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Does Ennis need another Shopping Centre?

Clareboy

I read in this week's Clare Champion that there are plans for a new shopping centre for the Clare Road in Ennis. I feel that Ennis needs a new shopping centre like it needs the proverbial ' hole in the head '. The streets of our county capital are littered with empty shop units and the town is surrounded by half finished and abandoned retail developements. This unviable and unnecessary project is going to cost €34 million to construct. I wonder where the money is going to come from. Borrowed from some bank no doubt. Of course the promoters of this project are crowing about the ' 200 new jobs'. What kind of jobs and jobs for whom - I would love to find out.

On Thursday Nov. 3rd, the promotors of the project are having a public exhibition at the Temple Gate. I think that the people of Ennis should go down there and tell them where to go with their shopping centre. Its this kind of reckless investment that has destroyed our economy. Enough is Enough! Will they ever Learn! There is absolutely no need or demand for any more retail developement in Ennis!

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roashter

No, it most definitely does not need a new shopping centre.

Hawk Wing 2

No, the town is well catered for, maybe if one of the other ones were relocating maybe

Shapey Fiend

Some people think the town is too jammed and it'd be better off having everything in retail parks half a mile out. I say the hell with that. These retail parks are really unfriendly for independent shops which is pretty much the main thing Ennis has going for itself now.

MyKeyG

Hawk Wing 2 wrote: »

No, the town is well catered for, maybe if one of the other ones were relocating maybe

Wasn't it in the horses mouth a few years ago that Tesco were going to relocate to the Clare road to encourage the expansion of the commercial town? To be honest I like them being side by side, if you can't find something in one you can check another.

If anything they should have built the Lidl/Aldi (I can't remember which one is across from Tesco) on the Clare road.

Clareman

Isn't it Tesco that are looking to move out? More to do with the fact that the place they are in now is falling apart than anything else.

Mrsbrady

its a pity that they cant try and come up with more initiatives to bring people in to the town and use the shops that are there at the moment and are struggling to stay afloat. then think about adding more shops/centres if they feel there's a need for them!!

Carry

The original article in the Clare Champion about this shopping centre:
http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7933:ennis-builder-says-shopping-centre-would-not-hit-town-&catid=63:business&Itemid=60

Now, I wouldn't be opposed as such against a new shopping centre around town - if it actually would improve the shopping opportunities in Ennis. I.e. a centre which could compete with Galway or Limerick and not with Ennis itself.

But another supermarket certainly isn't necessary, especially with the same old shops. Mr. Lynch is clearly hanging on to his original idea of an ever expanding town with even more rubbish shops (no offence to the existing ones). Tesco apparantly pulled out, maybe they could improve their existing shop? It's a badly managed shambles anyway.

The situation in town with so many empty shops is certainly not owed to big supermarkets. At least not in Ennis. We can thank greedy landlords and an even greedier CoCo for it. I truly miss some of the small shops which are closed by now. I always loved to browse around just to see what's on offer and to enjoy the diversity. In a small town it's a pleasure to discover little shops with things you never knew you needed...

So if you go and protest against this shopping centre, offer alternatives instead of naked opposition. That Lynch guy might see sense (though I doubt it with his investment and mindset) that not another same old same old is needed, but an innovative concept.

For example: I would like to see a centre with some Highstreet branches, maybe some inexpensive fashion shops, neither Pennys nor boutique-style, where you get good quality clothing (and decent woollen socks for the winter

). Or shops with household stuff, like good pure cotton bed linens or practical but trendy lamps&lights - and a big choice of all of it.

Just my two cents.

Sonz

Clareman wrote: »

Isn't it Tesco that are looking to move out? More to do with the fact that the place they are in now is falling apart than anything else.

That's exactly what i thought too.

