Random Waffle Thread

Thundercats Ho

I see that Borris is getting a music festival, as BARE moves from Portarlington to Borris next year.
http://www.barefestival.com/

iwillhtfu

SoupyNorman wrote: »

Well over 20 people queuing up for the opening of The Range this morning already at 8:30, absolutely FANTASTIC to see it. That retail park was a desolate place since Homebase left.

Now, there is a huge anchor tenant that should really help find tenants for the few remaining empty units.

Fair play to Currys, Army Surplus and the Pet store for sticking it out by themselves, there is no doubt that the new store will have a huge knock on effect to the foot traffic of the other stores (for the better of course).

They were giving away prizes to the first 50-100 people.

I had a look at their flyer they sent around and their prices aren't that great I'd have though home store and more would be a fair bit cheaper.

SoupyNorman

iwillhtfu wrote: »

They were giving away prizes to the first 50-100 people.

I had a look at their flyer they sent around and their prices aren't that great I'd have though home store and more would be a fair bit cheaper.

They sell a far greater variety of goods then Homestore and More.

Maybe go have a look and see instead of bemoaning it? They've reinvigorated the retail park and created a bucket load of jobs.

Agent Coulson

SoupyNorman wrote: »

They sell a far greater variety of goods then Homestore and More.

Maybe go have a look and see instead of bemoaning it? They've reinvigorated the retail park and created a bucket load of jobs.

No one say that after less than 8 hours after they opened.


If they are here this time next year and the empty units beside them have been filled then that statement can be made but not after 8 hours.



It's great to have them in town and creating jobs but it's industry Carlow needs more than A another budget retail store.

iwillhtfu

SoupyNorman wrote: »

They sell a far greater variety of goods then Homestore and More.

Maybe go have a look and see instead of bemoaning it? They've reinvigorated the retail park and created a bucket load of jobs.

Oh feck off would ya. I was comparing like for like stock.

This store is nothing but another odd n ends store not a huge amount better than the euro shops.

Reinvigorated it how exactly it's open not even 24 hrs for Christ's sake.

SoupyNorman

Agent Coulson wrote: »

No one say that after less than 8 hours after they opened.


If they are here this time next year and the empty units beside them have been filled then that statement can be made but not after 8 hours.



It's great to have them in town and creating jobs but it's industry Carlow needs more than A another budget retail store.

So a enormous retail chain superstore opens in the retail park that was all but a ghost town the last few years and you dont call that reinvigorated? Whether you agree or not the retail park is viable once again as it has an anchor store. Regardless if the other units become occupied people are going to travel to Four Lakes now.

Also, sorry to point you out to the truth but a retail chain that creates 50+ jobs in one go IS industry. Carlow does no have the luxury to pick and choose what business sets up in the town so you need to be gracious and supportive of whomever does decide to invest their money in the town.

The attitudes like yours will actually do the town more harm then good.

Agent Coulson

SoupyNorman wrote: »

So a enormous retail chain superstore opens in the retail park that was all but a ghost town the last few years and you dont call that reinvigorated? Whether you agree or not the retail park is viable once again as it has an anchor store. Regardless if the other units become occupied people are going to travel to Four Lakes now.

Also, sorry to point you out to the truth but a retail chain that creates 50+ jobs in one go IS industry. Carlow does no have the luxury to pick and choose what business sets up in the town so you need to be gracious and supportive of whomever does decide to invest their money in the town.

The attitudes like yours will actually do the town more harm then good.

Get over yourself.

iwillhtfu

So called in this evening to see what all the hype was and to be fair foot fall is noticeably increased although I use the term footfall loosely the car park was chaos and if that retail park ever took off it would be a joke and one that you would look at and drive away from to be honest.

The store itself as I expected is a larger if slightly more refined euro store/woodies/home store & more. I fail to see how someone from range looked at this site with the previous tennant and envisaged success but for the time being a very busy store with a little bit of everything. It wouldn't be my first port of call but not bad for a ramble.

I'd say the biggest winner this weekend will be supermacs. I can't see myself rushing back and I interestingly there were lads walking out the door with several bow and arrows and not the kids toys these were the compound bow variety and prices at only €20 I think it was.

road_high

SoupyNorman wrote: »

So a enormous retail chain superstore opens in the retail park that was all but a ghost town the last few years and you dont call that reinvigorated? Whether you agree or not the retail park is viable once again as it has an anchor store. Regardless if the other units become occupied people are going to travel to Four Lakes now.

Also, sorry to point you out to the truth but a retail chain that creates 50+ jobs in one go IS industry. Carlow does no have the luxury to pick and choose what business sets up in the town so you need to be gracious and supportive of whomever does decide to invest their money in the town.

The attitudes like yours will actually do the town more harm then good.

I think the he OPs point was that carlow needs more higher value jobs and industry. The likes of this tend to be low value min wage p/t contract type roles which is fine but won't add much value to the town

SoupyNorman

road_high wrote: »

I think the he OPs point was that carlow needs more higher value jobs and industry. The likes of this tend to be low value min wage p/t contract type roles which is fine but won't add much value to the town

I get OP's point and I agree but lets face reality. Saying we need industry is fine but it's thin on the ground. The Range opening is a real boost for the town no matter what way you slice it.

I'll say again, Carlow is not in a position to dictate who and what sets up shop.

road_high

SoupyNorman wrote: »

I get OP's point and I agree but lets face reality. Saying we need industry is fine but it's thin on the ground. The Range opening is a real boost for the town no matter what way you slice it.

