CURRYS - Now open in Sligo

il gatto

St. Angela's is much closer to Sligo town than the Leitrim border.It also teaches nursing and has a degree course in conjuntion with NUI Galway.(To be pedantic:D )
I don't think Sligo can consider itself a city until it provides a public toilet. Surely that should be some sort of a prerequisite?
I don't think the retail units on the edge of town affect the center of Sligo. As it is, the center of town has retained all clothes shopping, most luxury goods (except toys and electrical items), banking, entertainment and basically all services. If most of the retailers in Carraroe had to locate in the town center, they wouldn't have come at all. Where could Land of Leather, Reid Furniture, Halfords et al have gone in the town?
To attract shoppers from outside the immediate vicinity, a town needs these large chain stores. How many Sligo people have made their way to Enniskillen to go to Argos or Heatons or somewhere, and found themselves wandering down East Bridge and Church Street (the middle)If someone comes to visit Homebase or PC World, there's a good chance they'll make their way to down town for a look.
With towns like Athlone, Castlebar, Longford, Enniskillen etc. all overtaking Sligo for shopping a few years ago, at least Sligo is now competing.

Gillie

il gatto wrote:

I don't think Sligo can consider itself a city until it provides a public toilet. Surely that should be some sort of a prerequisite?

Agreed. But wait! Havn't we been here before?:rolleyes:

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2004/03/23/story17060.asp

SprostonGreen

vesp wrote:

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

Wtf is your problem?

You come across as having an attitude problem.

andyr

il gatto wrote:

St. Angela's is much closer to Sligo town than the Leitrim border.It also teaches nursing and has a degree course in conjuntion with NUI Galway.(To be pedantic:D )
I don't think Sligo can consider itself a city until it provides a public toilet. Surely that should be some sort of a prerequisite?
I don't think the retail units on the edge of town affect the center of Sligo. As it is, the center of town has retained all clothes shopping, most luxury goods (except toys and electrical items), banking, entertainment and basically all services. If most of the retailers in Carraroe had to locate in the town center, they wouldn't have come at all. Where could Land of Leather, Reid Furniture, Halfords et al have gone in the town?
To attract shoppers from outside the immediate vicinity, a town needs these large chain stores. How many Sligo people have made their way to Enniskillen to go to Argos or Heatons or somewhere, and found themselves wandering down East Bridge and Church Street (the middle)If someone comes to visit Homebase or PC World, there's a good chance they'll make their way to down town for a look.
With towns like Athlone, Castlebar, Longford, Enniskillen etc. all overtaking Sligo for shopping a few years ago, at least Sligo is now competing.

Your right in what you say. Its been a while since I have driven to Enniskillen (mainly because of the changeover in currency and the horrible roads to get there, I go the Manorhamiltion / Glenfarne way - full of bends!) but when I used to go up there I would take in Currys and Lidl then a bit down i would walk to a Poundstretchers store, then walk on to the ernside centre for Argos (the wife went shopping in ASDA in the Ernside to do some food shopping) whilst she was doing that I would walk from the Ernside right into the town centre and right up as far as Mcelwain Electricals and 'Breens' car accessory shop up the end of town.

I think you are right if people are down for the day out of the area they will take in Carraroe and the town centre of Sligo as well.

The ones that are objecting who have shops in the town are worried because these shops that do want to come in are such a size and part of a huge operation that they will be able to offer the customer a much better choice and have the facility of buying in the goods much cheaper which means they can afford to sell cheaper which also means the town shops in the centre cannot compete with the prices and the choice and them shops that have been there for years in the town centre folding because they cant compete and this is in fact what they are more afraid of happening than anything else.

So this old chestnut of 'oh you cannot set up there because of this environs plan that has been drawn up and you can only sell certain goods' is a great thing for them to fall back on when they need to lodge a complaint to An Bord Pleanála whereas in fact I reckon their interest is in saving shops that have been trading in Sligo for years rather than having these huge (mainly UK stores) coming in and taking over.

