Enniskillen

anotherlostie

Do you do your shopping in Enniskillen now the Euro is worth 86p STG and there is the all singing all dancing (and all queueing...) new ASDA in the town? I know there was an expansion going into the Erneside as well (where the small ASDA was) but I don't know if it is open yet.

So do you shop there or are you being 'patriotic' and continuing to pay the extra at home? And is there anywhere further afield that is worth a look?

Gadjodilo

I still shop in Kyaavan. It's not patriotism: it's more like apathy that stops me from driving the 40 minutes or so. Anyway, I don't buy much and what I do buy tends to be fresh fruit and vegetables. These are not things you can buy in bulk*.



*Well, you can - if you have an army of herbivores to feed.

bbam

We shop in Enniskillen every 3 weeks or so... I'd say the shopping is near half price and much better selection... Even the bloody staff are friendlier :rolleyes:.

I'm fed up paying through the nose AND getting ****ty customer service...

robo

What are the opening hours for shops in Enniskillen on a Sunday, hoping to visit the town next Sunday on the way home from Letterkenny?

anotherlostie

I have never been to Enniskillen on a Sunday but other places in UK are only open from 1-6pm due to restricted Sunday trading and I expect it is the same. You could always check the website of whatever stores you hope to visit.

Bummer

I live on the very border in belturbet and go down when ever i have too,Was down there on saturday and the place was jammed....All soutern cars in the car park and no comfort for shopping cause of so many people in asda and Tesco....:eek:......

Asda and tesco have the same opening hours.....Open 24 hours apart from saturdays,Closes at 10pm and Sunday 12-6pm

Dooish

another ten tills to go into asda enniskillen at the start of december, should make it a easier shopping experience

anotherlostie

Dooish wrote: »

another ten tills to go into asda enniskillen at the start of december, should make it a easier shopping experience

That makes a whole heap of sense! I always wondered why they had the camera shop in the space where more tills could have been. I'm sure the staff will be glad if there is some respite for them in the future! They also have a lot of 10 item only tills, when the vast majority of people using the store are there making big shops, and not just us Mexicans.

Dooish

anotherlostie wrote: »

That makes a whole heap of sense! I always wondered why they had the camera shop in the space where more tills could have been. I'm sure the staff will be glad if there is some respite for them in the future! They also have a lot of 10 item only tills, when the vast majority of people using the store are there making big shops, and not just us Mexicans.

photo shop to go way and being replaced with tills with less express tills as well

unclebill98

Went to ASDA and I'm telling you I meet lots of Cavan people up there. All the 20 or so tills where manned unlike shops in Cavan and the selection is great. Shops in Cavan will have to up there game to compete.

Dooish

unclebill98 wrote: »

Went to ASDA and I'm telling you I meet lots of Cavan people up there. All the 20 or so tills where manned unlike shops in Cavan and the selection is great. Shops in Cavan will have to up there game to compete.

you should said hello today

stopthelights

I know the food etc may be cheaper in Enniskillen but for towns like cavan this is a disaster. I heard that Dunnes in Cavan are not taking on any part time staff at christmas--the first christmas in many many years. For the young people of the town hoping to make some extra cash for christmas this is a pity.
I think people should continue to shop locally and save the local jobs.

Dooish

pocket speaks more than the heart, well atleast untill the euro changes

jayo27

Why should we pay over the odds for Christmas pressies when we can get the same a few miles away for at least 25% less. Its about time we taught our businesses down south a lesson.

bbam

Businesses like those in Cavan town and any town should be lobbying the government more to have vat rates and the like equalised in order to compete better..
While I appreciate you're position on this "stopthelights" we all have to make do as we can.. If I can maintain my standard of living by heading north to shop I will, many others feel the same.. If I was to shop locally all the time I would need to sacrafice my stanndard of living to support local businesses... so where would the incentive for them to lobby the government?

Aren't we being encouraged to "vote with our feet" by the consumer agencies..

Non of this explains why 90% of the assistants in the Republic treat customers like an inconveniance, while in the north you get a 90% feeling that you're trade is appreciated..

Ginger83

We live in Ballyjamesduff and go up to Asda every two if not three week. We have a butcher in the family so get more or less all the meat products,veg etc from him.
But I've told herself I wont and she wont be buying so much as a pint of milk in Dunnes,Tescos, Supervalu etc anymore. I've just about had enough of paying through the nose for everything.

Everybody was telling me about the value of Sainsbury in Newry, i have been and altough it is cheap I believe Asda is better value again. I have a small van and we use that most times but every now and again I get her to drive to Enniskillen in her car and i follow her in my van. We get two trolleys for food and load it into her car and go back in a second time with Another two trolleys just to the off-licence section.

