Frascati still being a construction zone can't help. How is it taking so long? Its been years at this stage.
I think you're onto something there. The listing for it's Blackrock outlet has been removed from it's website.
That would suggest to me that the writing is already on the wall. That's not a good start for the Frascati management in 2022.
Five Guys in Blackrock has been emptied out of all furnishings. Looks like no way back now.
They used to have more "sit in" seats back pre-covid I think so that might explain the space to be honest as there are only a couple of tables now.
I was in Stillorgan SC today. Noticed the Natural Bakery unit for the one reason that it seems huge. Seems far too big for their needs. The majority of the space is unused
No , a different unit . See the article a few posts back
Taking the old Clodagh McKenna unit I believe hopefully he has more luck
Oh that's a great bit of news about Butler's Chocolate Cafe opening in Blackrock. There's also more good news in that Michael's Steak and Seafood restaurant will be opening in Blackrock SC in the new year as well. That's two bits of great news for the start of 2022.
I'm guessing that Michael's Restaurant will be taking up the old Next unit in the centre.
Maybe the new natural bakery will have a sit in cafe bit like in stillorgan? Totally agree that a cafe on teh ground floor would do sme much better for impromptu passing trade - you actually have to almost specifically be going for coffee to head upstairs for one. I could see places doing much better for take away etc while people are shopping or heading back to the car after Aldi/M&S grocery shops if they were downstairs.
Butlers cafe opening in Blackrock SC in Feb - where the old leonidas shop was
Its awful,like going in the side door of someones house, all that wandering around to get to Marks which is a big draw for a lot of people.Marks also has public toilets,again another draw for customers.
I mean you can get to any number of Aldis with free surface car parking and most people prefer that.
Same with Boots etc, most people wouldnt drive to a shopping centre for a Boots and there isnt a whole lot more in frascati apart from Bookstation, Boots, marks ad a few pricy boutiques.
There are no cafes on the ground floor either, another mistake,lots of older people who have time to meet up for coffee dont like escalors or lifts, they like surface carparking, easy walk to the centre,cafes on ground floors,Frascati is just a whole lot of planning and work so older people go to stillorgan instead.
Then there is the toilet situation, toilets closed after 6 pm but if you find a security guy you can ask him for a key,the toilets should have been put on the ground floor, too much effort to get to them and even when you get upstairs there is still a walk to them, this isnt an issue for younger people but it is for the elderly and there are many many elderly people in Blackrock with plenty of money to spend and you just dont see them in frascati centre anymore.
And the Debenhams site is just depressing, the ceilings nearly are so low and then you come up against ugly black shutters. The only solution is a big Dunnes stores with a cafe on the ground floor, this would draw lots of customers, I mean you cant even buy socks or underwear or towels or any household stuff in the shopping centre, Debenhams was a great shop, you could go down on christmas eve and buy all your presents at half price, you literally didnt need to go anywhere else.It als o had a lovely cafe, upstairs I know but the toilets were nearby and staff always had a stock of newspapers, i miss it a lot.
Very good point. Tbh I almost forget there is an upstairs to the place, and I am there every day (my family have a unit on the ground floor).
I wonder was the original plan to have another escalator going upstairs where Debenhams was.
yeah im the same, i have to say the superquinn (supervalu) shopping centre is nicely done now, but good god it took a long time, and the ordeal the traders were put through was a shame, i know a few of them pretty well from popping in and out (the cobblers better than others) and they were miserable.
i cant say the new frascati does anything for me.
mainly moving between floors and accessing the car park
It's funny but of the two, I actually found the similarly-drawn-out works on the Blackrock SC directly across the road far more irritating for whatever reason.
The same builders worked on both jobs (simultaneously) AFAIR
In what way do you find it awful?
I can tell yiz now...I will be taking advantage of this.
On top of that the in internal layout is awful.
The construction of the new One World Trade Centre building in New York, all 550 metres and 330,000 sq.m of her, took seven years and one month.
The redevelopment of the Frascati Centre reaches its eighth anniversary in April 2022.
I have never seen a worse handled private development project in Ireland in all my working life. Its beyond incompetent.
Is there some issue re the redevelopment which covers 5 Guys income while remaining closed? Redevelopment has been prolonged and not without incident as far as I can see.
The Pembroke district in Dundrum is outside and does well.
please do tell me more….
The truth is clear to naked eye.
The upper level outlets have done badly. Several dining operators have opened and closed.
Example - itsabagel
Five Gays - Once they were heaving with staff and customers.... now they are not.
If this was a pitch to Dragons Den... I am out.
I'm not sure how true that last statement is at all. Liffey Valley have a rake of eateries outdoors that are usually jammed.
It will be gone. I would put money on it.
Once inside a shopping mall, Irish people will not go outdoors to a store or eatery.
There is obviously a specific reason the branch didn't reopen and it's hardly still due to Covid at this stage.
(Some!) retailers in Blackrock village are literally the busiest they have EVER been, over the last ten days.
It's mad how Dundrum reopened but Blackrock never did ...
Yeah I confess I often think the same. I walk past it every day, fittings are all still there and it looks like they could reopen in the morning.
Good questions re 5 guys. I sometimes see the light on inside and get all excited and then 2 days later it is still closed. I do miss it, I am sick of WowBurger at this stage.
Daddy Desmond stopped paying the rent.
These places were packed in the early days, until people realised they were paying e15 for a burger and fries.
Anybody know what the story is with Five Guys in Blackrock?
Pass it a lot and wondered is it permanently closed?
DF opened in Stillorgan Shopping Centre Village Centre, was it 18 or 24 months ago, and appear to be flying there - certainly seemed busy anytime I was there. I'm guessing that the rent in Stillorgan would be much lower than Dundrum, mind you. They could potentially change the streetscape dramatically in Dundrum, turning that section of road into place to hang out, for the yummy mummy audience.
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