Shopping in Northern Ireland

mickoneill30 · 29-12-2008 02:24PM

DubDani wrote: »

Said that, I commute from NI to the republic by car 3 times a week and have never been checked or seen a control on either side of the border. But I know that then Garda is doing regular checks of border crossing Busses and Trains on the Irish side.

My missus was up in NI one day by bus. On the way back the bus was stopped and checked. She had her Stamp 4 card with her. The first Gard didn't know what it was but she said when he showed it to the second one he had no problem with it and moved on. Dunno what would have happened if they were checking going the other way but like DubDani, I've never seen a check either.

mmalaka · 29-12-2008 02:30PM

I will be going by car....

What would happen if they catch me going to/returning back from NI without visa?

mickoneill30 · 29-12-2008 02:40PM

mmalaka wrote: »

I will be going by car....

What would happen if they catch me going to/returning back from NI without visa?

You're better off checking with Immigration for that kind of answer.

From my experience my wife has stamp 4. She's been to NI and stopped on the way back (in a bus) with no hassle. We've both been to the UK by plane and on the way back in it's always just a show of her passport and showing them the GNIB card. She even forgot her GNIB card :rolleyes:the first time we were coming back from the UK by plane. The guy gave out to her but let her pass.

I didn't even know she couldn't travel abroad without a visa. She has an Aussie passport so maybe that helps. If it was some country that wasn't generally allowed into the UK without a special visa it might be more hassle.

DubDani · 29-12-2008 02:43PM

mmalaka wrote: »

I will be going by car....

What would happen if they catch me going to/returning back from NI without visa?

If stopped on the way back in the republic probably nothing,

If stopped in NI I would assume arrest and deportation (incl. deportation stamp in passport) and probably barred from entry of UK for a few years. Not highely likely but IMO not worth the risk.

My wife is non-eu resident on a 5 year UK Residence permit, and I would not risk our future by going to Ireland without a Visa. But that's just us. We have managed to get long term US (10 years), Schengen (3 years) and Irish Visas (2 years), so we don't have to worry about it anymore.

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 29-12-2008 03:34PM

Bryn wrote: »

I'm thinking about going up north to the sales tomorrow. Where is the best place to head to? Newry? Belfast?

Anybody?!

gonker · 29-12-2008 04:19PM

I would head to Belfast I was up there last week and there is a great range of shops. I said I wouldnt visit be bothered with Newry unless in a hurry again.

Also there is a huge Sainsburys in Sprucefield just outside Belfast on your way back.

dolittle · 29-12-2008 06:16PM

left trim this morning at 8:20 and arrived at the quays at 9:30
it was very quiet then, parked up no problem and shopped away
headed across to the buttercrane then
left at around 3:30, it was bedlam then
arrived home at about 4:40

my first visit up there and all i can say is that we are rightly being screwed
have read a lot of the posts on this one but when you actually go up there it is a right eye opener
the first of what i hope is many more trips
great bargains in zavvi by the way

Adamcp898 · 29-12-2008 06:25PM

Anybody know what exchange rate Argos are giving this weather?

29-12-2008 06:26PM

Bryn wrote: »

I'm thinking about going up north to the sales tomorrow. Where is the best place to head to? Newry? Belfast?

Great sales today in Belfast.

Go right into Belfast city center as there are loads and loads of shops with sales. Much better than the more limited choice in the retail parks.

acalmenvoy · 29-12-2008 06:39PM

Weathercheck wrote: »

Parity soon folks, infact you might be getting more for ur EURO!:eek:

Not gonna last though, party while you can...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ao4uwSKIRHc8&refer=home

Lord Nikon · 29-12-2008 06:57PM

Are there any good TV delas going in Currys in Newry? prices any cheaper?

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 29-12-2008 07:00PM

321654 wrote: »

Great sales today in Belfast.

Go right into Belfast city center as there are loads and loads of shops with sales. Much better than the more limited choice in the retail parks.

Thanks. Might take a trip up tomorrow

Bluetonic · 29-12-2008 07:28PM

acalmenvoy wrote: »

Not gonna last though, party while you can...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ao4uwSKIRHc8&refer=home

Thats great, Bloomberg make it sound so simple don't they.

Short eur/gbp and by the end of year 2009 you'll have made 14% gains.

Oh dear.

DublinWriter · 29-12-2008 07:49PM

Bluetonic wrote: »

Thats great, Bloomberg make it sound so simple don't they.

It became clear upon reading the full article that they had polled a selection of turkeys on the merits of Christmas.

Meself? I'll be up to Newry tomorrow for the big-shop. Hopefully it won't be as mad as I saw it just before Xmas.