The alcohol goes in my van and then I stop in a small garage I know off just at the border and buy briquettes,coal and drums of kerosene in bulk, she also buys large washing powders and comforts here too.

So enough about buy local,buy Irish,save our jobs! I've had just about enough of listening to that crap. My charity begins at home and if I can save hundreds of euros on my shopping by driving a little further i will (sure i am at least giving the government the tax on my fuel doing so If stores in the south want to bring the business back they need to buck up and lower their prices. I have one question " Has anyone noticed the HUGE difference in prices between Tescos in Enniskillen and Tescos here? I cant understand why other than greed. They can blame this,that the other vat you name it but as the manager of Tesco on RTE "The prices we pay" stated all transporters charge the same to every store. People are getting wise and greed is beginning to bite back. Rant over Phew I need a break

niall_walsh

Can i just ask those who are not shopping local what employment they are currently in?

unclebill98

niall_walsh wrote: »

Can i just ask those who are not shopping local what employment they are currently in?

Can you explain where you going with that survey? I work in a sector that has massive comp between each other. People go where the best deals are to be had. This applies in every walk of life!

Ginger83

I agree unclebill, I admit myself I am in a very unstable job but even if it comes to the worst and I and made redundant I WILL still pick up my jobseekers benefit and bring it to spend on where I can get the best possible value for my money and at the moment that is across the border. Even taking into consideration the fuel costs on my van I can still save money on buying products in Enniskillen.

In relation to the program on RTE during the week a woman drove the whole pay from Cork to Sainsbury Newry to do her shopping. Now in my eyes that would be approx 4hrs average driving 20euro petrol each way and 5euro each way on tolls and 4hrs approx driving back hers costs before she spent a penny shopping were 8hrs of her time and 50euro between petrol and tolls and she can still save on her shopping bill and is willing to do so. I say Shame on those shopkeepers in the south exploiting their local people.

Farls

I live in Ballyconnell so skin town is only down the road! HUGE savings in ASDA compared to even Tesco beside it but don't forget good old Dunnes Stores, their exchange rate is inline with daily rates...not the usual .86 but you really only get .82. So savings to be made there. Plus Tax is now down an extra 2% to 15% in the UK so more savings.

If your going to get something in excess of 200 euro in Argos in Cavan I'd definitley advise going to the one in the Erneside in Ennisk to pick it up and save a fortune!

Shops this side of the border just can't compete, it is a pity but things were the other way around for many years there so this won't last forever but as they say 'make hay while the sun shines'

celt262

Ginger83 wrote: »

In relation to the program on RTE during the week a woman drove the whole pay from Cork to Sainsbury Newry to do her shopping. Now in my eyes that would be approx 4hrs average driving 20euro petrol each way and 5euro each way on tolls and 4hrs approx driving back hers costs before she spent a penny shopping were 8hrs of her time and 50euro between petrol and tolls and she can still save on her shopping bill and is willing to do so. I say Shame on those shopkeepers in the south exploiting their local people.

That woman is not right in the head id say she spent more on petrol that €40 aswell. She must not value her time atall to spent 8 hours driving to save a few Euros. Like i preseume she had a car and if the petrol only cost 40 and the tolls cost 10 she had spent €50 already. Some people aren't wise atall.

Ginger83

celt262 wrote: »

That woman is not right in the head id say she spent more on petrol that €40 aswell. She must not value her time atall to spent 8 hours driving to save a few Euros. Like i preseume she had a car and if the petrol only cost 40 and the tolls cost 10 she had spent €50 already. Some people aren't wise atall.

What are you talking about. I shopped in Asda last week and got 85.1pence to the euro.
If I have 300euro to do my shopping and I get a trolley full of groceries in the south for that but I can spent 20euro on fuel and get 2 trolleys for whats left up the north do you think for a second I'm going to shop down here.

Its plenty of time I have not cash and I am more than happy to spend it on fuel, sit in traffic and on tolls to know that i am getting my shopping for 60% of the costs in the south.
I DO NOT have to pay to park my car.
I DO NOT have to pay to get a trolley.
I DO NOT have to pay to put my groceries in bags.
And...
I DO NOT have to pay the greedy prices down south

You need to wake up mate, I could finance a brand new car with the money I save on my shopping up the north!

bigsammy

GINGER83 SOUNDS LIKE THE SCUMMY TRACKSUIT TYPE OF PERSON WHO HAS SOLD HIS COUNCIL HOUSE IN BALLYMUN AND HAS MOVED TO CAVAN. HE COMES HERE WITH LITTLE ELSE BUT A FEW BOB IN HIS POCKET AND A BAD ATTITUDE. HIS KIDS DO LITTLE MORE THAN ROAM IN HOODED PACKS AROUND WHATEVER CAVAN TOWN OR VILLAGE THEY LIVE IN. THEY HAVENT A CLUE ABOUT COUNTRY LIFE ,,,SCHOOLS ,,CHURCH,,, GAA CLUB,,,COMMUNITY,,,ETC. AND THEY NEVER WILL.:mad::mad::mad::(:(:rolleyes::P:P

Sofiztikated

Ban for that chap I say. Bad form.

