Shopping in Northern Ireland

tatabubbly

Any been up in junction one? Thinking of going up next week.. Just want to know if they still have the two cosmetic shops?? Fab value on clinque, bobbi brown and mac products

Jxd

Fair to say if your an alco its worth a trip

gingernut79

Anyone in Asda enniskillen lately - whats stock like on those humongous tins of SMA for £8? thinking of going up this week. the baby and toddler event is on until sunday

leopardlady

Can anybody please tell me where to buy a pvc sun lounger in Ireland, the type they have on the Spanish beaches with V shaped legs and adjustable headrest. I could probably buy online but would prefer to see & collect it personally.

RobitTV

The Northern ireland shopping madness is going to return!

Irish goverment to increase VAT rate to 23%, meaning boost for NI shops.

the move would push Irish VAT 3 per cent higher than in the UK, making cross-border shopping more attractive, and special offers in NI on the rise.

RTE article

bladespin

Car's fuelled up and ready to go.

RobitTV

Also it's now possible there may be a VAT reduction in the uk, because the eu boosted it's contributions to the uk economy.

And inflation fell abit in the uk.

And there may be a fuel vat cut in the UK, so fuel will be cheaper in the north.

Won't be long now until everyone rushes back up north.

Richard

RobitTV wrote: »

Also it's now possible there may be a VAT reduction in the uk, because the eu boosted it's contributions to the uk economy.

And inflation fell abit in the uk.

And there may be a fuel vat cut in the UK, so fuel will be cheaper in the north.

Won't be long now until everyone rushes back up north.

I don't think VAT is going to be cut by the current UK government, and petrol duty is actually going up by 3p in January under current plans.

RobitTV

Richard wrote: »

I don't think VAT is going to be cut by the current UK government, and petrol duty is actually going up by 3p in January under current plans.

It's possible there may be a temporary reduction, and also MP's in the UK Parliment are asking for a cut in VAT fuel.

munchkin_utd

RobitTV wrote: »

The Northern ireland shopping madness is going to return!

Irish goverment to increase VAT rate to 23%, meaning boost for NI shops.

the move would push Irish VAT 3 per cent higher than in the UK, making cross-border shopping more attractive, and special offers in NI on the rise.

RTE article

the VAT change is irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things for cross border shopping
Its changing by a measly 2%.

The currency though swings by a much larger % depending on the "markets".

Last christmas Eur-Stg was .95 , now its .856 , a change making shopping in the north dearer by 9.8% on currency alone.
And I would hazzard a guess that the euro will devalue even further (sterling being seen as an alternative to the eurozone with its worries) meaning the north getting even more expensive for euro holding irish shoppers and cross border shopping less attractive again than the near 10% dearer that it already has gotten.

copeyhagen

thread revival, do the banbridge outlets still do the euro for a pound deal

ButtersSuki

copeyhagen wrote: »

thread revival, do the banbridge outlets still do the euro for a pound deal

Nope. Haven't done so for AGES.....definitely per-Christmas 2011.

fasttalkerchat

copeyhagen wrote: »

thread revival, do the banbridge outlets still do the euro for a pound deal

Quays in Newry might still do it.

DubDani

Living in Newry I can say that there are currently no major shops that would offer Euro for £ deals. The only one that has it on occasionally is the Pet Food Shop in Newry and one of the (generally) overpriced clothing shops in the Quays Shopping Centre.

The only shop that I have seen in Banbridge doing Euro for £ is a Shoe Shop that rarely has anything decent (can't remember the name right now).

youngblood

so might this thread see a resurgence???

robo

Ah the tailbacks on the EU funded M1 motorway back up for the cheap shopping

muffler

One big difference though from the good old days when sterling had a lower value, we will now see customs operating so you will possibly have the same personal allowances as if you were returning from a holiday in Spain for example.

youngblood

muffler wrote:

One big difference though from the good old days when sterling had a lower value, we will now see customs operating so you will possibly have the same personal allowances as if you were returning from a holiday in Spain for example.

They're wouldn't be customs for at least 2 years though.... Or until they sort something out..... In the meantime if the pound fell in our favour I presume it would be back to tailbacks into newly.....

Atlantic Dawn

muffler wrote: »

One big difference though from the good old days when sterling had a lower value, we will now see customs operating so you will possibly have the same personal allowances as if you were returning from a holiday in Spain for example.

Those limits are technically already in place if customs stopped you and found you had over the "limit" for alcohol.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1878.html

Edit or maybe not as they don't list a method if arriving by road...

