Proposal for food court type thing in the city harbour

13-04-2021 11:27pm #1

Honestly not sure what to call this apart from a food court but it wont be that either

Article about it here

I'm guessing it won't pass the planning stage though

Details on the application

Proposed location is here

Proposed layout is below, looks like 8 food trucks/stalls

Thoughts?

Mrs OBumble · 13-04-2021 11:50pm

Why do you think it won't pass the planning stage?

It looks like a longer version of events that have happened in similar areas.

Storm 10 · 14-04-2021 12:10am

Suppose it would be a similar set up to the Sea Festival

what_traffic · 14-04-2021 8:48am

Deleted User wrote: »

Thoughts?

Terrible terrible location, this is large goods storage area. i.e Wind Turbine blades.
Why Council not leading in this rather than the Harbour?
If Council were up for a bit work - somewhere like Woodquay, its sheltered, its not in shade, plenty of Car parking at the Dyke Road and is closer to the City Centre and a overall far more pleasant environment.
Best of luck to the Harbour but cannot see myself visiting.

Pen Rua · 14-04-2021 12:44pm

Before I criticize it, one should acknowledge it is good to see some body being proactive, though one would have liked it to be the authorities so as not to rely on private land.

Seems like a really odd location for an outdoor food venue. You had the industrial area behind you and a busy main road in front of you. Constant stream of traffic.

It's different where there are food trucks set up for Sea Fest etc - that is part of it and you come down to see the things and happen to get food.

I would not find myself going out of the way to go down to the industrial part of Galway to sit in a concrete square (with zero atmosphere / pubs etc) for food truck grub.

Woodquay would seem nicer (there's pubs at least - the park and then down to the river side) although I would suppose there would be hell to stop parking for a weekend.

The Claddagh might work, but even then you're at the mercy of the elements - it's far too exposed.

Mrs OBumble · 14-04-2021 12:48pm

what_traffic wrote: »

Terrible terrible location, this is large goods storage area. i.e Wind Turbine blades.
Why Council not leading in this rather than the Harbour?
If Council were up for a bit work - somewhere like Woodquay, its sheltered, its not in shade, plenty of Car parking at the Dyke Road and is closer to the City Centre and a overall far more pleasant environment.
Best of luck to the Harbour but cannot see myself visiting.

You think the council should repurpose public land to allow private for-profit business that don't pay rates to set up in direct competition to rate-paying businesses?

With no consideration of the amenity effects on local residents to boot.

fergiesfolly · 14-04-2021 12:52pm

Who wouldn't want to eat outside next to one of the busiest roads in the city beside dozens of passing diesel spewing trucks and buses beside a large dusty industrial complex, also filled with dozens of diesel spewing trucks and buses.
Mmmm, can nearly taste the fumes now. Yummy.

14-04-2021 12:55pm

Part of the large car park on the prom in Salthill would be much better for this. Or even on the grass where they had the Salthill markets 2 years ago.

Open the Aquarium car park and site of the fun fair for parking (if the funfair isn't going up this year) if needed.

Private Joker · 14-04-2021 1:42pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

You think the council should repurpose public land to allow private for-profit business that don't pay rates to set up in direct competition to rate-paying businesses?

With no consideration of the amenity effects on local residents to boot.

I think this proposal is for businesses in the city that pay rates anyway but have no means to accommodate outside dining.

what_traffic · 14-04-2021 2:05pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Part of the large car park on the prom in Salthill would be much better for this. Or even on the grass where they had the Salthill markets 2 years ago.

Open the Aquarium car park and site of the fun fair for parking (if the funfair isn't going up this year) if needed.

Agree Toft Car Park would be a good location as well, maybe key have a few dotted around the City/Suburbs

cfeeneyinterior · 14-04-2021 2:11pm

Private Joker wrote: »

I think this proposal is for businesses in the city that pay rates anyway but have no means to accommodate outside dining.

I think this proposal is for Galway Harbour Company to make money.

ratracer · 14-04-2021 3:22pm

Could you think of a worse site in the city to try this, it’s almost proposed to fail by design!
Why not put it out on the quayside of the dock at least?

biko · 14-04-2021 3:49pm

For a temporary thing it might work as the novelty will bring some crowds.

Private Joker · 14-04-2021 4:22pm

cfeeneyinterior wrote: »

I think this proposal is for Galway Harbour Company to make money.

Can it not be both?

timmyntc · 14-04-2021 4:29pm

It would be nice in 10+ years after the redevelopment of lands behind the train station, then there would be good footfall down around there.