There will also be a 52" Sony LCD in Belfast with my name on it when (not if!) we reach parity.

We used to go to Tesco in the Republic at least twice a week. We hardly ever go there now. Obviously this had set off alarm bells in Tesco ROI ClubCard HQ as just before Xmas we received 30% off vouchers for any purchase at any Tesco in the ROI for each of the four weeks leading up to Xmas.

Perhaps Cowen & Co will by now have learned that the way to stimulate a flagging economy is not to increase VAT and income tax.

dbentham · 29-12-2008 07:54PM

Just reserved a a Hoover (VHC381) sensor-controlled tumble drier in Currys Lisburn for £249.
Same model down here is Eur449 in Littlewoods

Hope to pick up some more stuff tomorrow up there as well such as a bed for the spare room. Any suggestions? I'm trying to avoid Newry itself for traffic reasons.

pahadia · 29-12-2008 08:11PM

Folks,
I'll be heading to IKEA Belfast this weekend. I am wondering if anybody knows if there is SMYTHS or Mothercare near by ?

contact23 · 29-12-2008 08:33PM

pahadia wrote: »

Folks,
I'll be heading to IKEA Belfast this weekend. I am wondering if anybody knows if there is SMYTHS or Mothercare near by ?

no offence to this poster....but i feel a frenzy in the air...only wish i had a shop in newry.. could sell any f+++ing thing!

sdanseo · 29-12-2008 08:46PM

Just back from Newry, Lisburn and Sprucefield with the auld fella and while he loaded up I was a little dissapointed with the selection; but the prices were generally great and in some cases exceptional. Plenty of cheap booze, and Dad got a Wireless all-in-one printer that was something like 40% of what Harvey's down here were asking.

Wewere both dissapointed at the range of stock left - almost everything desirable was sold out at Curry's in Newry and Sprucefield. The exception seemed to be TV's which *looked* to be inplentiful supply but then we weren't looking as we both took advantage of sales down here last year for that.

Wanted to buy myself something but as I had really only gone to tag along and not to blow the christmas loot I came back empty handed myself bar some perfume for my mam - which was fantastic value in boots, considerably cheaper than here.

The exchange rates:

Curry's Newry 0.85p = €1
Curry's Sprucefield 0.86p = €1
Sainsbury's Sprucefield - not sure, going to check receipt to see if it's there.

Bottom line: for the booze and electronics value seems to be good, fantastically so on the odd item (Dad had priced his printer at €329 here, bought for £123; followed by a laptop which was €1299 here and Curry's wanted £780 odd). The selection though is poor at the moment, a lot of stuff is out of stock. The exchange rates offered in Currys at least was poor so use the Credit Card there. My advice to anyone looking to go would be to wait a week or so for stock levels to go back up after the rush; the exchange rate is only going to improve.

Last but not least, traffic was not a problem. A 15-20 minute hold-up just after crossing the border on the way up caused by roadworks was the only complaint, it moved 4km in the 20mins and wasn't repeated on the way back. The A1 to be honest is in bits, but that didn't adversely affect in any way.

50/50 in Newry Southern/Northeren Reg's btw.

pahadia wrote: »

Folks,
I'll be heading to IKEA Belfast this weekend. I am wondering if anybody knows if there is SMYTHS or Mothercare near by ?

There's a Smyths Toys in Newry, and a Toys-R-Us in Sprucefield. Both are just off the A1 on the way up to Belfast.

dreamer_ire · 29-12-2008 10:32PM

pahadia wrote: »

Folks,
I'll be heading to IKEA Belfast this weekend. I am wondering if anybody knows if there is SMYTHS or Mothercare near by ?

There is a Smyths at the Forestside shopping centre which is on the A55 (the ring road round Belfast that brings you to Ikea)

dreamer_ire · 29-12-2008 10:39PM

Anyone know what rate Jessops in Newry are giving for the euro?

alowe · 29-12-2008 11:14PM

Well, did my Ikea shop today

Left Dublin (M50 tallaght/templogue exit) at around 8.15, and arrived in ikea at 10.30 - driving slower than normal because we had a trailer. Absolutely no hold-ups at all. Ikea had people, but not rammed. Their sale as usual was fairly crap, but I got what I wanted, which of course is the main thing! Left there by 2.30pm, and at that stage the restaurant was teaming with people .... headed to Sainsbury's across the way, and had a very enjoyable shop! Shelves were all still stocked, could even get half priced christmas puddings! Got a load of kids' clothes at half price - much better value than the next sale, and it was all very pleasant having space to look through the sale items. After packing the car to the brim and leaving a very snug space for my poor husband in the back .... we headed to the outlet. We hit there around 5pm, and again although the car park had a lot of cars, very pleasant shopping to be had. A few of the shops were advertising a € for £ - but no shops that interested me. We just went to Jaeger and Golfino, and got a few great bargains (dad got a t-shirt from £60 reduced to £12, I got trousers from £120 reduced to £20). We then headed on our merry way home at 6pm - but unfortuently my father made a wrong exit at a roundabout in Newry, and rather than turning back, we decided to drive through Newry. I should have known, but wasn't thinking straight .... so we hit the queue up the hill out of newry. Took us 45 minutes to get through Newry, which should otherwise have only taken 10mins max .....