PARKHEAD67

Tesco can build their "thing" if they want. Ill still go to aldi and lidl. German efficiency at German prices.

lab man

Carry wrote: »

The original article in the Clare Champion about this shopping centre:
http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7933:ennis-builder-says-shopping-centre-would-not-hit-town-&catid=63:business&Itemid=60

Now, I wouldn't be opposed as such against a new shopping centre around town - if it actually would improve the shopping opportunities in Ennis. I.e. a centre which could compete with Galway or Limerick and not with Ennis itself.

But another supermarket certainly isn't necessary, especially with the same old shops. Mr. Lynch is clearly hanging on to his original idea of an ever expanding town with even more rubbish shops (no offence to the existing ones). Tesco apparantly pulled out, maybe they could improve their existing shop? It's a badly managed shambles anyway.

The situation in town with so many empty shops is certainly not owed to big supermarkets. At least not in Ennis. We can thank greedy landlords and an even greedier CoCo for it. I truly miss some of the small shops which are closed by now. I always loved to browse around just to see what's on offer and to enjoy the diversity. In a small town it's a pleasure to discover little shops with things you never knew you needed...

So if you go and protest against this shopping centre, offer alternatives instead of naked opposition. That Lynch guy might see sense (though I doubt it with his investment and mindset) that not another same old same old is needed, but an innovative concept.

For example: I would like to see a centre with some Highstreet branches, maybe some inexpensive fashion shops, neither Pennys nor boutique-style, where you get good quality clothing (and decent woollen socks for the winter ). Or shops with household stuff, like good pure cotton bed linens or practical but trendy lamps&lights - and a big choice of all of it.

Just my two cents.

what about the likes of jimmy brohans the likes of this shop is the real ennis i think, tesco only want to get petrol pumps in etc, then the town is shagged for sure!!

PARKHEAD67

lab man wrote: »

what about the likes of jimmy brohans the likes of this shop is the real ennis i think, tesco only want to get petrol pumps in etc, then the town is shagged for sure!!

Exactly.The small shops would be decimated.

Carry

Rubbish.
Brohan's will survive because it's unique, as would other speciality shops, if they wouldn't be strangled by outrageous rents and such like.

You don't want to tell me that Tesco or, say, Debenhams, is competition for Brohan's or such like?

It's one thing to support the small and unique local business, but another thing to think beyond the shortsighted clannish planning.

A town like Ennis should try to grab business from the next big towns. And who of you doesn't go shopping in Limerick/Shannon/Galway? And why?
See.

There is no vision for the development of Ennis.
If I had a say, and I'm not a businesshead just a customer, I would support small individuell business in the town centre and big retail at the edge of town. People would rush to Ennis instead to Lim/Gal if there were any choice.

And I would support the pedestrianation of Ennis town centre, because small shops are worth browsing through, while shopping centres at the edge of town are purpose shopping. As a driver you just rush trough town in search of a parking space and miss a lot of exploring.

But apparantly there are no planners to think beyond the usual "20 jobs created".
It's about vision not about everyones backyard.

CptSternn

There are good arguments to be made on both sides here.

First, I think it will draw business from the town centre which will hurt the town.

Then again, as it has been said, who doesn't go to Limerick to shop these days anyway?

The problem is the Ennis town centre has everything working against it right now. Due to upwards only rent schemes empty shops will stay empty. You can't get a shop in town for a decent price, one that would be needed to keep a business open as the rent will kill you. I have a friend who is looking for a shop front and has told me many times that each time they go to speak with a realtor about getting a space they are told they cannot lower the rent as it is set. Small businesses have no chance affording the space currently empty in the town centre.

Add on to that high rates businesses pay and you now have priced all small businesses out of the town centre. Until these issues are addressed, there will be a lack of small businesses opening in Ennis and more will close.

At the same time the new shopping centre will be able to offer cheaper rent due to the fact they have just been built and can come in with a decent offer on rent. This might encourage new shops to open and then create a local market for things people usually travel to Limerick to buy. That would be good, but it would further along the death of the town centre.

