimy or they have that horrible rocket stuff that literally looks like someone pulled leafs from a hedge and stuffed them into the sandwich. I don't understand how anyone would wanna eat those, and the thick stalk that comes with them. I bought what I thought was a chicken and stuffing once in the pub bar and it had lettuce in it, urgh...horrible. Proper O'Brians collection will make a fortune, gimme a stars n stripes bagal on toasted poppy seed bun any day over something with thick slices of cucumber, Tomato thicker than a concrete wall (ever hear of baby tomatoes or thin slices people?) and hedge leaves in it.




There is nothing worse than the smell of food you don't like or when your stomach is queazy.

I got onto a DART the other morning, my liver drugs and antidepression meds were making my stomach churn, I felt green. I wasn't able to eat my usual post-gym breakfast, so I had an empty stomach. One of the side effects of drugs I use can be higher stomach acid, and it was burning and churning. I get on the DART and there are three different people eating really smelly foodss. One was some kind of indian concoction out of a box, very pungent, one was fish n chips with curry of some kind and the third looked like something abrakebabra but looked like the meat had been sitting on the spit since I was in primary school before being put into the roll. I had to go to the next carriage to avoid puking (literally).






I'm just looking at F&B's menu...everything looks really nice.


As to cost the main meals are very pricy like €17...and bruschetta are glorified tomato biscuits so I'm not sure they are worth €10


They don't seem to sell sandwiches, though maybe they'll have a menu for Connolly? a special new Connolly only sandwich menu? offering things O'Brians does not, that could work out.
It appears they'll not be competing directly for business, I imagine all the DIT and Trinity students and whatnot would be going to OBrians cost wise (except the more loaded D4 boys and girls who would go to both), since they offer very different things and I can see different people going there. The more money conscious but still wanting quality will do O'Brians.


I can see a lot of the new rich/new money set who work in the glass towers in Dublin CC loving the salads and whatnot F&B will be offering, esp the ones telling themselves they're going to eat right and work out finally this year!

Hilly Bill

Starbucks will have to get their own security.

Beechwoodspark

Anyone know when brambles are due to open in Heuston ?

I’m just angry/let down that easons couldn’t have remained open but with a cafe to one side or down the back. Even a joint venture with brambles or fallon and Byrne.

That would require ppl thinking outside the box though so no chance ...

L1011

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Anyone know when brambles are due to open in Heuston ?

I’m just angry/let down that easons couldn’t have remained open but with a cafe to one side or down the back. Even a joint venture with brambles or fallon and Byrne.

That would require ppl thinking outside the box though so no chance ...

If Easons wasn't working out shoving a food counter or a pharmacy counter or whatever other bonkers idea you have in to it wasn't going to save it

Easons have cafes and franchises in other stores - they will have evaluated everything. Bookshops are dying and station bookshops are dead.

Beechwoodspark

L1011 wrote: »

If Easons wasn't working out shoving a food counter or a pharmacy counter or whatever other bonkers idea you have in to it wasn't going to save it

Why bonkers????

Easons have 2 -yes 2!!- separate food offerings in their O’Connell st branch. Coffee shop on ground and full blown cafe on 3rd.

And also a record shop leasing the 3rd floor.

Not far fetched to say do similar in Heuston. A cafe or pharmacy would clean up.

Wow. Such “far out” thinking. Bonkers indeed ?!

Dravokivich

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Anyone know when brambles are due to open in Heuston ?

I’m just angry/let down that easons couldn’t have remained open but with a cafe to one side or down the back. Even a joint venture with brambles or fallon and Byrne.

That would require ppl thinking outside the box though so no chance ...

Easons are still in Houston. And theres a lot of coffee shops already. Theres no point in them looking to partner with the same thing, to keep an additional unit viable.

L1011

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Why bonkers????

Easons have 2 -yes 2!!- separate food offerings in their O’Connell st branch. Coffee shop on ground and full blown cafe on 3rd.

And also a record shop leasing the 3rd floor.

