Recession Galway

snubbleste

Far less Spanish youngsters yabbering, moving about in pack mode filling buses.
I slightly miss them.

snubbleste

Sign on Argos window stating that 'Safe deposit keys are not held in store'.

Eman Resu

Sure it's Argos not even the stock is held in store!

snubbleste

This is an article in the WallStreetJournal about galway eateries. You sure don't see it reported like this by the media here. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577325842988730830.html

WallStreetJournal wrote:

To see how Ireland is rebalancing its economy without control of its currency, order the nine-ounce steak at Martine's in this costal Irish city.
It goes for €28 ($36.60), down from €35 in 2008.
But don't come for lunch: The cozy Irish restaurant has stopped serving it because no one was coming. Even sharply lower prices weren't enough to entice workday eaters coping with falling wages.

fishy fishy

snubbleste wrote: »

This is an article in the WallStreetJournal about galway eateries. You sure don't see it reported like this by the media here. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577325842988730830.html

that might be more to do with how they treat their customers. I know lots of people who would never return to this place.

dr.bollocko

Yeah, to be fair, that looks at a less than fantastic restaurant from an economic perspective.

dloob

snubbleste wrote: »

This is an article in the WallStreetJournal about galway eateries. You sure don't see it reported like this by the media here. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577325842988730830.html

Meh more pushing of devaluation as the great saviour from the financial press.
I wonder why they hate savers so much.

As for Martine's I'm surprised they were charging 35 in 2008.
I though the 28 was expensive when looking at their menu recently.
It must have been some steak in 2008!

snubbleste

Had a wander around town on Monday evening. It was very very quiet even for a dry Monday in April. A ridiculous amount of commercial premises have 'To Let' signs on them

filmbuffboy

snubbleste wrote: »

Had a wander around town on Monday evening. It was very very quiet even for a dry Monday in April. A ridiculous amount of commercial premises have 'To Let' signs on them

expect to see more closures in the next couple of years as retail businesses struggle to survive. The simple fact is people don't have spare cash to be spending on luxuries anymore. The Irish gov don't seem to understand that you can't tax your way out of a recession. More austerity will simply lead to further job losses in Galway due to decreased spending power of the populace.

FlashD

filmbuffboy wrote: »

The simple fact is people don't have spare cash to be spending on luxuries anymore. .

I don't agree, people are still buying luxuries just not from retail stores.

A vast number of consumers have moved to shopping online in the last few years. Added to the huge savings, it's quicker, easier, no stress, fuel or parking costs, the product is also delivered to your door, now thats service.

Discodog

FlashD wrote: »

I don't agree, people are still buying luxuries just not from retail stores.

A vast number of consumers have moved to shopping online in the last few years. Added to the huge savings, it's quicker, easier, no stress, fuel or parking costs, the product is also delivered to your door, now thats service.

Sales of luxury good usually stay firm in a recession. The savings figures show that a lot of people still have money but they are wary of spending it. I agree about online shopping but I also think that a lot of Galway retailers don't help themselves because they lack of a range of products. Too often you find that they focus on the same brand. For example our two outdoor shops both focus on North Face so you see exactly the same goods in each store.

Galway is fortunate that it doesn't have to compete with out of town shopping centres.

fishy fishy

snubbleste wrote: »

This is an article in the WallStreetJournal about galway eateries. You sure don't see it reported like this by the media here. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577325842988730830.html

I wouldn't go to this place if she was giving it away for free to be honest. A greedy lady for sure.

also wouldn't put much mass on the wall street journal article - they can't even spell "Coastal"

fishy fishy

FlashD wrote: »

I don't agree, people are still buying luxuries just not from retail stores.

A vast number of consumers have moved to shopping online in the last few years. Added to the huge savings, it's quicker, easier, no stress, fuel or parking costs, the product is also delivered to your door, now thats service.

and even with all that online and delivery the item ends up cheaper than walking up the town and buying it in ireland. more "tax". Online shopping is the way to go - just shop for it in another country where it is usually half the price.

fishy fishy

for those who dont know yet, carl scarpa has packed it in.

?Cee?view

fishy fishy wrote: »

also wouldn't put much mass on the wall street journal article - they can't even spell "Coastal"

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

crusher000

Ref retail businesses closing down I remember in the boom a guy on the radio saying that we had enough operating retail businesses to service a population of 15 million. It's no wonder when people ahave less disposable income that places are closing.

fishy fishy

churchview wrote: »

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

lucky I don't work for a newspaper so. Point proven methinks

Discodog

I phoned the parts department of a main dealer in Galway at 9am. The man asked if he could call me back "in a few minutes" - needless to say I never got a call & I am now ordering the parts online.