5. Customs Procedures

Sea
A person arriving in Ireland by ferry from another EU country with no goods to declare may, unless challenged (see paragraph 6), exit the port directly without passing through Customs controls.
Air
If both a journey and the flight a person travelled on began in an EU country (s)he should go through the Blue Channel.
If a person is arriving in Ireland from an EU Country on a flight which began outside the EU (e.g. New York – London - Dublin), (s)he must, regardless of nationality or country of residence, clear Customs by going through either the Green (Nothing to Declare) or Red (Dutiable Goods) Channel.

muffler

youngblood wrote: »

They're wouldn't be customs for at least 2 years though.... Or until they sort something out..... In the meantime if the pound fell in our favour I presume it would be back to tailbacks into newly.....

Agreed on both counts.

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Those limits are technically already in place if customs stopped you and found you had over the "limit" for alcohol.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1878.html

Edit or maybe not as they don't list a method if arriving by road...

Well thats the part Im a bit unsure of myself.

But for people who live beside the border (like my family) and shop in the North regularly or those who travel there once a year there certainly will be changes. Over the years we have become accustomed to (see what I did there ) crossing over the border and buying things such as a new TV, PS console, suite of furniture, loads of booze, fridge/freezer, car tyres etc etc etc - generally things that would be cheaper in NI and there were/are no restrictions but that will change. When and to what degree remains to be seen.

muffler

muffler wrote: »

One big difference though from the good old days when sterling had a lower value, we will now see customs operating so you will possibly have the same personal allowances as if you were returning from a holiday in Spain for example.

OK. Let's start practicing our list of excuses now

1. Ah customs man, i thought i was in dundalk- that new border thing is too confusing so it is

Nibs05

So we were in the quays newry today, place was empty, no breakfast upstairs , Argos closed down, sainsburys was deserted, car park was deserted, no bargains what so ever.

bladespin

Nibs05 wrote: »

So we were in the quays newry today, place was empty, no breakfast upstairs , Argos closed down, sainsburys was deserted, car park was deserted, no bargains what so ever.

Lisburn is much better.

ButtersSuki

Nibs05 wrote: »

So we were in the quays newry today, place was empty, no breakfast upstairs , Argos closed down, sainsburys was deserted, car park was deserted, no bargains what so ever.

It's a little early (to put it mildly) to expect bargains by way of currency changes. It is expected however that the pound to euro ratio will be somewhere in the £0.90-95 to the euro range by year end. I expect this thread will be a lot busier if that comes to pass.

Nibs05

ButtersSuki wrote: »

It's a little early (to put it mildly) to expect bargains by way of currency changes. It is expected however that the pound to euro ratio will be somewhere in the £0.90-95 to the euro range by year end. I expect this thread will be a lot busier if that comes to pass.

Oh I know that seems to be the prediction.

Fiskar

Nibs05 wrote: »

So we were in the quays newry today, place was empty, no breakfast upstairs , Argos closed down, sainsburys was deserted, car park was deserted, no bargains what so ever.

To be honest that is the way it should be, we have become a society ready to part too easy with our hard earned money and expect everywhere to be open on a Sunday and the place heaving.

Lisburn - Sprucefield is more better.

Nibs05

I'm not complaining, I had a idea it was going to be like this lol, just wanted a day out.

VincePP

ButtersSuki wrote: »

It's a little early (to put it mildly) to expect bargains by way of currency changes. It is expected however that the pound to euro ratio will be somewhere in the £0.90-95 to the euro range by year end. I expect this thread will be a lot busier if that comes to pass.

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.

ButtersSuki

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.

There's many reports and baby analysts predicting it will actually. A quick Google will verify same for you. It depends on how widely you read, and how optimistic or pessimistic you are. Currency fluctuations depend on numberous factors, but this is a seosmic shift in one fell swoop, the likes the markets haven't seen in years. I wouldn't be as bold as to say "not a chance" it will reach those levels; in fact given the fallout in the aftermath of the result of say it's more likely than not the 90p mark is breached.

VincePP

ButtersSuki wrote: »

There's many reports and baby analysts predicting it will actually. A quick Google will verify same for you. It depends on how widely you read, and how optimistic or pessimistic you are. Currency fluctuations depend on numberous factors, but this is a seosmic shift in one fell swoop, the likes the markets haven't seen in years. I wouldn't be as bold as to say "not a chance" it will reach those levels; in fact given the fallout in the aftermath of the result of say it's more likely than not the 90p mark is breached.

I buy sterling for my business, so I keep a very close eye on it. Sentiment plays a role in short term moves such as this week. Underlying fundamenals plays a longer term role.

AIB currency markets advised us that they saw the rate for sterling to be 74-76p if remain won the day and 82-84p if leave won the day. Barclays were similar.

The current risk is Boris Johnson / Michale Gove - if either of them become PM of UK there will be further weakening. If a pro europe candidate gets in, expect a little strengthening.

But a weak sterling is not good for USA exports or european exports, so central banks will make sure its doesn't deviate too much from current levels and if anythign, they will buy sterling to strengthen it.

snubbleste

VincePP wrote: »

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

Really?

allthedoyles

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.

