Shopping in Northern Ireland

Saw several shops last week offering euro to stg.

reubenreuben wrote: »

Do you have location of the shops, newry etc?

Enniskillen and the way there.

VincePP wrote: »

Not a chance in hell of Euro/sterling going anywhere near 90p let alone over 90p.

Financial currency commentary is saying a worst case scenario is 85-86p. Whilst marlets called the result wrong, they were quite correct in their predictions if the result was leave - most were saying sterling would move to 82p-85p range immediately.

As a frequent traveller to Ballycastle, sterling would need to be over 90p to make it worth planning shopping as part of the journey.

It's notoriously difficult to predict short-term changes in exchange rates, which is why I try to avoid it.

The fall overnight could just be a trading anomaly, or it could be taken as negative sentiment.

It's at 90 pence now, approx.

Either way, where will it be in 2017? I don't know.

BOE reporting a "flash crash" overnight. Anybody planning a new motor?

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/1007/822100-sterling-dives-to-31-year-low-on-hard-brexit-fears/

Decent booze deals in Tesco...

£15
Smirnoff Red Label Vodka 1 Litre
Gordon's Special Dry London Gin 1L
Whyte And Mackay Scotch Whisky 1L
Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold 1 Litre
Captain Morgan White Rum 1 Litre
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey 70Cl

Asda in Enniskillen offering 89.6 pence today for euro notes.

Is their much of a difference between Tesco Superstore and Tesco Extra in Banbridge as regards what they stock? Also, is it possible to click and collect with a ROI credit card and billing address?

I made the trip up north yesterday out of south Dublin - M11/M50 area.

Time to travel - Approx. 2 hours to Banbridge, at a relaxed 100km/h, with a short stop in Castlebellingham Services
(speed limit on M1/N1/A1 is 120km/h)

Banbridge shopping:
I enjoyed The Outlet, as I was primarily clothes shopping for myself. There's a fair selection of shops, including Next, M&S, Gap, Nike and so on. There's a handful of food places too, but mostly coffee shop type offerings, with a McDonald's drive thru in the car park. There is a cinema on site too, but you don't drive that distance to go to the cinema. After that, head across the car park to Tesco Extra to do food/booze/anything else shopping. I didn't buy much here, as I was planning on heading back down to Newry next.

Newry shopping:
Parked in Buttercrane, and started by walking the few minutes into the main street of Newry itself. Really, unless you have a reason to do so - don't. The place is rather dull. I went into Superdrug for a couple of bits (that I realistically could have picked up in Boots in Butercrane) and that was it.

You would be better off going to the complex just up from Buttercrane, which has a Savers, Poundstretcher, B&M, TK Maxx, Argos etc. I picked up a few bits in Savers and B&M, but they were nothing too special really - you may find something, or you may not.

Back in Buttercrane I found not that much of interest. There's a couple of your usual suspects - Poundland, Dunnes, Penneys, but I didn't go north to shop in them. I did get a necklace in Warren James at a good price (note - if you are buying as a gift, nice packaging costs extra, but their starting prices are really good value too), and a dress in one of the smaller clothing shops. After that I went across to The Quays.

The Quays are currently building in the car park, so a lot of the spaces are shut down. Be aware of that if you do choose to go at a busier time. Inside there are a handful of places that may be of interest. Sports Direct have a shop there, but I found it rather soulless and not that interesting. There seems to be an eclectic mix of everything clothing related in there now, but you might find something worthwhile. H&M's store was nice, but looking at the tags, the exchange rate they are using isn't that far off. I saw a top priced £24.99/€29.99, so you would be buying because you liked it, and not that it was an unmissable bargain.

The offers in Sainsbury's were not great, and having been in Tesco earlier in the day, the Tesco prices are better on booze at the moment (offers change regularly though, YMMV). There is now a Tesco Extra in Newry too, so it is easy to shop around between them (exit The Quays car park where you came in, go right, follow the signs for A1/A28. It's on the left).

Back in Tesco I did get around to buying drink. They are currently doing buy 6 bottles of wine and save 25% (some exclusions and minimum bottle prices apply). I got 3 Rose, 2 White, 1 Cava (prices from 4.50 to 6.00) for 24.11 (was 32.15), John Smiths 18 pack for £13, and a 6 bottle selection of ale for £8.

