CURRYS - Now open in Sligo

andyr

JIZZLORD wrote:

you would expect something like hmv.

Yeah. that would be good.

JIZZLORD wrote:

For a town to continually new blood is needed and not all of it has to be multiples, sligo has been stagnant for too long

Yes, its trying to get City status isn't it? or has it? - I am not sure but i keep seeing these signs saying 'Gateway City project' - so is it a Town or Schitty???

Andy.

andyr

Gillie wrote:

I was doing my Xmas shopping today and got nearly everything in the Quayside.

blimey how d'ye do that! - mind you there are a couple of 2. Euro shops in there;)

Gillie wrote:

On another note does anyone know what's happening behind the Clarence Hotel? There is construction going on at present!

Knowing Sligo Town its more than likely going to be another shoe /footware shop or clothes shop or arty farty café / restaurant. - Please remind me how many shoe shops, designer clothes shops, cafés, and mobile phone shops can a little town like Sligo pack in? - its a bugger for someone like me who cannot stand clothes shopping what a waste of shop premises. And how exciting <yawns!>

vesp

andyr wrote:

What is the most you will have out of town? A large Tesco an ARGOS and an ALDI maybe and then the existing up at the retail park thats it you are not going to get shoes or clothes shops or butchers or other shops up there. They can stay in the town.

And you say about population. if they put enough good shops in Sligo they will have a high catchment area of Customers in Sligo and well outside from Sligo as well so its all good.

Castlebar and Galway and Athlone have expanded well now - does anyone know if the Towns has got any less busier than before the Out of Town shopping places came on the scene?

The ARGOS in Athlone is in the town centre, not on a green field site two or three miles away. Same in Limerick etc. There are already what ...9 or 10 big shops in Carraroe. Lessons have been learnt by the planners from looking at cities in all other western countries. If you allow all sorts of shops to set up in Carraroe or anywhere else in the countryside 3 miles from the town centre it is going to be worse than bungalow bliss. You do not want the place to be a mini version of Los Angeles, but without the weather and roads. L.A. has no real centre, just sprawl everywhere.

There are plenty of places within the County Dev. plan for businesses to set up in Sligo.....brown field sites etc. What the authorities need to do is improve the traffic and parking in Sligo.

andyr

vesp wrote:

The ARGOS in Athlone is in the town centre, not on a green field site two or three miles away. Same in Limerick etc. There are already what ...9 or 10 big shops in Carraroe. Lessons have been learnt by the planners from looking at cities in all other western countries. If you allow all sorts of shops to set up in Carraroe or anywhere else in the countryside 3 miles from the town centre it is going to be worse than bungalow bliss. You do not want the place to be a mini version of Los Angeles, but without the weather and roads. L.A. has no real centre, just sprawl everywhere.

There are plenty of places within the County Dev. plan for businesses to set up in Sligo.....brown field sites etc. What the authorities need to do is improve the traffic and parking in Sligo.

It sounds like there is no persuading you that out of town retail parks are a good idea and the future of shopping so i wont even try to but for years Sligo have known about the tight access for delivery lorries and the parking problems but what has been done in the centre of town? sweet FA but they still insist on building more shops though and forget about widening the roads in the town centre. These one way systems and pedestrianisation is not helping the matter and never will.

Face the facts Sligo town centre roads are too narrow for delivery trucks, too congested with traffic, not enough parking and not enough easy access in and out of town. How many years will people have to wait before they can pull down existing developments to widen the roads, make more parking spaces and easy access from the N- roads?

Whereas at the moment you have those wide open green spaces from the Carraroe roundabout up to the town, good access from the N4 Dublin road, not congesting Sligo town any more than it is already now.

I think what people don't consider is that as these places are being demolished and built in the town and roads being mucked about causes more congestion as the building work is going on and tough for big builders lorries to get into places, dirt and dust and not nice for people doing there existing shopping there whilst building work is going on.

However, if they build some places up at Carraroe you imagine how little impact that will have on people shopping in the town centre already. Up at carraroe the buildings will go up really quickly, be built from scratch, will be very accessible for the building/construction people from the N4 Dublin road and they wont even have to upset the town centre. Can you not see that.