It may be good in there interests of saving there business but where do the paying customers stand when they want more choice and better value these days. Fine if you have a car and can travel to other towns that offer these shops. But what about for people who live nearby without transport or even people who want to spend their money in their home town?

Andy.

Gillie

andyr wrote:

So this old chestnut of 'oh you cannot set up there because of this environs plan that has been drawn up and you can only sell certain goods' is a great thing for them to fall back on when they need to lodge a complaint to An Bord Pleanála whereas in fact I reckon their interest is in saving shops that have been trading in Sligo for years rather than having these huge (mainly UK stores) coming in and taking over.

Those same local stores will still do business. Some people will remain loyal. Good luck to them.
Personally I want the choice!:cool:

On a somewhat related note - the Glasshouse opens for business this week.
For anyone who doesn't know this is a new hotel built on the site of the old Silver Swan - a popular hotel for years but it was a terrible eyesore!
(Some ppl might argue this new hotel is an eyesore!;) )

Anyway. A lot of ppl complained at the time and there was an opinion that it would not go ahead but it has and i'm glad.

It's now finished and by all accounts is an extremely plush and vibrant hotel offering fantastic views of the river and surrounding area.

Pictures are published in today's weekender!

Gillie

Actually just came across this.
Its the dreaded "Sligo and Environs Development Plan".
http://www.sligo.ie/Services/Planning/DevelopmentPlans/SligoandEnvirons/
There's a lot to it so it will take some time to read!

andyr

Gillie wrote:

Those same local stores will still do business. Some people will remain loyal. Good luck to them.
Personally I want the choice!:cool:

On a somewhat related note - the Glasshouse opens for business this week.
For anyone who doesn't know this is a new hotel built on the site of the old Silver Swan - a popular hotel for years but it was a terrible eyesore!
(Some ppl might argue this new hotel is an eyesore!;) )

Anyway. A lot of ppl complained at the time and there was an opinion that it would not go ahead but it has and i'm glad.

It's now finished and by all accounts is an extremely plush and vibrant hotel offering fantastic views of the river and surrounding area.

Pictures are published in today's weekender!

I don't know whether people have the same loyalty to shops now - the older generation may still have. But Younger people are going to want to go where the prices are the cheapest (or where there is value for money) and loads of choice and are not too bothered about the level of service they will get when they walk through the shops doors (the staff in the existing shops that have been going for years in Sligo seem to be very courteous and offer that old style of service).

If the Orange furniture is anything to go on what was being delivered to the new Glasshouse after it was built then Yuk!

And I am one of those ones that think its an eyesore and the design sticks out like a sore thumb in that location and dwarfed all the other fine buildings there it no with in keeping of the other building of the area and I don't know how it ever got planning permission.

Had it been placed in a different location then maybe it wouldn't look too bad.

Andy.

andyr

Gillie wrote:

Actually just came across this.
Its the dreaded "Sligo and Environs Development Plan".
http://www.sligo.ie/Services/Planning/DevelopmentPlans/SligoandEnvirons/
There's a lot to it so it will take some time to read!

Yes, I am gonna have a read as well. I bet there is a lot of 'banned' items (or similar) that are already on sale and have been on sale for ages up at the Retail Park. Thats what makes it all laughable with these conditions set out.

Andy.

elshambo

JIZZLORD wrote:

sligo can be a joke for shopping. for example, music shops. The record room and Third wave are great shops and i've found many gems in both but for a town of its size you would expect something like hmv. 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

The Record room is terrible, i was quite disapointed how bland Third wave's selection is, HMV were planning a sligo shop, not sure if it is going ahead now, internet is prob the place to buy anyhu, the real problem is the lack of decent gigs, a lot of blandness on offer at 12-15 quid a pop is not gonna get the crowds into see bands they dont know, E5-E8 on the door make your money on the bar, not rocket science!