I'll say again, Carlow is not in a position to dictate who and what sets up shop.

See that's the thing- that is within Carlow's control and the town and people themselves have to work hard to promote investment and make it enticing for investment. The days of leaving it all to the IDA are long gone

holyhead

Whilst the opening of the Range is seen as a positive re employment and that retail park in particular it cannot be overlooked how devastated the centre of Carlow town is.

road_high

holyhead wrote: »

Whilst the opening of the Range is seen as a positive re employment and that retail park in particular it cannot be overlooked how devastated the centre of Carlow town is.

If anything this will compound that difficulty- they'll be competing with the likes of Shaws and Allens and other retailers in the town centre in a one stop format and taking their business!

holyhead

road_high wrote: »

If anything this will compound that difficulty- they'll be competing with the likes of Shaws and Allens and other retailers in the town centre in a one stop format and taking their business!

I think Shaw or Allens should be fine. The Range are more going after Homestore and Woodies in terms of market. There will be an initial impact but things generally settle down leaving the box retailers to slug it out amongst themselves.

iano.p

It's great to see employment for carlow. But the range If it last more than a few years I will be shocked. Business is good now but any new shop will have that effect for a few weeks. It's not the all saving grace this town needs.

Bog Man 1

Went in to look at Range yesterday and I seriously doubt the sanity of anyone that would buy anything in it . Most of the crap in it will end up in powerstown or some recycling center . People are out buying rubbish they or society do not need . Went into the army surplus store for a browse . You can never have enough 19mm sockets or Philips screwdrivers .

SoupyNorman

Bog Man 1 wrote: »

...Went into the army surplus store for a browse . You can never have enough 19mm sockets or Philips screwdrivers .

Easily my fav shop in Carlow, the missus dreads me going as I'll spend far too long in there.

iwillhtfu

Bog Man 1 wrote: »

Most of the crap in it will end up in powerstown or some recycling center.

Bog Man 1 wrote: »

Went into the army surplus store for a browse . You can never have enough 19mm sockets or Philips screwdrivers .

Pot/kettle/Black The ultimate single use tool shop

Bog Man 1 wrote: »

People are out buying rubbish they or society do not need

Indeed they are

SoupyNorman

Tullow street seems to be getting a nice spruce. Lovely job on the new Dentists there beside Racy Byrnes, The Boneyard opening recently and a seems to be a new Take Away going in beside that. Fresh clean shopfronts are always welcome.

Thundercats Ho

Walking down Tullow Street yesterday evening around 8:30, might as well have been 4:30 in the morning for all the activity.
Rockets was open, with one customer. Cava, the boneyard, barracks all closed.
We saw 3 people on lower Tullow street.
We'd be out for a walk most evenings and it's the same Mon-Wed with a bit of an uptake on Thursday.

Bog Man 1

Thundercats Ho wrote: »

Walking down Tullow Street yesterday evening around 8:30, might as well have been 4:30 in the morning for all the activity.
Rockets was open, with one customer. Cava, the boneyard, barracks all closed.
We saw 3 people on lower Tullow street.
We'd be out for a walk most evenings and it's the same Mon-Wed with a bit of an uptake on Thursday.

People who are unwaged cannot afford to be out mid week and people who are working are getting ready for the next days wage slavery .

SoupyNorman

Thundercats Ho wrote: »

Walking down Tullow Street yesterday evening around 8:30, might as well have been 4:30 in the morning for all the activity.
Rockets was open, with one customer. Cava, the boneyard, barracks all closed.
We saw 3 people on lower Tullow street.
We'd be out for a walk most evenings and it's the same Mon-Wed with a bit of an uptake on Thursday.

I don’t understand your point, has Tullow st ever been ‘buzzing’ at 8:30pm on a Tuesday evening? If it was a ghostown at 1pm then you’d have a valid point.

road_high

SoupyNorman wrote: »

I don’t understand your point, has Tullow st ever been ‘buzzing’ at 8:30pm on a Tuesday evening? If it was a ghostown at 1pm then you’d have a valid point.

Me neither. You could say same about a Main Street in dublin , galway or kilkenny on a Tuesday night in October.

Super-Rush

8:30 pm on a Tuesday night would only every have had students knocking about.

Always been like that.

DancingHomer

Gorgeous, cosy Shed for rent in Carlow town. Modern, Garden Living made popular by the Lord of the Rings Series.

daft.ie/carlow/apartments-for-rent/carlow-town/r448-carlow-town-carlow-1780890/#img=1

iwillhtfu

DancingHomer wrote: »

Gorgeous, cosy Shed for rent in Carlow town. Modern, Garden Living made popular by the Lord of the Rings Series.

www.daft.ie/carlow/apartments-for-rent/carlow-town/r448-carlow-town-carlow-1780890/#img=1

That's a wind up and €700 pm. :eek: Surely the rent crisis hasn't spread as far as Carlow.

DancingHomer

Hey, where are the post boxes in Carlow town? I only know of three. The small post office on the Staplestown Road, the main Post Office in the town, and a post box on the Tullow Road. Is that it, or could you list some more please.

iano.p

One at court place beside the old bank of Ireland beside the gate. Then Across from Leo's on the shop on the old dublin rd. Another just up from the credit union on the left side of the road on Patrick avenue. Then keenans garage on the old pal road have one too.

denis160

One at Milano’s at potatoe market, 1 beside the vault on burrin street

madmaggie

The dentist's premises beside the old L+N is looking very smart.