Where do you think logically could an ARGOS store (and remember it was going to be a big Extra Store not just one of their ordinary size stores) where on earth could that 'fit' in the Town centre? - at a push maybe down at Cleeveragh retail park but even then some of the roads around there are quite a bit tight and unaccessible for big delivery lorries (especially down there is a lot of residential houses and parking!)

I think I read that the Sligo CoC wanted Argos to set up store down by the Quayside SC or Johnston's Court - realistically without pulling down quite a lot of buildings and widening some of the roads around there I cant see how they could fit a store in there and how easy will it be for large delivery lorries to get from the new Bypass / inner relief road down to those areas?

Andy.

andyr

vesp wrote:

The ARGOS in Athlone is in the town centre, not on a green field site two or three miles away.

The last time I went to Athlone Town ARGOS was not in the Town Centre it was in the Golden Isle Retail Park (or has it moved?). Admittedly thats not 3 miles away from the Town Centre but neither is Carroroe (or where the Retail park is) 3 miles away from Sligo town centre is it?

Andy.

vesp

When I was in Athlone (if I remember correctly) and Enniskillen and Limerick ARGOS was within the pedestrian zone / easy walking distance of the rest of the shops.

vesp

andyr wrote:

It sounds like there is no persuading you that out of town retail parks are a good idea and the future of shopping so i wont even try to

Wrong again. I never said they are not a good idea. They are fine for certain types of goods. Sligo already has "out of town retail parks" - look at Carraroe ( 9 or 10 large shops probably ) , Duncans island, Cleveragh ( shops built....apart from the one toy shop where are the tenants / customers ? )

andyr

vesp wrote:

When I was in Athlone (if I remember correctly) and Enniskillen and Limerick ARGOS was within the pedestrian zone / easy walking distance of the rest of the shops.

Last week I walked from Carraroe Retail Park to the town centre. 10 minutes is all it took.

andyr

vesp wrote:

Wrong again. I never said they are not a good idea. They are fine for certain types of goods. Sligo already has "out of town retail parks" - look at Carraroe ( 9 or 10 large shops probably ) , Duncans island, Cleveragh ( shops built....apart from the one toy shop where are the tenants / customers ? )

Oh, sorry I got it wrong, I the Idea you thought it was a good Idea to start developing in Sligo town centre rather than the out of town developments and was in favour of the plan drawn up.

Duncan's Island - cant remember the last time I was down there - well out of the way and not my kind of shops. Cleeveragh 1 toy shop and nothing else what a waste.

IMO Carraroe Retail Park is the best thing about Sligo now - its getting good shops but it needs restrictions lifted and more to be built (mainly in my view ARGOS, ALDI & Big Tesco) and no it would not stop me personally still going into the town centre if all that lot were up there.

(BTW) how can you even call those other places Retail parks in Sligo! - your view of a retail park and my view of a retail park are two different things. I don't even call cleeveragh a Retail Park (although they do).

Gillie

andyr wrote:

Yeah. that would be good.



Yes, its trying to get City status isn't it? or has it? - I am not sure but i keep seeing these signs saying 'Gateway City project' - so is it a Town or Schitty???

Andy.

Thats a funny one. If you read the local papers it could have "...planned for city centre..." on the front page but on Page three you would see "...attacked in town centre...".

The prerequisites generally are:
-University
-Cathedral (sp?)
-Population

Now Sligo has a damn fine IT here where they have been pushing for Uni status. As it stands they are a Higher Institute of Technology - lets keep the laughter down here - so it is S.H.I.T.:rolleyes:

We also have a Cathedral (still not sure if that's spelt right!).

Finally. The population of Sligo is 18000 approx.
Sure it's not as big as Galway (57000) or Limerick (67000) but it sure is bigger than Killkenny City (8500).

IMO it's a city but some ppl would argue against that.

And Jizz... was spot on about HMV.
Hopefully they will open in the new Mall in March.

TBH. Tesco have all the latest CD's and are a fraction of the price of the Music shop's here in Sligo!