I nip down about once a month or so. A packed trolley comes to around €150 compared to Dunnes or Tesco where 2 small bags comes to around €50.

If I wasn't living so near, I wouldn't make the trip, as time+effort>savings really.

Most things are great, however I do find that I'm not pushed on the meat, seem to get better cuts in the Republic.

I hate this whole "Oooooh, its not patriotic to shop there." "Giving tax money to the queen." malarkey. We've voted with our feet, and look how quick Tesco/Dunnes/Supervalu were to drop their prices, put on specials, etc.

I know that prices here will never match that in the North, due to wage differences, overhead differences and buying power (Asda having WAY more shops than Dunnes/Supervalu better discounts etc) but we've paid inflated prices for far too long.

Ginger83

bigsammy wrote: »

GINGER83 SOUNDS LIKE THE SCUMMY TRACKSUIT TYPE OF PERSON WHO HAS SOLD HIS COUNCIL HOUSE IN BALLYMUN AND HAS MOVED TO CAVAN. HE COMES HERE WITH LITTLE ELSE BUT A FEW BOB IN HIS POCKET AND A BAD ATTITUDE. HIS KIDS DO LITTLE MORE THAN ROAM IN HOODED PACKS AROUND WHATEVER CAVAN TOWN OR VILLAGE THEY LIVE IN. THEY HAVENT A CLUE ABOUT COUNTRY LIFE ,,,SCHOOLS ,,CHURCH,,, GAA CLUB,,,COMMUNITY,,,ETC. AND THEY NEVER WILL.:mad::mad::mad::(:(:rolleyes::P:P

I was very amused reading your opinion BigSammy. My defence would be stating that you are a mile off the mark and I'll reply to some of your statements.

Council House?- I've worked since I've been old enough to, never needed or took a handout in my life but I'm sure if you look a little closer to home I could be hitting the mark to say my tax money could be going to support a member of your close or distant family! And by the way there is nothing wrong with people living in council house, alot of people would love to have their own private house but circumstances wont allow so your not insulting me but a few others might have an opinion on that.

Kids - I do not have any children as of yet! I do intend to in the future but at the moment I am in the same boat as alot of others and i cannot afford to have children at the moment in the current Rip Off Republic climate!

Ballymun / Country Life - You can take your Ballymun opinion and stick it. I come from County Meath, born and bred. I grew up in the country and when I say country I mean a little house in the middle of nowhere on my parents land. I never had the opportunity of hanging around on street corners.

Community - Maybe I could be the one to let you know the true meaning of what being part of a community is:) I attended the local schools as did all my family, played local sports, GAA etc, pay my membership fees to the community each year- pitch n putt, local draws, xmas raffles, school fund raisings etc. I do believe my family know the true meaning of what being an active member of a local community is, a direct relative being chairman of the county gunclub, my family organising fundraising event for charity and other good causes- i could go on all day.

But...
I think you are missing the point. The point of this topic is the difference in values of goods on both sides of the border. And to add, values across the board in everything. I live in Cavan, I didnt want to move from my homeland but I could not afford to buy there. Same goes for shopping, I'd love to buy all I needed every week in the local Londis, Tesco, Supervalu etc buy like many others I just cannot afford to. I do feel for people working locally, all the talk of local people losing their jobs would make anyone think but the fact of the matter is people have to eat. I pay my taxes, bin charges, roadtax, tolls, parking charges, plastic bag charges, higher vat on goods down here on what I buy but I have the God given right to spend the money I earn where I like and at the moment the majority of it is across the border.
The difference is prices can only be put down to greed that we have paid for long enough. Look at ten years ago Dundalk was a thriving town with streams of people arriving from everywhere, alot from newry taking advantage of currency rates then. well it swings both ways.
And lastly I would like nothing more than to be patriotic and give my full support to local businesses like supermarkets etc but if I did the boys in the black suits would be at my door to take my house (which is a private one by the way and I do pay my mortgage to a 'local' bank-thats something isin't it

Ginger83

BigSammy, I've just noticed you are new and that was your 1st post.

You wouldn't happen to be one of these local business owners annoyed by the growing number of customers choosing to leave their business elsewhere and not for your greedy over-priced items to keep you in your big fancy house, 7 series BMW and local golf club!