Edit by muffler: And how is this related to the topic of Currys opened in Sligo?

elshambo you are new here and I will give you a little bit of advice only and leave it at that. You cant stray off topic (and I am coming to the other posters) and you most certainly cant go round pimping a band and their website. Read the threads in the newbie forum

Gillie

elshambo wrote:

ps. Im pretty sure the clarence is re-opening (someone asked somewhere on this thread)

I did. Jesus that's another Hotel!!!:eek:
With the Glasshouse just after opening they are going to have to work hard to compete!

peasant

re the "glasshouse"

Had a good look at it (from the outside) on Saturday and I do actually like the design. It is very striking but no too OTT.

But, jeepers, the build quality is appaling! Already the paint is flaking from the window frames and some of the panels are off colour.

Give that thing two-three years and it'll look rotten.

vesp

andyr wrote:

If the Orange furniture is anything to go on what was being delivered to the new Glasshouse after it was built then Yuk!

And I am one of those ones that think its an eyesore and the design sticks out like a sore thumb in that location and dwarfed all the other fine buildings there it no with in keeping of the other building of the area and I don't know how it ever got planning permission.

Had it been placed in a different location then maybe it wouldn't look too bad.

Glad we agree on something !
I don't know how it ever got planning permission.....the requirement for plot ratio in Sligo town centre is 2.5 In other words, go in to the planning office and if you have a site they will tell you the buildings on the site must be an average of two and a half stories over the area of the site. ( some may be 3 or even 4, buut in that case on the rest of the site some must be 0 or 1 or be 2 storey etc ). Money talks !

muffler

Now guys, you are old hands here and you should know whats what.

In fairness its probably near impossible to keep all the posts in every thread on topic and there is a bit of leeway given providing there is a link of some sort to the topic being discussed but the last couple of posts have gone completely off topic which isn't the way to post here.

By all means start a new thread if you feel that there is something different to be discussed but can we get back to the point as there are some good posts here

Gillie

Can we change the thread to "Development in Sligo"?
I feel there is a valid topic for discussion here
(not how long it takes to walk up Pearse road though!)

andyr

Gillie wrote:

Can we change the thread to "Development in Sligo"?
I feel there is a valid topic for discussion here
(not how long it takes to walk up Pearse road though!)

Yes you are quite right. - Right then where is the development in Sligo? - Where is the ARGOS, ALDI And TESCO Superstores? ...... and Heatons and EASONS whilst we are on the subject .

Anyway, I went in Currys today again had a lovely play with the Hi-Fi's trying them all out its cool - didn't buy anything though

You bloody get wet walking from one shop to another up at that retail park in Carraroe though because some bits have a shelter then it stops and you have another bit of shelter - the design is bad, they could have sheltered all in between shops so if its raining you can walk from one shop to the other without getting soaked.

I have an issue as well that there isn't a Public toilet of sorts up there. I use the HomeBase one if i am looking around at a few shops up there but I feel guilty especially if i don't end up buying something in HomeBase at that particular time.

The Cafe in the INSTORE shop doesn't appear to have a toilet which I am surprised at because I thought every establishment that served food had to have a toilet by law but maybe I am getting mixed up and that its just for the UK that they need to supply toilets. - Anyway I haven't tried it but maybe if you are eating in the INSTORE Cafe and you want to use a toilet maybe they will let you if you ask.

That retail park hasn't been open long but I am very surprised at the maintenance up there and the amount of people who have driven into the metal bollards in the car parking spaces (and driven into lamp posts and knocked them down!) and the amount of car Park lights that have been out of action for some time and not repaired or bulbs replaced.

Also judging by the fag buts outside HomeBase, PC World, Halfords on the pavement smoken by the staff of these stores mainly (Why don't the managers get the staff to smoke outside at the back of the premises where the deliveries are taken instead of out the front - it looks bad!) then looking at those fag buts at the entrances on the pavement it looks like there is no maintenance person going around sweeping the pavements up there either.

Andy.

gustavo

I suppose my one major gripe with the Retail Park is that there isnt an ATM up there , I am open to correction on that one though.

andyr

gustavo wrote:

I suppose my one major gripe with the Retail Park is that there isnt an ATM up there , I am open to correction on that one though.

I havent seen one either. Maybe it would pose a security problem?

vesp

andyr wrote:

I have an issue as well that there isn't a Public toilet of sorts up there.

