Shopping in Northern Ireland

Mizu_Ger

Slunk wrote: »

Thinkin bout heading up on saturday. Going to leave at about 8am for newry. Surely it will be ok at this time wont it?

We went up there 2 weekends ago on Saturday. Left the house (Dublin) just before 8am. Got to the roundabout just outside Newry at about 8:50am and then took 40 minutes to get to the Quays carpark. The carpark was not full, but getting there. I would leave about 7:30am at the latest.

Moanin

Whats the best way of paying, Credit Card or take out Eur in Northern Ireland?

Thanks

TarfHead

Moanin wrote: »

Whats the best way of paying, Credit Card or take out Eur in Northern Ireland?

Thanks

There's no hard and fast rule. In general, let it go onto your CC as sterling. In general, don't let them put it on your CC as EUR.

If they're offering you EUR 1 = GBP 1, bite their arm off and take that deal !

viv2

Moanin wrote: »

Whats the best way of paying, Credit Card or take out Eur in Northern Ireland?

Thanks

Bring euros with you,take advantage of the stores offering £1/€1 ,for the others id just use the cc.

sideswipe

I was up north shopping a couple of weeks back and got my CC statement yesterday, on each transaction there is a a line underneath that says- 'Includes a currency conversion fee of 2.75%' I have never seen this before and checked old statements from last summer when I was away and it didn't appear, I wonder are the CC companies are looking to get extra charges? I rang to query them and was told it was standard practice.

TarfHead

sideswipe wrote: »

I was up north shopping a couple of weeks back and got my CC statement yesterday, on each transaction there is a a line underneath that says- 'Includes a currency conversion fee of 2.75%' I have never seen this before and checked old statements from last summer when I was away and it didn't appear, I wonder are the CC companies are looking to get extra charges? I rang to query them and was told it was standard practice.

AFAIK, that charge has been there since Euro changeover. It is only recently that they've shown it seperately on the statements. Also, IIRC, it is included in the terms and conditions.

http://www.itsyourmoney.ie/creditcardcomparison

"In addition to the non-euro purchases/withdrawals fee, some institutions may apply a further fee where an agency is used for currency conversion"

Rod & Reel

lads lassies, plan on leaving dublin on sat morning at 7am but not sure as to where to go to get what we need. sainsburys tesco asda. first off. then what we need is the usual months supply and extra festive goodies. we plan on buying some beer and spirts (hopefully they'll last till crimbo) also we need to buy some electrical stuff so some where with a currys or similar.
i seen some posts say lisburn others saying newry so if anyone knows where i can find all in the one place could let me know please.

bush Baby

gazzer wrote: »

Does anybody know if there is a fitness/gym type shop in either Newry or Banbridge? Im looking to buy a home gym set up and some olympic bar bells etc. Most of the ones on the argos uk website are home delivery so I cant get one there.

For something like that I'd buy off a UK wholesaler and you could save yourself a pile of cash. Look in www.yell.com for gym suppliers

bush Baby

Rod & Reel wrote: »

lads lassies, plan on leaving dublin on sat morning at 7am but not sure as to where to go to get what we need. sainsburys tesco asda. first off. then what we need is the usual months supply and extra festive goodies. we plan on buying some beer and spirts (hopefully they'll last till crimbo) also we need to buy some electrical stuff so some where with a currys or similar.
i seen some posts say lisburn others saying newry so if anyone knows where i can find all in the one place could let me know please.

Head to North Newry, avoid the town and get up during the week. Go onto the Belfast road and there on the right hand side about 1KM up, there's a place called ANJO wines, they're a wholesaler but call first to make sure about payment. On the way you'll ppass a McDonalds at Damolly Retail Park. there's a Curry's in there

TarfHead

Rod & Reel wrote: »

lads lassies, plan on leaving dublin on sat morning at 7am but not sure as to where to go to get what we need. sainsburys tesco asda. first off. then what we need is the usual months supply and extra festive goodies. we plan on buying some beer and spirts (hopefully they'll last till crimbo) also we need to buy some electrical stuff so some where with a currys or similar.
i seen some posts say lisburn others saying newry so if anyone knows where i can find all in the one place could let me know please.

There's no ASDA in Newry or Lisburn (Sprucefield). I doubt that any town in NI could sustain all 3 of those chains, outside of Belfast or Derry. Some may have two of the three.

Lisburn town centre may have TESCO & ASDA, with Sprucefield for Sainsburys, but you'd probably need SatNav to pilot between the 3 locations.

stacka

TarfHead wrote: »

There's no ASDA in Newry or Lisburn (Sprucefield). I doubt that any town in NI could sustain all 3 of those chains, outside of Belfast or Derry. Some may have two of the three.