At the end of the day the town centre is basically doomed since the local politicians are entrenched and refuse to do anything. To be fair, if they did try something and it failed they would be branded as the person who caused the mess, even though that is not true, but none of the local politicians wants to stick their neck out so they all just maintain the status quo to keep their respective jobs. It's sad, but until someone addresses the issues or the town elects someone willing to risk their political future to help the town nothing will happen.

I also still support the idea of pedastrianising the town. They should fill O'Connell street with paving stones like Parnell, make it a nice outdoor shopping area and try to attract bigger shops like Argos to the town. That would be my idea of hoe to help until they find a solution to the issues surrounding rent and rates.

I think a partial solution to the rates problem is already in the works - aren't they cutting the number of local politicians in Clare? That is a good start sure.

Lady Chatterton

I would love to see a decent shopping centre in Ennis but my main concern is that if you have lots of development in the outskirts of the town it might result in nothing happening in the centre.

Limerick has lots of great retail parks but the city centre is now empty on Saturday afternoons, it has completely lost its buzz and atmosphere, the place is souless. It is quite sad to see. I'd hate for Ennis go down the same road. Ennis used to be a great town, with some decent planning it could be again.

littlesthobo

There was an article recently in one of the Clare papers mentioning all the empty retail units in town. A plan should be devised to put to use what we have rather than building another development.Building a massive new Tesco will be of no benefit to Ennis and in the long term will do more harm than good.

Clareman

littlesthobo wrote: »

There was an article recently in one of the Clare papers mentioning all the empty retail units in town. A plan should be devised to put to use what we have rather than building another development.Building a massive new Tesco will be of no benefit to Ennis and in the long term will do more harm than good.

I don't know that building a new Tesco would be a bad thing, there's over 100 people working there at the moment, I was speaking to someone who works there and they told me the plan would be to move Penny's into where Tesco is now and open a Tesco Express where Penny's is, that would lead to a lot more jobs as well as more shopping options, Mrs. Clareman often goes into Penny's in the Crescent cause it's a lot better than the 1 in town.

Also, just look at things from Tesco's POV, they have a shop that's over 30 years old that's falling apart, with a car park that can barely cover staff parking as well as the fact that if there's a match in the Park you can't get near the place. Dunnes has recently been renovated, Tesco wants to do the same.

Sonz

Also if tesco did move, they would provide more stock rather than have to order online which has to come from Limerick.

Balagan

If the planned new shopping centre had a good big Tesco properly stocked, managed and run, (and with the same excellent check out staff) I'd be in favour of it. I don't think we need worry that other shops in the shopping centre would affect the Ennis town centre shops much for the simple reason that there wouldn't be any other shops there. Witness Coonagh. But if Tesco has pulled out of its plan to go that new site, then forget about it.

Battleflag

Sonz wrote: »

Also if tesco did move, they would provide more stock rather than have to order online which has to come from Limerick.

Online shopping for Clare comes from the Ennis store

Sonz

Strange... theres been stuff i've ordered online that hasn't been in tescos in ennis.

Callan57

I think it would absolutely destroy the town .... just look at the city centre in Limerick to see what would happen. Definitely the cost of & lack of parking needs to be addressed in Ennis but I'd be completely against another out of town shopping centre.

willow tree

yeah i asked the delivery guy and he said that the stuff comes from tesco limerick..maybe it depends which part of clare you are in?
also i was watching a documentary and it said that people think that shopping centres provide jobs but its been shown that they actually take jobs away from towns in the long run(the doc was talking a lot about tesco and how unethical it is).. interesting. i prefer to support local shops, thats the best way to occupy dame st as they say. they should be developing the town:)

littlesthobo

willow tree wrote: »

i was watching a documentary and it said that people think that shopping centres provide jobs but its been shown that they actually take jobs away from towns in the long run(the doc was talking a lot about tesco and how unethical it is).. interesting. i prefer to support local shops, thats the best way to occupy dame st as they say. they should be developing the town:)

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/the_tesco_takeover.pdf

Interesting article here along the same lines

littlesthobo

Clareman wrote: »

I don't know that building a new Tesco would be a bad thing, there's over 100 people working there at the moment, I was speaking to someone who works there and they told me the plan would be to move Penny's into where Tesco is now and open a Tesco Express where Penny's is, that would lead to a lot more jobs as well as more shopping options, Mrs. Clareman often goes into Penny's in the Crescent cause it's a lot better than the 1 in town.

