Shops/Businesses opening/closing

I see the 50% bigger Penneys has opened in Eyre Square SC. Did they do a good job of the upgrade?

Any security checks or snipers to keep women out of the mens section?

It's one of the higher-rise areas of town too.

Yeah I agree. It's a very functional arterial road. Two large multistory car parks (incl ground floors) and two lanes of fast moving or congested traffic make for an unwelcome pedestrian experience. It's also used for parking and loading of tour buses.

Most long-term businesses along there are B2B.

It's called Merchant's Rd, because historically the merchants lived there - the area beside the road was called Merchant's Row.

At one stage it was called Back Street- we still have Middle Street, and front street is now called Shop Street.

In a real sense, it was the city's first ring road, taking traffic out of the centre and around the edges.

I'm not sure its realistic for it to be a welcoming shopping experience: thats the role of William/Shop/High streets. For every main shopping district, there need to be supporting areas which house the niche retailers who don't need or can't afford main street locations.

Ok I should have accentuated the top of the road bit more . That area of what was uninviting wall especially. I would think there would be an official entrance to the Eyre Square centre somewhere there or at least more window. I'm just struck by a large amount of dead wall and the rest of the road doesn't seem much more inviting.

It is probably true that the shops I visit the street for probably wouldn't be there if it was more of a shopping area cos rents would be higher. I just keep seeing taht massive amount of dead wall. I know that there is a mural down between the car park access and the corner. Not sure if one of those would be visible fully further up.

I know there is a large storage space nextto the car park access I saw the Eyre Square Xmas reindeer stored in there earlier in the year. Just wondering why there has never been a street entrance to the Square centre or any of the shops where the downstairs of Penneys is now along there or would that just mean a rented unit less and therefore less money. Is it just that those people coming in from town will come in through Edward Square or Whitehall or from cars by the car park, Merchant's Road being more of a backstreet than a place one would really be coming from per se

It seems that there is a semi dead space from the old AIB backward down to the Victoria Hotel in one direction and the end of Abbeygate Street in another. There are hostels upstairs along part of that. & is there still a French Restaurant between the square and the Victoria Hotel.

But presumably internet sales mean less shops requiring street frontage and rent is going to be a hurdle too

Petit Pois closed about 2 years ago.

Also, you're overthinking it. Let it go.

More photos and menus on their website. They're aiming at the higher end of the market based on the steep pricing, food sounds tasty though.

Yeah I wouldn't say overpriced if it's quality (everything suggests it is). But at €7 for a soup and €9 for a chowder they might miss out on some of the regular swimmers looking for a quick warm-up. Or it might be a less frequent treat. A cheaper take-away soup cup might do well.

Wishing them all the best, I'm sure it'll be a huge success - looking forward to trying it tomorrow! Passed Blackrock a few times today but didn't realise they had opened.

If you think that pricing is steep, you've not been eating out much lately!

Prices have jumped up everywhere, with power bills and labour shortges.

The rear patio is raised up so you'll see the heads from several tables there poking up above the kicking wall. I think they're still working on that bit and the bike rental in the rear. Point being, if you're a local, you'll eventually luck out and get a table with a view.

Heads up that Blackrock Cottage isn't doing the dinner menu until next year, they close at 5pm after lunch.

Roastery Lane has closed, down beside Park House.

Turkish Barbers gone in beside Aran Ferries office on Forster St.