Its on the brink of 84p tonight , so we close to the worst case scenario so.

VincePP

allthedoyles wrote: »

Its on the brink of 84p tonight , so we close to the worst case scenario so.

Nope - 2.2p off it which is quite a bit in currency markets. Considering all the bad news is factored in, it is difficult to see it going past 85p - though it might for a short period.

Analysts generally are saying 80-83p for 6 months and going back below 80p within 12 months.

Only one of the main analysts is saying it will move above 86p (paribas)

snubbleste

€ just touched 85p

guylikeme

Prices our side of border have been very competitive in recent years. Even doing a monthly shop up there is still not worth it. The Aldi/Dunnes €10 off €50 vouchers has made it even more so.

You would need €->£ parity combined with the Asdas etc dropping prices e.g Spirits for £13 before i fuel up and take a trip TBH.

kaiserrussel

hi there

first time posting here, so apologies as this may have been asked before. My sister has just bought a house and will do all of the general renovations, new kitchen, furniture, bathroom ware tiles etc, My question is there any good place to check for prices on TVs, appliances etc to see if it would be worthwhile travelling up?

muffler

kaiserrussel wrote: »

hi there

first time posting here, so apologies as this may have been asked before. My sister has just bought a house and will do all of the general renovations, new kitchen, furniture, bathroom ware tiles etc, My question is there any good place to check for prices on TVs, appliances etc to see if it would be worthwhile travelling up?

Probably better getting a list done up and emailing or faxing it to several outlets and get prices back from them before amking a journey.

For other household appliances for example (if applicable) its easy to compare the stock between the 2 Argos sites or check online places like Asda, tesco,Richersounds etc

ButtersSuki

kaiserrussel wrote: »

hi there

first time posting here, so apologies as this may have been asked before. My sister has just bought a house and will do all of the general renovations, new kitchen, furniture, bathroom ware tiles etc, My question is there any good place to check for prices on TVs, appliances etc to see if it would be worthwhile travelling up?

Depends what you want really......

Richersounds is for more high end, audiophile stuff....that said you'll get more bang for your buck there than regular retailers. If she's happy with bog standard tv and blu ray player then shop around (incl. richersounds btw). They have a forum here - have a look:
http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1105

As for the electrical stuff, same as above, shop around......but wait until the bank holiday weekend for sales (note: NI August bank holiday is the 29th, not the first weekend of August like down here). There are bargains to be had, it's just a case of finding them.

allthedoyles

snubbleste wrote: »

€ just touched 85p

crawling towards 86p now

Cortina_MK_IV

Lots of republic cars in The Quays yesterday, I think every second one wouldn't be close.

youngblood

Quick Northern Shopping related question
When paying by card and you have the choice to pay in euro or sterling
What do you select?
Euro or sterling?

ButtersSuki

youngblood wrote: »

Quick Northern Shopping related question
When paying by card and you have the choice to pay in euro or sterling
What do you select?
Euro or sterling?

Sterling
Always pay local currency

VincePP

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.

snubbleste wrote: »

Really?

snubbleste wrote: »

€ just touched 85p

allthedoyles wrote: »

crawling towards 86p now

Sentiment and fear made it touch 86p for about 10 minutes.

Markets have settled and sterling is now settling back where most of the main commentators predicted - 82-85p and it should remain within this range for a while with possible strengthening towards 80p by Christmas.

If pricing items use 1.25 as your exchange to include difference in consumer exchange rate and bank commissions.

Official rate GBP to EUR is currently 1.201 - EUR to GBP is 0.8331.

Many people make the error of thinking 0.80 = "about 1.20" (using 0.80 for ease of math) not realising that the 0.80 is your base number and its the multiplier on that that you use. So 0.80 x 1.25 = 100. Hence and item costing £1 at a rate of 0.80, is costing €1.25

ando

Anyone have recommendations for what stores to go to in or around Newry for Washing and Drying machines? Delivery to the south would be great if the shop offers it

Geuze

Stg has drifted lower since 15th July.

http://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/exchange/eurofxref/html/eurofxref-graph-gbp.en.html

15-July = 83.275 p

11-Aug = 86 p, a two-year low.

Cortina_MK_IV

Sterling still sliding. 1 EUR = 0.870101 GBP.

Geuze

Indeed, lowest in three years.

uli84

Is b&m in newry decent size/is there good selection of homeware? Thx

TheBody

uli84 wrote: »

Is b&m in newry decent size/is there good selection of homeware? Thx

I think it's pretty good. I always buy a lot of stuff there. They sell paint there too.

There is also a Pound Stretcher across the road from it. I don't think it's as good as B&M though.

reubenreuben

ando wrote: »

Anyone have recommendations for what stores to go to in or around Newry for Washing and Drying machines? Delivery to the south would be great if the shop offers it

They dont normally, you can get a washer or dryer in a large hatchback/estate though