There is not even one of them in the town either, a few miles away. The brilliant Borough Council is paying for one somewhere alright , a superloo, big bucks every year , but its in storage somewhere ! You could not make it up.

vesp

andyr wrote:

You bloody get wet walking from one shop to another up at that retail park in Carraroe though because some bits have a shelter then it stops and you have another bit of shelter - the design is bad, they could have sheltered all in between shops so if its raining you can walk from one shop to the other without getting soaked.

I agree 100 %. It is badly designed. It is also - for most people, esp. the elderly - not within walking distance of the town centre several miles away, or within walking distance of the KFC or Pizzahut, which are relatively located out on their own. Try walking to them on a wet windy day ( nearly any day this last few weeks ). Also, its too far to far from Currys in the retail Park to the shops at the other end....the shops should have been built in a U shape layout, not an L, to aid accessability and give shelter. Who designed the place anyway ?

andyr

vesp wrote:

I agree 100 %. It is badly designed. It is also - for most people, esp. the elderly - not within walking distance of the town centre several miles away, or within walking distance of the KFC or Pizzahut, which are relatively located out on their own. Try walking to them on a wet windy day ( nearly any day this last few weeks ). Also, its too far to far from Currys in the retail Park to the shops at the other end....the shops should have been built in a U shape layout, not an L, to aid accessability and give shelter. Who designed the place anyway ?

I drove up outside Currys the other day (windy/rainy day) to have another look around and had to get a specific Epson printer for someone. Saw one on the shelf but the sales bloke told me there was none in stock - then tried to fob me off with something completely different and a different make. No thanks I said I will check PC World and see if they got the particular one I was looking for. 'You wouldn't know if they have them in stock would you?' I said thinking that because they are part of the same group they might know or have a hotline to their store by phone or something. 'No you will have to go in and check the sales man said'.

So i walked out and it was really blustery and the rain was pelting and I thought shall I get in the car and drive over across to PC World? - it seemed so far in the distance but then I thought no don't be lazy I will walk it. But yes the way they are spaced out is silly up there. - I think some Donegal Businessman /firm originally planned and built that retail park wasn't it?

Anyway - the particular printer I had to get which Curry's were out of stock on, were in PC World there must have been 20 Boxes of the required Epson printer all stacked up on the shop floor so that was good.

On the subject of printers, talk about shop around though. I saw up in Homebase the other day about 10 of Lexmark Printer/ Scanner/Copier/fax machine at clearance price for 72.00 Euro from 102.00 Euro. All boxed brand new and everything. Took the model number and walked out next door to PC World and same model number same thing 149.00 Euro! - now imagine if you had just bought one of those out of PC World for 149.00 Euro and just popped into Homebase and saw it for 72.00 Euro that would make you pig sick wouldn't it.

Andy.

vesp

It pays to shop around allright. Homebase has a great selection very well displayed, but their prices are said by many to be higher than the smaller , old stores eg NCF. Hope I do not offend anyone there, I have no connection with that trade or any of the shops, and homebase must stock tens of thousands of lines, so price comparison is difficult. Still, I did notice that they are expensive ( apart from maybe the odd "loss leader" or special offer they advertise heavily )

andyr

vesp wrote:

It pays to shop around allright. Homebase has a great selection very well displayed, but their prices are said by many to be higher than the smaller , old stores eg NCF. Hope I do not offend anyone there, I have no connection with that trade or any of the shops, and homebase must stock tens of thousands of lines, so price comparison is difficult. Still, I did notice that they are expensive ( apart from maybe the odd "loss leader" or special offer they advertise heavily )

I don't know. Some things do seem expensive in HB and then again i have got some things cheaper than I might of other hardware places only a couple of things as comparison:

I got an outside Halogen Light with PIR sensor for 9.99.Euro - whereas down my local builders provider / DIY store it was 19.99, I got a piece of Perspex plastic Sheeting for 25.00 Euro where my local place wanted near on 50.00 Euro. The wife bought a 'cyclonic' bagless upright vac with all the attachments from HB recently for 70.00 Euro. A set of 3 halogen downlighters 9.99 Euro.