Gillie

vesp wrote:

There are plenty of places within the County Dev. plan for businesses to set up in Sligo.....brown field sites etc.

There is some confusion here. The issue that was raised was as follows:
Argos, Aldi etc. have been refused PP because they might shake things up a bit. Plain and simple. They have their arses covered with the Development plan but i don't buy the reasoning for a second!

See the following link for the argos saga. I will say that the following contains names of actual ppl involved in the saga. One person in particular felt he was singled out at the time of the controversy.
I have my own opinions on this. What do ya'll think?

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2005/09/21/story24794.asp

What the authorities need to do is improve the traffic and parking in Sligo.

How exactly? Not being smart here but they have done all they can do with the traffic situation. That is the BEST it'll ever be in the centre of Sligo.

They do need more parking though!

SprostonGreen

Gillie wrote:

Thats a funny one. If you read the local papers it could have "...planned for city centre..." on the front page but on Page three you would see "...attacked in town centre...".

The prerequisites generally are:
-University
-Cathedral (sp?)
-Population

Now Sligo has a damn fine IT here where they have been pushing for Uni status. As it stands they are a Higher Institute of Technology - lets keep the laughter down here - so it is S.H.I.T.:rolleyes:

We also have a Cathedral (still not sure if that's spelt right!).

Finally. The population of Sligo is 18000 approx.
Sure it's not as big as Galway (57000) or Limerick (67000) but it sure is bigger than Killkenny City (8500).

IMO it's a city but some ppl would argue against that.

I think the population is around 27000, also St. Angela's is a University but it might be outside the borough boundary.

Gillie

SprostonGreen wrote:

I think the population is around 27000, also St. Angela's is a University but it might be outside the borough boundary.

Actually its probably in Leitrim!
If its 27000 then it must have shot up in the last few years!

SprostonGreen

Gillie wrote:

If its 27000 then it must have shot up in the last few years!

Hasnt everywhere?!:p

Gillie

Da

I mean yeah.

andyr

Gillie wrote:

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2005/09/21/story24794.asp

sligo weekender wrote:

13/9/05: Argos issues a statement saying they will pull out of their proposals to set up a store in Sligo unless Sligo Chamber of Commerce withdraw their An Bord Pleanala appeal immediately.

That was a crucial time for the SCoC to withdraw their objection. I know it was a threat from argos but they were most probably getting so fed up with objections by this time can you blame them for pulling out altogether?

I remember the time when Homebase was delayed and put on hold because of objections and now look they have been there all this time and everyone is getting on fine.They, I cant remember if it was ScoC or Richard Lyons, said that the roundabout was illegal at the Retail park as well. I don't know what all that was about but it seemed to fizzle out. Petty arguments by adults but with all the bickering its worse than a school playground!

Planning permissions area funny old thing- anyone remember that Ocean FM's building/studio in collooney got planning permission as a warehouse only and not a broadcasting studio? I never heard no more about it but obviously it must of got sorted out. But how is there different rules for different people?

I remember years ago people up in arms and in the papers about mobile phone masts being set up in their areas - guess what I bet a lot if not all them people that complained then all own a mobile phone now these days!

And if Argos opened up a store up at carraroe you would more than likely get the members of the SCoC and their families and friends and anyone else who objects /objected in the past will shop in there - i reckon i could guarantee it!

vesp

andyr wrote:

Last week I walked from Carraroe Retail Park to the town centre. 10 minutes is all it took.

LOL LOL Whatever credibility you have is now gone. If you can walk from the shops in Carraroe to the centre of Sligo town in 10 minutes you were walking at over 12 miles per hour. Fact. You should be in the Guinness book of records.

andyr

vesp wrote:

LOL LOL Whatever credibility you have is now gone. If you can walk from the shops in Carraroe to the centre of Sligo town in 10 minutes you were walking at over 12 miles per hour. Fact. You should be in the Guinness book of records.

I was, and I am

alright I put up my hands, it was around 10 minutes

vesp

,ore like 45 minutes you mean. You must be the only person to have admitted walking it. Tis half way between Ballisodare and Sligo for **** sake.

vesp

SprostonGreen wrote:

I think the population is around 27000, also St. Angela's is a University but it might be outside the borough boundary.

