Halo/Electric gone and up for sale. Announced on their FB page.
Very sad to see. A big loss to the nightlife scene in Galway, especially Electric who's music & culture spread across many genres.
Unfortunately, I don't think we will see another nightclub in that space. Probably a hotel, or Airbnb. Maybe even a very large coffee shop!
By the time this is all over I'd say you'll be able to count the number of nightclubs left open in the country on one hand. Tough times.
Given the prevalence of late bars I think they were on borrowed time as it was. GPO, or whatever it was called at the time of closure, is gone a couple of years also. The only one remaining is Karma, if it's still open, and I know they have plans for making that part of the hotel too, unless I'm remembering wrong.
15/20 years ago we had 9 nightclubs in the city centre and a couple in Salthill, times and tastes seem to have changed in the nightlife sector.
Its open, now called DNA. Planning was refused for what they proposed, no idea if they'll try again.
The Halo/Electric building has already had several ground floor coffee shops in it, but they've never lasted.
I'm not shocked at all. Prior to covid, I was in Halo a handful of times, and it held no appeal.
Why go to a club, when you could stay in a late bar such as 1520 which generally offered the exact same experience for free.
There was nothing to attract people to leave the pubs and go to Halo or Electric. Same thing that happened Cuba*
The nightclubs needed to offer something different from the late bars, and they never really changed with the times.
The Quays Live still gets a crowd, but that's purely down to its location. It's got a prime spot, right beside so many bars.
Clubs are still alive and kicking on other cities, and countries, so I do think they will make a come back in Galway eventually, but they need to rethink what they are offering, and differentiate themselves from the late bars
Electric was very different to late bars to be fair.
Halo fair enough. But that was a money mine too, with the older clientele.
Devil's advocate forewarning and firstly let me say that my thoughts are with those who will lose employment but I can't help thinking that there is an element of timing and positioning here. With the premises backing on to the An Post premises recently brought to the market there is an opportunity here for a developer to buy both parcels and create a significant outlet. What is the odds of two back to back sites of this size coming to sale at the same time ?
Fair shout. I had heard the nightclub properties were to be turning residential but that's very likely no more than a baseless rumour.
Looks like a perfect spot for another Comer Bros acquisition
Just heard on the radio that Tesco is going to buy out Joyce's Supermarkets. Interesting times ahead!
Edit: http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/126097/tesco-ireland-announces-acquisition-of-joyces-supermarkets-retail-stores-in-galway
What station?
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/1130/1264007-tesco-ireland-buys-joyces-supermarkets/
This news about Tescoisation makes me happy, not sure why.
Great news, Joyce's are such poorly run stores that anything Tesco do will be an improvement.
How many petrol stations do Joyce run? 2 in Athenry and one in Headford if I remember correctly. All Tesco petrol stations are unmanned Certa stations these days so unless they are planning to move the employees there over to the supermarkets those jobs are gone. Corrib Oil have a heating oil office running out of the one on the Craughwell Road, I imagine Sweeney and Corrib Oil are already making enquiries to Tesco.
I'll miss the craft beer section. The butcher in knocknacarra was good.
I won't miss their 'mystery' products found on almost every shelf - items with no price labels.
It'll be interesting to see what they do with the store in Oranmore, joyces and tesco are only a stones throw from each other.
It'll be one for the CCPC to decide. It'll be a hard spot to fill if they have to close that one seeing as there is already Tesco, Lidl & Aldi in Oranmore, unless some deal is worked out with Dunnes and they take it, but I can't see it to be honest. Its a mess of a unit in terms of shape and layout
Good point. If it was a little smaller it would be grand as a Tesco express but it's definitely too big for that.
Well I for one will not miss Joyce’s or having to drive to oranmore for Tesco just need the Aldi planning to go through now too in athenry
I won't miss Joyce's holding on to Fr Griffin Road too much - with the exception of the craft beer section. The amount of times I went in and they didn't have some of the more basic ingredients I was after... I missed the old SuperValu operation that had nice products (granted some were retained when Joyce's took over). The craft beer section will be a loss (assuming Tesco shelve it). It is better than McCambridges imo save for them not carrying Whiplash for some reason.
The beer range in Fr. Griffin road and Oranmore is big, yes.
Might a SuperValu go into Oranmore?
I might be wrong, but I thought Supervalu were there before (Nestors)
Possibly something like Galway shopping centre where the Oran Town centre becomes a shop for F and F, electronics, books etc.
Thought came to my mind too but they already have a large range of it in the Oranmore store. It'll be an interesting one for sure.
https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/126097/tesco-ireland-announces-acquisition-of-joyces-supermarkets-retail-stores-in-galway
It would not surprise me if Tesco followed their UK model and developed and rented out residential properties, given the high return
When did Joyces aquire Hollands Londis in Oughterard BTW? It can't be that long ago?
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