Right now there is nothing to bring people out there, so hard to see why anyone would willingly walk over there

14-04-2021 4:31pm

what_traffic wrote: »

maybe key have a few dotted around the City/Suburbs

Yes!

Dot a few of these around the city with some picnic benches and people don't have to travel around so much.

gordongekko · 14-04-2021 8:10pm

It's in the heart of the Bonham quarter.

NeftDaslari · 14-04-2021 8:58pm

If I had a big wad of cash, I’d put a food market in the site of the old Debenhams shop and make it in the style of Mercado san Idelphonso in Madrid or Foodhallen in Amsterdam. It’s a good location, isn’t dependent on the weather and would be a good way to fill one of the many empty retail spaces around town.

15-04-2021 2:52am

NeftDaslari wrote: »

If I had a big wad of cash, I’d put a food market in the site of the old Debenhams shop and make it in the style of Mercado san Idelphonso in Madrid or Foodhallen in Amsterdam. It’s a good location, isn’t dependent on the weather and would be a good way to fill one of the many empty retail spaces around town.

Theres a covered food market already being built at the site of the old Connacht Tribune, was supposed to be open Spring 2020 (but obviously that didn't happen) the new goal I think is 2022 which isn't going to be that long

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-indoor-artisan-food-market-gets-go-ahead-300/

https://www.galwayfoodmarket.com/

https://connachttribune.ie/new-tech-hub-in-galway-city-centre-gets-green-light/

Private Joker · 15-04-2021 11:00am

I said it before, Edward square is an ideal location in the city centre that is going to waste. a food court there would be an excellent addition.

ben.schlomo · 15-04-2021 12:53pm

Private Joker wrote: »

I said it before, Edward square is an ideal location in the city centre that is going to waste. a food court there would be an excellent addition.

Indoor or outdoor? None of the units are set up for cooking and would need to completely refurbished internally e.g new air con, ventilation, toilets etc etc. Would be hugely costly.

Mrs OBumble · 15-04-2021 1:02pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Indoor or outdoor? None of the units are set up for cooking and would need to completely refurbished internally e.g new air con, ventilation, toilets etc etc. Would be hugely costly.

Something needs to be done there. It had failed as a fashion retail space even before Covid.

The city has LOTS of vacant space which needs to be repurposed.

ben.schlomo · 15-04-2021 1:32pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Something needs to be done there. It had failed as a fashion retail space even before Covid.

The city has LOTS of vacant space which needs to be repurposed.

Absolutely but the unit owners/commercial auctioneers are only looking to get retailers in there, two units were close to being rented before the October lockdown but that put paid to them. Hard to see who is going to be up for repurposing all those units given the cost involved.

ratracer · 15-04-2021 1:37pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Absolutely but the unit owners/commercial auctioneers are only looking to get retailers in there, two units were close to being rented before the October lockdown but that put paid to them. Hard to see who is going to be up for repurposing all those units given the cost involved.

It wouldn’t necessarily be that costly, open view kitchens and door level ducting could be done cost effectively. It would be a great use of Edward Square, as I would agree ( for once

) with MrsO’B that it had been a failure as a retail centre to date.

ben.schlomo · 15-04-2021 7:45pm

ratracer wrote: »

It wouldn’t necessarily be that costly, open view kitchens and door level ducting could be done cost effectively. It would be a great use of Edward Square, as I would agree ( for once ) with MrsO’B that it had been a failure as a retail centre to date.

A failure in the last two years, not the previous 15-20.

Something will have to give there at some point I suppose as it's hard to see how all those units will be filled by any retailers. I just don't think those units are overly food suitable without substantial amounts of investment, which is hard to see.

15-04-2021 8:30pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Something will have to give there at some point I suppose as it's hard to see how all those units will be filled by any retailers. I just don't think those units are overly food suitable without substantial amounts of investment, which is hard to see.

Would also require a change of use through planning

ben.schlomo · 15-04-2021 9:06pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Would also require a change of use through planning

Might be the lesser of the two difficulties to overcome.

?Cee?view · 16-04-2021 4:24pm

ratracer wrote: »

Could you think of a worse site in the city to try this, it’s almost proposed to fail by design!
Why not put it out on the quayside of the dock at least?

Because it's "the quayside of the dock" :rolleyes:

what_traffic · 17-04-2021 8:24am

?Cee?view wrote: »

Because it's "the quayside of the dock" :rolleyes:

Tell us what you really think ?Cee?view about this fabulous location?

gordongekko · 17-04-2021 8:41am

what_traffic wrote: »

Tell us what you really think ?Cee?view about this fabulous location?