Not far fetched to say do similar in Heuston. A cafe or pharmacy would clean up.

Wow. Such “far out” thinking. Bonkers indeed ?!

You're just giving examples showing that they would have already looked at all the options.

You pining for a station bookshop does not fix the fact that they are closing everywhere. Even the airport bookshop has been downsized to a newsagents with minimal racks of pulp fiction now - people are not buying enough books when traveling to keep them alive

Beechwoodspark

L1011 wrote: »

You're just giving examples showing that they would have already looked at all the options.

No they didn’t. I personally suggested the pharmacy leasing part of the shop as it’s clearly something commuters want.

Or a cafe down the back. They never explored this. They just shut up shop sadly

L1011

You are assuming, when evidence shows that Eason do sublet space elsewhere

How much floor space and what content do you think would be left after you've put in a cafe and it's kitchen or a pharmacy and all its legally required items (consultation rooms, controlled meds safe)?

You'd have as much books as the second Eason sells.

tabbey

L1011 wrote: »

evidence shows that Eason do sublet space elsewhere

The difference is that Irish Rail / CIE lets space in railway stations to shop and restaurant operators to provide a complementary service for passengers, while Easons in their larger shops at O'Connell St and Dun Laoghaire let space to restaurant and cafe operators to provide catering for their customers.

In DunLaoghaire, Costa coffeee probably has a higher turnover than the book and magazine departments. People go into Easons to browse magazines then buy coffee and cake. Easons hope that people will then browse the books and possibly purchase something. Easons also get rental revenue to help pay for the premises. The same applies to O'Connell St.

Irish Rail traditionally provided a restaurant service, but a private operator can do so more cost-effectively by employing at the minimum wage, people who are anxious to work hard, whether immigrants or students.

Therefore Easons would not have a coffee shop in a railway bookshop, as it is not their core business.

There is probably scope for someone to run a combined takeaway coffee and bookstall at smaller stations, but not Heuston or Connolly.

n!ghtmancometh

Heuston is fierce grim, all the addicts huddled at the front entrance or at the bench at the luas stop selling pills to each other and drinking cans inbetween roaring abuse and begging at the luas TVM. How IR & Luas can't pay for a Garda to be based there instead of the useless contract security staff is beyond me, awful image to visitors arriving, and leaving the city with the Airlink.

I'm in the station daily, and the food offerings are poor. The smell emanating from Supermacs does be absolutely foul. Them, Donuts, greasy pizza at a fiver a slice, smoothies and the coffee places and M&S ready meals. That city kitchen place is the only half decent option.

The tiny Eason's is still surviving and looks to be busy most of the time at least.

XPS_Zero

L1011 wrote: »

If Easons wasn't working out shoving a food counter or a pharmacy counter or whatever other bonkers idea you have in to it wasn't going to save it

Easons have cafes and franchises in other stores - they will have evaluated everything. Bookshops are dying and station bookshops are dead.

You realize your first sentence called an idea bonkers then the second sentence said it's done all the time?

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Starbucks will have to get their own security.

another starbucks jesus. In another 20 years every rail station and town centre on the planet will just look like a copy and paste of every other rail station and town centre.`


As for renting part of the shop it's done all the time, check out the new Post Office in Supervalu Blackrock





A pharmacy might be more difficult though because they make money in much weirder ways, the bulk through the GMS (but even that's slow and meandering not computerized amazingly, t his day in age) for medical cards, but also through OTC (over the counter).





Print media is not gonna go away, lots of people still like a physical book, including kids. There are workbooks (for adults and kids), coloring books etc that people like too. But it's downsized because it's so much easier now to go to the kindle app on your ipad or android or acer tablet and click PURCHASE than to walk out and get it from a book shop that may not have what you want. In fact if anything it bugs me that lots of older books are still not in ebook format. People have discovered other advantages in ebooks. One I like is I can lay on my side at night when reading in bed and hold it with one hand, without the lamp on, so I can properly relax, and it has lighting settings with dark background and white text to avoid eye strain and be comfortable.

