New Business openings and closures around you?

I wouldn't read across too much from the Argos closure to other British firms here. Argos is owned by Sainsburys, and they have been relocating the Argos outlets into their Sainsbury locations in the UK for a while now. Massive savings on rent, insurance, security and logistics. As Sainsburys don't operate here, they can't make the same profits. Add Brexit to the mix and you can see why they might pull out.

I agree with this in principle, but it costs more for French and German firms to open outlets here than it would a British firm. I do wonder why - when there was all this talk of supernormal profits being made by Tesco and their ilk - other EU firms didn't come here to try their luck. No Carrefour, no Uniqlo, no Sephora. Maybe the size of our market coupled with the language barrier just isn't attractive to them?

Anyway, we're getting off topic. Any closure of a high street store is going to be bad for the consumer in the short term.

This comes off as xenophobic. I realize that many people in The Emerald Isle have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Brexit as they feel entitled to the benefits regardless.

The way I see it, any trade is good trade. Having said that, if a company isn't doing well in this country or that, they have every right to pull out.

Anyone who takes offence to this is either entitled or has no concept of economics. You can't expect a private company to pander to your every whim.

Now, I would love to see Carrefour, Casino and Intermarche open here. However, if there is no demand, I recommend their decision not to do so.

In any case, a company shouldn't feel tethered to the country they are operating in as trade should be as organic, optional and as flexible as possible.

Halfords have been renewing leases recently, something they would be unlikely to do if they were considering exiting the country.

I don't give a shite if it comes off as xenophobic, that just shows your complete misunderstanding of economic reality, including Brexit.

Ireland is "entitled" to nothing from Brexit, one way or the other. But, thankfully, while Britain was busy eating its own young between the referendum in 2016 and the exit deal in 2020, the Irish Government agencies were working hard at home and abroad to wean us further off UK trade dependence and secure alternative single market customers. That worked and quite apart from all those big beautiful ships bypassing Britain for the continent each week, the statistics say Britain is now only 11% of Ireland's trade. Not so very long ago, it was half.

Our economic and social fortunes in this Country are tied firstly to Irish SMEs and local entrepreneurship and investment, secondly to Irish international businesses and Irish FDI operations, thirdly to EU trade, growth and prosperity and fourthly to the global market for our unique and ultra high added value produce and service providers.

Irish people need to keep the direct relationship between this and the money in their own pocket in mind and make their consumer decisions accordingly.

For instance; I only buy European cars, wear Irish and EU owned clothing brands, buy Irish and European furniture and applicances and food and any discretionary purchase that comes up. Same goes for financial services and insurance and shareholdings etc.

If I go outside of Europe for anything, its either because of a massive quality gap or some particular product unique to Japan or America etc.

Thats not xenophobia, its just keeping en eye on what's important and not supporting the economies of rivals and bad actors.

F45 ?

Why is a gym called For F*ck Sake?

For so long as people see FFS and think immediately 'For F*ck Sake' it stands for For F*ck Sake.

Thats completely incorrect. FFS the gym was founded in 2013. The acronym has been in use for decades, its been used on this very forum since its inception in the late 1990s if you want to do a search to check.

Its clearly a marketing move.

My mam just told me this morning that Golden Discs has closed down for good in Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre as of today.

I am absolutely stunned to read this news.

I was planning to buy a pair of headphones in there recently when I have enough money but now the place has shut it's doors for good. I used to go in there frequently for some of my favourite artists albums and movies on CD, DVD and Blu-ray over the years. It really is the end of an era for the Dún Laoghaire store.

All of their customers are now being redirected to buy their items in their flagship store in Dundrum Town Centre as of today.

I really hope that this closure in Dún Laoghaire does not mark the start of a trend for Golden Discs for closing down their shops left, right and centre because of the cost of living crisis that is being felt all over the country.

I would really hope that this recent closure is just an isolated one. This is an Irish brand that has been with us since the 60's. It will be really sad if all of the remaining stores are due for closure later this year.

Golden Discs just opened a massive shop in Stephens Green.

Some of their prices are outrageous.

If memory serves (and it does go back to 1980), a Golden Discs in Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre has opened and shut more times than the front of a cuckoo clock.

the lease was up. It was as simple as that.

For what they do, they need prime locations and DLSC is not a prime location these days