People will be coming down Augustine hill, past French Garden past the the amazing independent living area for the elderly and onto Bonham quay which which will amongst all else have 3500 employees, and almost 2000 bike spaces, you will then move onward towards our world class port which will link Galway with the rest of Europe and see a huge increase in out seaways usage and in tourism. This spot is a perfect stop in-between. It'll be fantastic.

what_traffic · 17-04-2021 9:44am

gordongekko wrote: »

People will be coming down Augustine hill, past French Garden past the the amazing independent living area for the elderly and onto Bonham quay which which will amongst all else have 3500 employees, and almost 2000 bike spaces, you will then move onward towards our world class port which will link Galway with the rest of Europe and see a huge increase in out seaways usage and in tourism. This spot is a perfect stop in-between. It'll be fantastic.

Your forgot about the most important aspect of this thread?
What about the food court

Mr Man · 23-04-2021 9:31am

Yay, let's go down the docks for a burger, said no one ever.

Squeeonline · 23-04-2021 9:37am

Mr Man wrote: »

Yay, let's go down the docks for a burger, said no one ever.

Ye might if there was something. I went to street food festivals in Zurich (a thing because they don't really have a casual food thing) that were set up in all sorts of weird places. An abandoned football stadium, a disused hydroelectric station.

The important thing is that they were easy to get to either by foot or public transport. It's a cheap way of doing something different to routine.

Pen Rua · 30-04-2021 11:54am

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-traders-groups-object-to-docks-outdoor-dining-plan/

Various traders' groups have lodged complaints with the proposal.

Latin Quarter, Woodquay Traders and Westend Traders representative groups have all objected, and have suggested Spanish Arch would be
better.

Latin Quarter asserts there's no (business) demand for the proposal. Woodquay Traders say it would take footfall away from the city centre, which would be vital as the businesses try recover after being closed for most of the last year and a bit.

Mrs OBumble · 30-04-2021 12:16pm

gordongekko wrote: »

People will be coming down Augustine hill, past French Garden past the the amazing independent living area for the elderly and onto Bonham quay which which will amongst all else have 3500 employees, and almost 2000 bike spaces, you will then move onward towards our world class port which will link Galway with the rest of Europe and see a huge increase in out seaways usage and in tourism. This spot is a perfect stop in-between. It'll be fantastic.

I was down there the other day. Even now people could be strolling past the Harbour Hotel, exploring the heritage in Forthill Cemetery, and then stopping off for a burger.

Spanish Arch is just not suitable until they install Waterford-style safety barriers along the waters edge.

30-04-2021 12:43pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Spanish Arch is just not suitable until they install Waterford-style safety barriers along the waters edge.

Ah here, we've had food festivals at the Spanish Arch before and they were great. Long Walk is a great place to then sit and eat. Just need to ensure there's good litter management beside the river.

ben.schlomo · 30-04-2021 12:46pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Ah here, we've had food festivals at the Spanish Arch before and they were great. Long Walk is a great place to then sit and eat. Just need to ensure there's good litter management beside the river.

Ya I'm fairly sure there aren't thousands of people randomly falling over the water's edge every week after having their pizza slice down there. Certainly not last Sunday evening when I was there anyway.

gordongekko · 01-05-2021 9:35am

VanWildcard wrote: »

Ah here, we've had food festivals at the Spanish Arch before and they were great. Long Walk is a great place to then sit and eat. Just need to ensure there's good litter management beside the river.

Yeah I'm sure the residents there want to come out their front door and see people pissing and eating all day

beardybrewer · 01-05-2021 11:42am

The long walk is like a wind tunnel 90% of the time.

Mrs OBumble · 01-05-2021 11:50am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Ya I'm fairly sure there aren't thousands of people randomly falling over the water's edge every week after having their pizza slice down there. Certainly not last Sunday evening when I was there anyway.

So it would take thousands of deaths for there to be a problem in your eyes.

An interesting perspective.

01-05-2021 2:04pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So it would take thousands of deaths for there to be a problem in your eyes.

An interesting perspective.

Thats some acrobatics in terms of twisting words

ben.schlomo · 01-05-2021 4:49pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So it would take thousands of deaths for there to be a problem in your eyes.

An interesting perspective.

Jesus, you never give up. I don't see any additional safety issues for people availing of the Spanish Arch now versus having a few food vans down there. Care to explain why there is a need for additional measures due to food vans being there?

Proposal for food court type thing in the city harbour

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