Lisburn town centre may have TESCO & ASDA, with Sprucefield for Sainsburys, but you'd probably need SatNav to pilot between the 3 locations.

coleraine has all 3 though would be too far north for most peoples purposes

derry and belfast are closer

smashey

stacka wrote: »

coleraine has all 3 though would be too far north for most peoples purposes

derry and belfast are closer

No ASDA in Derry. Strabane ftw.

mrgaa1

Rod & Reel - first of all I'd aim to be heading to the north and arriving at 8am, parked up and go looking a cafe. Newry is a great place but the problem is parking. You have the Quays and Buttercrane - you'll find yourself wandering from one to the other so check them out online first. Both places provide free parking and it gets jammed. the quays has a superb cinema, sainsburys and other such places - buttercrane has loads of small shops. Newry actually has great shops in the town - there is a place called Murphys Electronics or something like that - they can be talked to and will do a deal. Beside the canal court hotel there are other small shops and off-licenses. Out at the 5-way roundabout there is B&Q, Curry's and other places.

However be aware - the north shops know you are coming and may up their prices a bit - your here so you'll buy.

Sprucfield is ok - but limited.
Portadown - rushmere is a huge complex but you'd better check it out online first for the type of shops. Be there early as the queues into are quite unreal.
Belfast - Victoria centre, castlecourt but you'd have to do your grocery shopping on the way home somewhere else.
Armagh - has some decent spots but is suffering from years of poor council leadership. However it is a nice place and you can visit the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and there are some great food places. I'd recommend Sainsburys and Emersons for your booze & grocery - electrics not so sure on.

Personally Newry is a great place but when its hard to park its a nightmare - like every else.

They say Ballymena and such places are great but I'd be wary of travelling that far north.
Some of the norths small towns along the border will barter and deal.

In any event anyone travelling from south to the north enjoy the day and the range of accents!!!!! Leave early, spend plenty and worry much, much later on.

Ronan Raver77

Im heading up in the morning to Newry first then over to The Outlet..Planning on leaving early enough but unlike most here i wont be heading up on saturday or sunday.

Think about all of the publicity the north got this week vat etc...Will be thousands more heading up at the weekend.Leave early guys and gals

Redpunto

Question for anyone whos been up to Newry recently on a Sunday, what time should I aim to get there at. Cheers

Rod & Reel

bush Baby wrote: »

Head to North Newry, avoid the town and get up during the week. Go onto the Belfast road and there on the right hand side about 1KM up, there's a place called ANJO wines, they're a wholesaler but call first to make sure about payment. On the way you'll ppass a McDonalds at Damolly Retail Park. there's a Curry's in there

thanks b baby

muffler

Redpunto wrote: »

Question for anyone whos been up to Newry recently on a Sunday, what time should I aim to get there at. Cheers

Someone else will confirm this but AFAIK the shops dont open until 12 (or maybe its 10?)

kleefarr

Just saw on Sky news that a lot of the major retailers are dropping prices already, for the upcoming reduction in VAT on the 1st Dec.

We've decided to head to Sprucefield and we'll see how it turns out.

Tipsy Mac

Redpunto wrote: »

Question for anyone whos been up to Newry recently on a Sunday, what time should I aim to get there at. Cheers

Don't under any circumstances go on a Sunday as you will likely spend 3 or 4 hours Q'ing, the shops open their doors at 12 but are not allowed sell goods until 1pm, to say it will be insane up there on a sunday is putting it very very mildly. If you only want to go to Sainsburys I would recommend going on a weekday evening instead, they open until 10pm during the week.

milly4ever

does anyone know if there's an asda in armagh? google maps says 1 1/2 hrs from dublin. i heard there was one but asda.com doesn't list one in armagh.
(i don't do sainsbury's )

Nomad81

Which shops do €1/£1????

Any of them sell any console games?

Ronan Raver77

Actually anyone buy lego up north..When i was in The Outlet kids shop didnt sell lego.Is there a toy shop near the sainsburys in newry???

milly4ever

Ronan Devitt wrote: »

Actually anyone buy lego up north..When i was in The Outlet kids shop didnt sell lego.Is there a toy shop near the sainsburys in newry???

http://www.smythstoys.com/Store_Locator.aspx

muincav

milly4ever wrote: »

does anyone know if there's an asda in armagh? google maps says 1 1/2 hrs from dublin. i heard there was one but asda.com doesn't list one in armagh.
(i don't do sainsbury's )

Nope- only Sainsburys and a few small supermarkets (family owned) of which EMERSONS is probably the best for value and is just beside sainsburys...but on a BIG PLUS, Armagh has not got near as much traffic problems compared to Enniskillen or Newry.:o

kleefarr

TarfHead wrote: »

I assume Bond-007 meant Lisburn Sprucefield.

The ASDA in Lisburn town has a postcode of BT28 1RD; TESCO BT28 2GB. Lisburn town is a couple of miles beyond Sprucefield, when travelling north.

Why is there no ASDA Lisburn on their website in the stores list? Also, the postcode BT28 1RD does not register in a multimap.com search.

zing

Ronan Devitt wrote: »

Actually anyone buy lego up north..When i was in The Outlet kids shop didnt sell lego.Is there a toy shop near the sainsburys in newry???

There's a toy store (called Toyztore iirc) in the car park for the Quays - pretty much right across the car park from Sainsbury's. And what's more they're one of the places doing pound to euro straight conversion. Bought some lego there yesterday but a small enough set - 20 quids worth. Didn't have a huge selection and there was a few gaps on their shelves - prob from stuff cleared out over the weekend.

muincav

15X440 ml Stella Artois in SAINSBURYS for £6.99:D:D:D

kleefarr

TV3 Now. Shopping in the North.

