M&S still hoping to open two stores in Limerick

tomcollins97

Some good news at last...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0211/1233867931713.html

MARKS & Spencer has reaffirmed its intention to open two stores in Limerick within the next three years, despite the downturn in the economy and redundancies elsewhere within the British chain.

The group is due to make a decision on its presence in Limerick this summer – when planning permission is decided upon for the expansion of the Crescent Shopping Centre and for the construction of the Opera Centre development, which will be the largest retail centre in the midwest if it is granted permission.

“Our strategy for Limerick hasn’t changed at all. We would like to have a presence in Limerick by 2011 or 2012 and hopefully the picture would be very different then. But at the moment we don’t have a site, due to planning permissions that are pending,” said Jenny Mulholland, head of property planning for Ireland with Marks Spencer.

Ms Mulholland said she was aware of the An Bord Pleanála hearing next month on the proposed expansion of the Crescent Shopping Centre. “We would certainly be delighted to make representations there if we are required,” she added.

The chain originally wanted to have a flagship store at the Crescent in Raheen that would include a wide range of fashion, home and furniture products, a food hall, cafe and deli bar.

However, the company again expressed its desire to open another outlet in the city. “I think our customers would like us to have a presence in both [retail centres],” said Ms Mulholland.

But until such time as a planning decision was made on both centres, she said it could not be confirmed whether the county would have a larger outlet than the city. “We first need to find out what footage we can get,” she said.

A spokesperson for Regeneration Developments, the company behind the €350 million Opera Centre development, said it would be in a position to offer Marks & Spencer a 120,000sq ft unit – 10,000sq ft larger than the potential store in the Crescent Shopping Centre – if its revised planning application was successful.


This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

Casperbhoy

tomcollins97 wrote: »

Some good news at last...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0211/1233867931713.html

MARKS & Spencer has reaffirmed its intention to open two stores in Limerick within the next three years, despite the downturn in the economy and redundancies elsewhere within the British chain.

The group is due to make a decision on its presence in Limerick this summer – when planning permission is decided upon for the expansion of the Crescent Shopping Centre and for the construction of the Opera Centre development, which will be the largest retail centre in the midwest if it is granted permission.

“Our strategy for Limerick hasn’t changed at all. We would like to have a presence in Limerick by 2011 or 2012 and hopefully the picture would be very different then. But at the moment we don’t have a site, due to planning permissions that are pending,” said Jenny Mulholland, head of property planning for Ireland with Marks Spencer.

Ms Mulholland said she was aware of the An Bord Pleanála hearing next month on the proposed expansion of the Crescent Shopping Centre. “We would certainly be delighted to make representations there if we are required,” she added.

The chain originally wanted to have a flagship store at the Crescent in Raheen that would include a wide range of fashion, home and furniture products, a food hall, cafe and deli bar.

However, the company again expressed its desire to open another outlet in the city. “I think our customers would like us to have a presence in both [retail centres],” said Ms Mulholland.

But until such time as a planning decision was made on both centres, she said it could not be confirmed whether the county would have a larger outlet than the city. “We first need to find out what footage we can get,” she said.

A spokesperson for Regeneration Developments, the company behind the €350 million Opera Centre development, said it would be in a position to offer Marks & Spencer a 120,000sq ft unit – 10,000sq ft larger than the potential store in the Crescent Shopping Centre – if its revised planning application was successful.


This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

believe it when I see it, hope its true though