The same thing happened, with the same dealer, when my car broke down on Dec 23rd. They said that they would not even be able to order the parts until the 3rd of Jan - I ordered online & the parts arrived on the 28th of December.

These people charge over €100 per hour :eek:

Squeeonline

I'm not sure where this recession is because every second kid I see has a pair of €300 headphones on them tied to their ipod touch or smart phone.

leeroybrown

Squeeonline wrote: »

I'm not sure where this recession is because every second kid I see has a pair of €300 headphones on them tied to their ipod touch or smart phone.

In fairness most are wearing the cheaper €160 model and hoping everyone thinks they're the more expensive set. Hard times!

ladhrann

Squeeonline wrote: »

I'm not sure where this recession is because every second kid I see has a pair of €300 headphones on them tied to their ipod touch or smart phone.

Is this a general cultural tropism at present? What type of headphones are we talking about for E300? I've seen a few people wearing Sennheisers and I use them myself but they're about E70, and good value for money.

Also for the chap who tried buying from a main dealer, I'm surprised you bothered in the first case given their huge mark-up on parts.

I highly recommend that any individual looking for parts to buy from the UK or at times micksgarage, even with postage and the exchange rate I've never gotten less than a 30%-50% discount on window regulators, head gasket sets, water pumps, sensors & timing belts.

Wompa1

ladhrann wrote: »

Is this a general cultural tropism at present? What type of headphones are we talking about for E300? I've seen a few people wearing Sennheisers and I use them myself but they're about E70, and good value for money.

Also for the chap who tried buying from a main dealer, I'm surprised you bothered in the first case given their huge mark-up on parts.

I highly recommend that any individual looking for parts to buy from the UK or at times micksgarage, even with postage and the exchange rate I've never gotten less than a 30%-50% discount on window regulators, head gasket sets, water pumps, sensors & timing belts.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kFZTTEBt3dg/T6S8RJZEOyI/AAAAAAAABEc/8BJhlarq4zM/s562/IMAG0118.jpg

Discodog

ladhrann wrote: »

Also for the chap who tried buying from a main dealer, I'm surprised you bothered in the first case given their huge mark-up on parts.

I highly recommend that any individual looking for parts to buy from the UK or at times micksgarage, even with postage and the exchange rate I've never gotten less than a 30%-50% discount on window regulators, head gasket sets, water pumps, sensors & timing belts.

Unfortunately there are some parts that can only be sourced via a main dealer.

CPG

SalthillGuy wrote: »

Recession me arse......
Just walk down Quay St at the week-end and you will see the recession.
It will be over before we know it.
The pubs are still packed.

Why do people insist on measuring the recession based on the crowds in the pub? No recession = full pubs, more likely to be the other way round.

MadYaker

Galway hasn't been hit nearly as hard as some other towns. We get a lot of tourists and have lots of big multi nationals and a universilty that brings thousands of people to city. Go to some smaller rural towns like Ennis, Gort, Portlaoise etc and you can see its a lot worse.

FlashD

Squeeonline wrote: »

every second kid I see has a pair of €300 headphones on them tied to their ipod touch or smart phone.

Where do you get headphones for 300 euro? :eek:

Bigger dosen't always mean more expensive you know.

Wompa1

FlashD wrote: »

Where do you get headphones for 300 euro? :eek:

Bigger dosen't mean more expensive you know.

Check out the link I posted. That's a picture I took in HMV Galway 2 months ago...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kFZTTEBt3dg/T6S8RJZEOyI/AAAAAAAABEc/8BJhlarq4zM/s562/IMAG0118.jpg

FlashD

Wompa1 wrote: »

Check out the link I posted. That's a picture I took in HMV Galway 2 months ago...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kFZTTEBt3dg/T6S8RJZEOyI/AAAAAAAABEc/8BJhlarq4zM/s562/IMAG0118.jpg

Wow :eek:! Point taken.

Squeeonline

FlashD wrote: »

Wow :eek:! Point taken.

and you'll see kids with those beats headphones everywhere.

I will say that they are good, but they arent €300 good. You're buying a brand with them. There are far better ones out there for cheaper (just probably not available in HMV)

Discodog

Squeeonline wrote: »

and you'll see kids with those beats headphones everywhere.

I will say that they are good, but they arent €300 good. You're buying a brand with them. There are far better ones out there for cheaper (just probably not available in HMV)

But it has nothing to do with how good they are. The kids need to be able to show how much they spent