There are huge and obvious advantages open here for schools with ebooks and tablets but the DOE has not caught on yet because it's still in hock to the likes of Folens, and as a dept, it's second only to finance in it's resistance to change (only reason we got free secondary education was the Minister at the time went behind the backs of both DOE and Finance and sprung it on them last minute before they could obstruct the idea).


This has led to a dive in physical book purchases but they won't vanish because they have their own advantages (including never running out of battery power!) but it does mean probably only bigger stores will survive.


Websites are killing magazines. Even Mens Health etc people realize it's 1/2 ads and people can get the same news tips and info on a website with adblock plus engaged much faster and for free.


Keep in mind DVDs used to be a huge part of their sale, but the market has changed there too, torrents, Netflix, iTunes, only 7-8 years ago the likes of these options were caught behind physical and traditional TV media but outdated licensing and intellectual property regimes but they have now smartened up. You'll see many tv networks not even deleting youtube clips now because they see it brings people to watch the main show.


Music another thing...itunes and the streaming services.

So you have ebooks, movies/tv, and music all going away from physical media being dominant. The market has to adjust.




Food places are more likely to get high foot traffic.


As to a pharmacy I defo think one would be used A LOT at Heuston but I'm not sure if it would be profitable. There used to be regulations, until the early 2000s, that if you wanted to build a new pharmacy you had to make a case, there could not be another one within x distance etc, those laws were seen a monopolistic and a strangle on competition so they were done away with.


I do know a few things about the operating costs re a pharmacy:
-When I worked in one, a very successful one, individual staff had sales targets and engaged in link selling, it was so depressing, and some of them did it in very unethical ways. I found a way to do it which didn't conflict with my conscience, I never advised anyone to buy the Homeopathic sh1te (advised the opposite, quietly, out of my bosses earshot) and I never suggested anyone buy something with their existing something unless it would actually help the problem they had.
-The utility bills (water included) were insane, so were rates/rent etc I was shocked
-Even with restricted products they were pushing the line. They'd be complaining, quietly to each other (my manager would) about how customer x was going to rip the stomach out of himself because he was taking Nurofen Plus too often and would end up with bleeding ulcers...then tell staff if someone asked for N+ but didn't specify a pack size, to just give them the bigger pack!!!



I had to wonder if this place, that hired me partially because I was studying for a degree where you help society, and liked my altruism, were engaging in all this grossly unethical behavior because their margins were thin

L1011

XPS_Zero wrote: »

You realize your first sentence called an idea bonkers then the second sentence said it's done all the time?

It's done where it works. It wouldn't work here. And the pharmacy counter in a bookshop idea is insane anywhere

GMS payments have been computerised for decades, maybe over two - there are still pharmacies that do it on paper for their own arcane reasons

Beechwoodspark

I just wish that easons was still open. It was a great little gem and great staff there too by the way

Emme

n!ghtmancometh wrote: »

Heuston is fierce grim, all the addicts huddled at the front entrance or at the bench at the luas stop selling pills to each other and drinking cans inbetween roaring abuse and begging at the luas TVM. How IR & Luas can't pay for a Garda to be based there instead of the useless contract security staff is beyond me, awful image to visitors arriving, and leaving the city with the Airlink.

I'm in the station daily, and the food offerings are poor. The smell emanating from Supermacs does be absolutely foul. Them, Donuts, greasy pizza at a fiver a slice, smoothies and the coffee places and M&S ready meals. That city kitchen place is the only half decent option.

The tiny Eason's is still surviving and looks to be busy most of the time at least.

The food offerings at Heuston couldn't be worse. The stuff M&S sells there is very poor and doesn't do the store any justice. Commuting is unhealthy enough as it is without being sold the unhealthiest and most disgusting foods at the train station. The coffee shops and the juice bar are the fine but the rest are artery clogging fodder outlets.

A Chopped or other healthy food outlet is badly needed at Heuston.

As for Fallon and Byrne being expensive as mentioned above I have always found Brambles to be ridiculously overpriced for what you get.