Lot of southern reg cars .... lot of roofboxes!

Am very glad I headed up, and extrememly happy with my purchases (ikea couch .... here I come!). Traffic not nearly as bad as i thought it might be.

Hope the above is helpful to someone - as most of the other posts on this thread have helped me ....

jister · 29-12-2008 11:42PM

Do I need to bring a couple of £1 coins for the trollies or how do they work?

andyeire · 29-12-2008 11:49PM

jister wrote: »

Do I need to bring a couple of £1 coins for the trollies or how do they work?

Asda in Enniskillen doesn't need them

sdanseo · 30-12-2008 12:14AM

andyeire wrote: »

Asda in Enniskillen doesn't need them

neither does Sainsbury's in Lisburn - Sprucefield.

Meathlass · 30-12-2008 01:04AM

I was in Belfast and Sprucefield in early December and don't regret it for a second. I was in Cork this afternoon checking out the sales. Lots of the British flagship stores eg. Oasis, River Island, Coast have cut off or covered up their sterling prices. They are at least offering an extra 10% off because of the sterling differential. Monsoon though still blantly display both prices. I was in my local tesco in Clonmel for the first time since before Christmas last night. I noticed a number of increases on products I normally buy:
Impulse deorderant was 3.59, now 4.09.
Walkers crisps was 1.69, now 1.99
7up 2 lts was 1.99, now 2.09

So while the retailers are trumpeting the lower prices of milk, bread and half price on beer they are with the other hand steadily rising the price of everything else. Luckily I stocked up on all of the above in Belfast. We are certainly being screwed.

Gazza22 · 30-12-2008 02:39AM

Another great day of shopping in Lisburn & Newry today although i must say i was disappointed with Sainbury's exchange rate today @ 89P to the €. Even though the official rate was 97P today. I was hoping for £ = €

Considering two weeks ago when the official rate was 85P, they were offering 90P

30-12-2008 03:01AM

Gazza22 wrote: »

Another great day of shopping in Lisburn & Newry today although i must say i was disappointed with Sainbury's exchange rate today @ 89P to the €. Even though the official rate was 97P today. I was hoping for £ = €

Considering two weeks ago when the official rate was 85P, they were offering 90P

A lot of places not giving the rate now that Xmas is over :rolleyes:, wonder what will happen when the Euro hits £1.

parsi · 30-12-2008 09:47AM

alowe wrote: »

Well, did my Ikea shop today

Ikea are another cute-whoor organisation and are rife with pricing differentials based on markets. But they don't make the mistake of printing multi-currency labels so it's not noticable. It would be an interesting exercise to compare their UK prices with their French prices (for instance) or their Irish prices when Ikea Dublin finally opens.

alowe · 30-12-2008 09:58AM

parsi wrote: »

Ikea are another cute-whoor organisation and are rife with pricing differentials based on markets. But they don't make the mistake of printing multi-currency labels so it's not noticable. It would be an interesting exercise to compare their UK prices with their French prices (for instance) or their Irish prices when Ikea Dublin finally opens.

I did this previously, as I was visiting Ikea in Both Brussels and Denmark (dont' ask, am serious Ikea addict!!!). Anyway, prices were cheaper in Brussels than Copenhagen - both in Euro! Couldnt' understand properly, as Sweden was only a short drive away.

I think it'll depend on what rate the £ is whether its still worthwhile doing the trek up north.

Oh, another spectacular saving I made ... still can't quite believe this one! The game DVD Scene It of Harry Potter, which we priced in H*mleys at €49 3 days ago, I got for £6.97 in Sainsburys .....

dublad23 · 30-12-2008 10:31AM

sdonn_1 wrote: »

The exchange rates:

Curry's Newry 0.85p = €1
Curry's Sprucefield 0.86p = €1
Sainsbury's Sprucefield - not sure, going to check receipt to see if it's there.
.

Typo I hope!

Considering €1 = £0.97p

Shopping in Northern Ireland

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