DonJose

kleefarr wrote: »

TV3 Now. Shopping in the North.

Thank you Sir!!!

Our man in Havana

The Tanáiste was on giving out about us shopping in NI.

kleefarr

Bond-007 wrote: »

The Tanáiste was on giving out about us shopping in NI.

Saw that. Felt very sorry for her. :P

k123456

Bond-007 wrote: »

The Tanáiste was on giving out about us shopping in NI.

Interesting about the tanaiste giving out about shopping in North, according to a previous tanaiste (Mary Harney) the consumer should shop around to avoid high prices, well I've taken her advice to shop around and now do so in North !!

Thoie

kleefarr wrote: »

Saw that. Felt very sorry for her. :P

It's OK, she'll get over it when she heads up there and finds the cheap Baileys.

kleefarr

muincav wrote: »

15X440 ml Stella Artois in SAINSBURYS for £6.99:D:D:D

Spotted that. Ear marked for pick up.

I worked out, that you get about nine cans free compared to the price down here.

ozypozy

I'll be thinking of her when I'm driving to Newry on Saturday...........!!

muffler

milly4ever wrote: »

does anyone know if there's an asda in armagh? google maps says 1 1/2 hrs from dublin. i heard there was one but asda.com doesn't list one in armagh.
(i don't do sainsbury's )

None in Omagh but when you are that far its only another 20 miles to Strabane where you will find Asda.

smashey

muffler wrote: »

None in Omagh but when you are that far its only another 20 miles to Strabane where you will find Asda.

FAIL.:D
There is an ASDA in Omagh but none in Armagh.

jos28

Bond-007 wrote: »

The Tanáiste was on giving out about us shopping in NI.

We were talking about that in work today. There is such an easy solution.. I think that the Tanaiste should announce that all duties and taxes will be removed from alcohol for the month of December. It would

• Stop everyone border hopping
• Get the tills ringing down here and keep the shopkeepers happy
• It would undo a lot of the damage done during the budget- good PR move
• Best of all it would put everyone in good form and end talk of recession

.

Think she'd go for it ?

kaiser soza

Even if they do it will still be cheaper up the North, I am going up to buy my shopping on Saturday,what is the best time to get to Newry before the crowds.

FunkyDa

milly4ever wrote: »

does anyone know if there's an asda in armagh? google maps says 1 1/2 hrs from dublin. i heard there was one but asda.com doesn't list one in armagh.
(i don't do sainsbury's )

There are branches of Asda in co. Down. We went to the one in Downpatrick, a few weeks ago. Downpatrick is 25miles from Newry(an hour's drive).

Our man in Havana

FunkyDa wrote: »

There are branches of Asda in co. Down. We went to the one in Downpatrick, a few weeks ago. Downpatrick is 25miles from Newry(an hour's drive).

That is a terrible road also.

muffler

smashey wrote: »

FAIL.:D
There is an ASDA in Omagh but none in Armagh.

F**k it. When did that open?

zing

kaiser soza wrote: »

Even if they do it will still be cheaper up the North, I am going up to buy my shopping on Saturday,what is the best time to get to Newry before the crowds.

Best time to avoid crowds == when the stores are all shut

Seriously though from reports here it's crazy at the weekend. I'd suggest being there for 8 or 9 am.

Are any of the supermarkets in ni open 24 hours ? Sounds like it could be worth their while to do so

Victor McDade

kaiser soza wrote: »

Even if they do it will still be cheaper up the North, I am going up to buy my shopping on Saturday,what is the best time to get to Newry before the crowds.

As early as you can make it. There are up to 7km tailbacks on the Dundalk --> Newry road at the weekend now, from 10am onwards its a nightmare and the VAT reduction in the UK will just make it worse. If you can't get there early, its probably best to leave it til 2 or 3 o clock. Just my opinion

milly4ever

zing wrote: »

Best time to avoid crowds == when the stores are all shut

Seriously though from reports here it's crazy at the weekend. I'd suggest being there for 8 or 9 am.

Are any of the supermarkets in ni open 24 hours ? Sounds like it could be worth their while to do so

Sainsbury's forestside, Asda Westwood and Enniskillen, not sure about others. Left dublin the other week at 7am, was in asda westwood before 9, shelves fully stacked, great time to shop!

felinefeelins

heading to enniskillen after dec 1st, doing a "shop" but also looking for a b&q, homebase or something similar

smashey

muffler wrote: »

F**k it. When did that open?

The same time that ASDA bought Safeway/Morrissons who had a store there.

josh59

Bond-007 wrote: »

That is a terrible road also.

Agreed - the road from Newry to Downpatrick is very nasty. Travelled from Lucan to the Bishopscourt circuit outside Downpatrick a few weeks ago - took almost as long to travel from Newry to Downpatrick as it did Lucan to Newry on the motorway.

oconn

thks for reply's ...will be making a trip for sure

Milly82

Going up to Newry tomorrow - can't wait. Does anyone know if any shops are doing pound for euro at the mo?

Thanks.