LOL. The population of Sligo is 18,000. The population of Carraroe, several miles from Sligo and where the new retail park is, comprises of bungalow bliss ribbon development along a few roads - population measured in hundreds at max.
St. Angela may offer a degree course in home economics now but thats about all it offers.

andyr

vesp wrote:

,ore like 45 minutes you mean. You must be the only person to have admitted walking it. Tis half way between Ballisodare and Sligo for **** sake.

Rubbish. I can do it 25 minutes max even using my zimmerframe

its only up by glynns garden centre/filling station - I dont know what ye are on about half way between Ballisodare and Sligo for!

So anyway you dont admit to walking it but you are an expert how long it takes?

vesp

N.B. Most of the creatures who live within say a mile and a half radius of St. Angelas, like most of the creatures who live within say a mile radius of carraroe retail park, would be sheep and cattle. You can call St. Angela's a University lol "but it might be outside the borough boundary" lol

vesp

andyr wrote:

Rubbish. I can do it 25 minutes max even using my zimmerframe

What size engine do you have on your zimmerframe ? Maybe the Carraroe retail park has moved if its up by glynns garden centre/filling station now - last time I was there ...last time I was there it took about 5 minutes by car to get from glynnes to the actual door of currys.

andyr

vesp wrote:

What size engine do you have on your zimmerframe ? Maybe the Carraroe retail park has moved if its up by glynns garden centre/filling station now - last time I was there ...last time I was there it took about 5 minutes by car to get from glynnes to the actual door of currys.

what a load of spectacles (ballbags) - if your in yer tractor it will take 5 minutes

vesp

Sez the person who can walk two and a half miles in ten minutes. Same as walking Rathfarnham to the Liffey in Dublin city centre in 20 minutes. You should be in the Olympics.:rolleyes:

muffler

andyr and vesp. I haven't a clue how far it is from A to B or how long it would take to walk it but I think you both have had your say on this matter now so it would be much better if someone would just get out a road map and state the distance and forget about the athleticism of of the hard Sligo bodies.

Can we get back on topic here lads. Some very interesting points have been raised and it would be a shame to spoil a good thread arguing over the point mentioned above.

Gillie

Well said muffler.
Its about 20-25 minute walk.

With regard to population in Carraroe. You have to consider the estates in the vicinity:
Cairns Hill (Three estates up there)
Knocknagany, Crozon, and a new estate gone up behind the Retail Park.
There is also every one in the city centre who would visit the retail park on a very regular basis. Not to mention outsiders up for a days shopping.

Point is that there is more than enough justification for Argos, Tesco and Aldi to open there.
But - Justification x Smallmindedness + Protectionism = Planning Refusal!

vesp

muffler wrote:

if someone would just get out a road map and state the distance and forget about the athleticism of of the hard Sligo bodies.

It is 2 and a half miles from the doors of the shops in the Carraroe retail park to O'Connel St, the main St. in Sligo.

To put that in context, good brisk walking is usually between 3 and 4 miles per hour.

andyr

muffler wrote:

andyr and vesp. I haven't a clue how far it is from A to B or how long it would take to walk it but I think you both have had your say on this matter now so it would be much better if someone would just get out a road map and state the distance and forget about the athleticism of of the hard Sligo bodies.

Can we get back on topic here lads. Some very interesting points have been raised and it would be a shame to spoil a good thread arguing over the point mentioned above.

Very sorry about the spats but I did say 25 minutes max - I don't know about miles I will put my free Kellogg's digital pedometer on next time and check.

Andy.

andyr

Gillie wrote:

Point is that there is more than enough justification for Argos, Tesco and Aldi to open there.
But - Justification x Smallmindedness + Protectionism = Planning Refusal!

Which comes really from the ones on the committees who have shops and other premises in the town. - if they would have give the Public the choice (after all its us who spend the money in the shops!) then there would have been an ARGOS and ALDI in Sligo ages ago and we wouldn't be having this debate now.

How many (If any) general public would have launched an appeal to refuse them shops setting up there, even if there was a plan put in place to only sell certain goods?

Andy.