Also, just look at things from Tesco's POV, they have a shop that's over 30 years old that's falling apart, with a car park that can barely cover staff parking as well as the fact that if there's a match in the Park you can't get near the place. Dunnes has recently been renovated, Tesco wants to do the same.

Agree with you on the parking situation, not about the jobs. See link in previous post regards the virtues of a new out of town Tesco, particularly the following

"Tesco claims to create more jobs but the figures do not add up. In 2004, UK small grocery shops had a turnover of around £21 billion and employed more than 500,000 whilst Tesco, with a £29bn turnover, employed just 250,000 people. As retail sales grow, retail jobs have not grown so fast."

willow tree

documentary on this very subject on rte right now, should be on rte player, so worth a watch.. interesting and sad

Lady Chatterton

willow tree wrote: »

documentary on this very subject on rte right now, should be on rte player, so worth a watch.. interesting and sad

Yeah, I've just been watching it, it was really interesting. For anyone who is interested, it is called "What's Ireland Eating", it should be up on the RTE Player shortly. The last 30 minutes was given over to the issue of supermarkets and how small towns and food producers are affected by them.

I do most of my shopping in Nenagh and approximately a year and a half ago Tesco opened a new Tesco Extra Store, since opening O'Connors Supermarket and Supervalu have closed and Dunnes never seems busy anymore. I loved Supervalu in Nenagh, they stocked lots of local produce but they just couldn't compete with Tesco, the same is true of O'Connors. Tesco is one of the few places in Nenagh that is doing a thriving trade now.

Balagan

There's a truly weird article/letter to the editor in today's Clare People from Seamus Lynch about the new development. According to him, there will be 'a foodstore' on the Clare road site and "a purpose built community building to house a much needed new library that will be handed to Ennis Town Council free of charge and a new office building for Michael Lynch Ltd." There are references to Tesco in this strange article/letter including a claim that the present Tesco will not be closing but absolutely nowhere does it state that the 'foodstore' will be Tesco. It states that there will be no individual retail units. It refers to this development as a 'District Centre'.

What the hell?

Clareman

I was trying to think of any indepentantly owned SuperMarkets in town and I can't, I don't mean O'Dowd's or somewhere like that, more somewhere you can do you weekly shop, like Hanrahan's or Knox's (gwad I'm old) use to offer

Lady Chatterton

Balagan wrote: »

There's a truly weird article/letter to the editor in today's Clare People from Seamus Lynch about the new development. According to him, there will be 'a foodstore' on the Clare road site and "a purpose built community building to house a much needed new library that will be handed to Ennis Town Council free of charge and a new office building for Michael Lynch Ltd." There are references to Tesco in this strange article/letter including a claim that the present Tesco will not be closing but absolutely nowhere does it state that the 'foodstore' will be Tesco. It states that there will be no individual retail units. It refers to this development as a 'District Centre'.

What the hell?

God, that reminds me of all the fun and games over the Post Office Field years ago.

Lady Chatterton

Clareman wrote: »

I was trying to think of any indepentantly owned SuperMarkets in town and I can't, I don't mean O'Dowd's or somewhere like that, more somewhere you can do you weekly shop, like Hanrahan's or Knox's (gwad I'm old) use to offer

In the documentary tonight, the presenter was making the point that large stores like Tesco Extra can adversely affect other businesses in a small town because of the massive range of extra products they offer for sale - computers, petrol, clothing, gardening products, stationery, flowers, toys etc.......