- None of that stuff was clearance or special offers that was the normal prices. So not really bad at all. - don't know about power tools don't use them/buy them. - Garden sheds not a bad price, plants shrubs trees seem dear from there. packets of Nails and screws seem dear. Showers about normal price I would say.

If anyone is looking for a cheap pack of 4 AA rechargeable batteries they have packets up there at 2.99 for a pack of four. It says its for the outside solar lights (what you have along the pathway) but these are standard AA Rechargeable batteries. They are only the Ni-Cad ones Not the longer lasting NI-MH ones but even so at 2.99 a pack still extremely good value - ideal for those Christmas toys!

I think the things I really like about Homebase is the choice, its light and warm in there in the winter everything is well laid out and displayed well and all items (well not all but most) priced. You get served pretty quick.

Whereas in a lot of other DIY stores you haven't got everything out on display and you have to ask for it, they are normally dingy places to shop and most of the stuff isn't priced and a lot of the stuff on the shelves are covered in dust! - if you have to ask someone in these other shops you are in luck if you are a mate of theirs or they know you but if not you are hanging around for ages to get served or just ask for a price on the blinking thing (after they have finished talking to their mates on the phone or at the counter you might get served!) - not naming names but the 2 DIY/Builders premises down by the Finisklin estate in Sligo are like this (and they had a security guard on the gate checking what you bought! - I wonder if they still do this it was a bloody pain!) - I couldn't stand using them so now I am glad HomeBase has come along.

Andy.

vesp

I agree with you regarding "the 2 DIY/Builders premises down by the Finisklin estate in Sligo". Homebase is expensive for small bits and pieces + odds + ends like nails and screws and rope etc etc. I know someone who needed a fair bit of paint recently as well, and they shopped around + found homebase very dear. They got it in Sligo but not in the "the 2 DIY/Builders premises down by the Finisklin estate in Sligo " either.

Homebase does have a great selection of stuff though.

il gatto

vesp wrote:

There is not even one of them in the town either, a few miles away. The brilliant Borough Council is paying for one somewhere alright , a superloo, big bucks every year , but its in storage somewhere ! You could not make it up.

I think they eventually let that go, after spending a fortune buying it and on storage in a Dublin Corporation yard. Tens of thousands on storage alone.

vesp

il gatto wrote:

I think they eventually let that go, after spending a fortune buying it and on storage in a Dublin Corporation yard. Tens of thousands on storage alone.

They are tied in to a maintenance contract with it and still have to pay big bucks each year, even though its not being used. Think I read its 20,000 per year.

muffler

This thread has now gone all over the place despite being advised earlier to stay on topic.

If you all wish to discuss other aspects of Sligo including the loo then start a new thread otherwise this is going to be locked.

Dont say you weren't warned

andyr

muffler wrote:

This thread has now gone all over the place despite being advised earlier to stay on topic.

If you all wish to discuss other aspects of Sligo including the loo then start a new thread otherwise this is going to be locked.

Dont say you weren't warned

Yes, sorry about them going off topic - right back on topic. Currys IS open Up in the Retail Park now and its really good - there I have put the topic back on track!

Andy.

vesp

And we promise from now on in this thread only to write about Curry's in Carraroe Business Park, not the wider issue of development in the surrounding area etc.:)

andyr

vesp wrote:

And we promise from now on in this thread only to write about Curry's in Carraroe Business Park, not the wider issue of development in the surrounding area etc.:)

I had a Curry up at the retail park the other day does that count?

- actually i am lying cause there ain't a Curry House up there (yet) - there is a good opening up for someone to open up a Curry house up there or is that not allowed in the Sligo environs plan ????

I did hear someone saying in the past that a drive-in and sit in McDonalds Restaurant was going up there but it never seemed to have materialised.

Andy.

nanook

andyr, me thinks you are taking the urine here,

Lets go for a three day holiday, and not the usual week



andyr banned for 3 days for off topic conversation.