Mr Magnolia

Folks if you've a problem with a post please use the report function feature:

Thanks.

bigsammy wrote: »

GINGER83 SOUNDS LIKE THE SCUMMY TRACKSUIT TYPE OF PERSON WHO HAS SOLD HIS COUNCIL HOUSE IN BALLYMUN AND HAS MOVED TO CAVAN. HE COMES HERE WITH LITTLE ELSE BUT A FEW BOB IN HIS POCKET AND A BAD ATTITUDE. HIS KIDS DO LITTLE MORE THAN ROAM IN HOODED PACKS AROUND WHATEVER CAVAN TOWN OR VILLAGE THEY LIVE IN. THEY HAVENT A CLUE ABOUT COUNTRY LIFE ,,,SCHOOLS ,,CHURCH,,, GAA CLUB,,,COMMUNITY,,,ETC. AND THEY NEVER WILL.:mad::mad::mad::(:(:rolleyes::P:P

Banned.

skywalker_208

Some interesting postings here. There are better deals to be had across the border - simple as.. At least 30% but in most cases its 30 - 60% for all products and services.

Also - I do not see what the big deal is. We are all part of the EU. I have been buying goods online for years because of the extortionate prices for the same stuff here - and I am sure most boardsies have too. More people are shopping up north now it now because they are starting to feel the pinch with the recession and are starting to see sense and not put up with being ripped off down here....

How many people would admit to being a regular shopper in Aldi 2 years ago? alot more now I bet!

And to the people who are moaning about being patriotic yada yada - have you ever bought anything online? bought perfume while on holidays? bought a bottle of whiskey in the duty free on the way home? Of course you have! And what reason would you do that? because its cheaper!

So shut the feck up!

celt262

Ginger83 wrote: »

What are you talking about. I shopped in Asda last week and got 85.1pence to the euro.
If I have 300euro to do my shopping and I get a trolley full of groceries in the south for that but I can spent 20euro on fuel and get 2 trolleys for whats left up the north do you think for a second I'm going to shop down here.

Its plenty of time I have not cash and I am more than happy to spend it on fuel, sit in traffic and on tolls to know that i am getting my shopping for 60% of the costs in the south.
I DO NOT have to pay to park my car.
I DO NOT have to pay to get a trolley.
I DO NOT have to pay to put my groceries in bags.
And...
I DO NOT have to pay the greedy prices down south

You need to wake up mate, I could finance a brand new car with the money I save on my shopping up the north!

GINGER83 what i am talking is plain and simple. A woman drove 8 hours to do her shopping which i think is crazy. ( i believe im allowed to have an opinion) I am not interested in what you save i know that there are saving to be made down there i have been myself. I wouldn't put myself through an eight hour car journey to do the shopping. Whatever about people around here heading up north i think coming from Cork is a bit much and anyone who does that ain't right in head.

And dont tell me to wake up you are the one that needs to cop yourself if you think that is normal.

Ginger83 wrote: »

Whoa 90.9 Diesel, gotta get me some of that, thats incredible

I supose you would drive to Urlingford to save on your diesel !!

Mr Magnolia

Everyone has differing opinions. Can we please keep this civil

Ginger83

Ok. I take your point. Atrip from Cork to Newry is a bit of an extreme measure to shop, but the woman must have had her reasons. That doesnt take away from the fact that more and more people are travelling up north to shop.

My own journey is approx 1.5hrs and I'm quite prepared to spend that time travelling. It does pay me to spend 3 hours in the car. Alot of people make longer trips. Apart from groceries what about non-food items, what about say people travelling from all areas of Dublin to Ikea in Belfast for furniture?Are they mad too?

I know a guy in particular who drove from Dublin to Currys up north just to buy his tv as he saved 385euro compared to Currys prices here. Was he mad?
This might not be your cup of tea but at the end of the day like I have said in previous posts if people spent their cash on food etc down south they just would not be able to feed their families on top of all their other costs. These measures to save on shopping bills might not be what you need, that 385euro might be nothing to you but let me tell you this-if you were claiming jobseeker benefit etc it would matter then, this figure would make up almost two weeks pay!

And on the last note, no, I would not drive the whole way to Urlingford just to fill my tank with diesel. It would not make sense. Maybe a bulk delivery of 1000 litres would make a difference of around 150euro in price. Its basic mathematics, if a driver was passing Urlingford on a journey or a lorry driver or courier had that route would it not make sense to make a point of stopping there. I know of a garage close to me still charging 1.19c for both petrol and diesel. Maybe if I was as well off as yourself I could get everything I needed every week in M&S but for the moment northern shopping will have to keep me happy.

I await your civil or vicious response