Exchange rates:
I used my debit card (€1-£0.88 ish), but a lot of shops in Buttercrane were doing €1-£0.90. The saving of a couple of pound was not worth having to carry a lot of cash, so I am not too concerned there. There is every chance, though, of the exchange rates going further in favour of the Euro, so I would not be surprised if parity, or almost parity is offered soon.

Verdict:
In most cases, I would say you would be served well more by going to Banbridge, as I think the selection and prices make it more worthwhile, especially if you are hitting there, Tesco, and the road south. If you are making a day of it, Newry would offer somewhere to stop and get a bite to eat that isn't a coffee shop sandwich, with the benefit that you can swing around to Tesco at the end of the trip in order to load up, particularly if you are considering chilled products as part of your shop.

Small notes:
** Petrol cost in a 1.4 note was €25, with tolls an additional €8.
** The Wednesday (lunchtime arrival) in The Outlet Banbridge led to the place being very quiet, both for locals and southerners. I was advised that weekends can be bedlam though, particularly the closer you get to Christmas.
** Parking in the centres in Newry is £1 for 2 hours, with The Quays offering 2 hours free with £10 purchase in Sainsbury's

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Never knew they had opened a Tesco in Newry, had a search, it's located here, I presume 24 hour opening doesn't apply to alcohol sales...

https://www.google.ie/maps/@54.1828734,-6.3324944,3a,75y,249.24h,87.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWyC-Qzv0Vu12uTvPcioWOw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

http://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk/?bID=5031

It's a nice one in Newry. Massive car park underneath, and yes, alcohol sales are licenced hours only.

Drucilla07 wrote: »

Hi guys I'm travelling to Belfast for the first time ever with my husband and new baby. We are looking to get some bargains for the baby and for Christmas - any suggestions gratefully appreciated . I've looked up waterwipes and they are the same if not more expensive . Anyone know of anything in particular we should stock up on ?
Thanks

Not for the baby but alcohol, in particular spirits and wine.

Just wait, there will be plenty of booze bargains in the run up to Christmas down South now.

Just this weekend I got a 70cl bottle of Martell cognac for E29 in Supervalu. It's usually E35/6

bladespin wrote: »

The duty alone will mean NI will always undercut prices on alcohol here. Most other things there's very little in it.

There is not much difference in duty anymore.

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

£20M Expansion. I think it was put on hold for a while but it's back on again.

http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2016-10-03/newry-set-for-major-shopping-boost/

Hopefully a multistory car park is part of the plans, otherwise it will become a complete nightmare with those spaces gone.

Crates of beer for £11, same here for €25(promotional price), I put it down to duty but maybe it's something else, wine is even cheaper for the ewuivalent, the savings are huge.

bladespin wrote: »

Crates of beer for £11, same here for €25(promotional price), I put it down to duty but maybe it's something else, wine is even cheaper for the ewuivalent, the savings are huge.

Distributor margins are the biggest difference for beer and wine; also supply chain price increases that will hit the UK haven't yet.

The UK marginally cut beer duty (very, very marginally) in recent years as a populist measure - had all the Tory supporting tabloids raving about how much it'd save their normal alcoholic readers; but its still very close to ours and was higher before sterling slumped. On >7.5% beer ours is lower.

Spirits duty is noticeably lower but that's it. The rest were near identical or higher before Sterling slumped.

Geuze wrote: »

Beer duty is higher in UK than Ireland.

Prices are lower due to more competition.

Is that still the case for higher alcohol percentages such as over 7%. I always find it difficult to find beer/cider with percentages over that level at a reasonable price here.
They always seem much more common and cheaper in the north, just check out sainsburys or tescos for instance to see the difference.

reubenreuben wrote: »

Is that still the case for higher alcohol percentages such as over 7%. I always find it difficult to find beer/cider with percentages over that level at a reasonable price here.
They always seem much more common and cheaper in the north, just check out sainsburys or tescos for instance to see the difference.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/excise/duties/excise-duty-rates.html


Spirits = 42.57 per litre of alcohol in the spirits

Beer, exceeding 2.8% volume = 22.55 per hectolitre per cent of alcohol in the beer

Wine - still, exceeding 5.5% volume but not exceeding 15% volume = 424.84 per hectolitre

I'm looking at heading to Newry on a Sunday. I always park in the Quays to go to Sainsburys. I understand that they only open at 1PM on a Sunday. Does anyone know at what time they open the car park? Thanks