Balbriggan Shopping Centre

bcmf

dubmick wrote: »

I was in Tesco tonight and I spotted a 150g packet of Tayto Bistro reduced from €2.34 to €2.33. They even highlighted the saving of one cent. I should have taken a picture of it.

I can beat that.
We saw a packet of Tesco Crunchy Oats breakfast cereal marked as €1.93 and beside it was a sticker giving the Lidl price of .......€1.93!!!!

LeoB

duck67 wrote: »

Over 400 jobs for the town and there is people giving out about the place,
Bucket of cop on please,,

What sort of jobs? full time? Part time? How many are 4hour contracts which means they dont pay you to take a lunch break, 4hours done and off you go. cheaper that way for them.

These type of jobs are actually stopping local people getting back into workforce because it does not pay them when they lose the medical card, school allowance for books and clothes among other things

Could it be classed as gainful empolyment at all I wonder

Morphéus wrote: »

Hang on a sec, 400 jobs for the town? 400 jobs yes, but are you certain 400 people got jobs who reside in balbriggan?

Agree to a point with you here. IF there were 400 jobs the majority in my opinion should go to locals who at the end of the day have put up with the disruption during construction and will put up with whatever delays the trafic will cause. But Lusk, Rush, Skerries, Naul and other areas around will no doubt give them plenty of business so some jobs should go to these areas also.

I spoke to a few locals (5) this morning and 3 of them were not happy with it all. Mainly because of the produce they dont source locally and damage it will do to Balbriggan. One who appeared fairly well informed felt it would serious damage to more than Balbriggan but veg suppliers from around Fingal who are being squeezed out such are the prices paid by Tesco. Mind you the wages I heard one person is paid the farmers would want to be giving them their produce for nothing.

Just to add here I have never been a fan of Tesco as I dont like the way they operate.

sdanseo

LeoB wrote: »

What sort of jobs? full time? Part time? How many are 4hour contracts which means they dont pay you to take a lunch break, 4hours done and off you go. cheaper that way for them.

These type of jobs are actually stopping local people getting back into workforce because it does not pay them when they lose the medical card, school allowance for books and clothes among other things

Could it be classed as gainful empolyment at all I wonder

Almost all retail jobs don't pay for lunch breaks. If you work 4 hours, you get paid for 4 hours, it costs the company nothing.

You can claim JSA/JSB and some other benefits if you work for 3 days (or pro rata 20 hours) per week, obviously at a lower rate than usual.

I'll be trotting up tomorrow to have a poke around and reserve my own judgement till then but at the end of the day, any town is better off with something like this open than it is without, I reckon. If local businesses are suffering then maybe they should consider renting one of the vacant units.

LeoB

sdonn wrote: »

Almost all retail jobs don't pay for lunch breaks. If you work 4 hours, you get paid for 4 hours, it costs the company nothing..

This is my point. I think its wrong to operate like this as if they have jobs why not give full time jobs with proper rates and conditions.

I know it suits some people to work part time especially if they have kids at school but what about young people who do want to work full time are prepared to work hard to get on in their jobs? Its hardly worth their whil.

I know plenty of people who work in retail who work a full week and get a lunch break. 2 of them to help their shops make savings work an hour later for free 2 days a week and take 40 minute lunch breaks also which tells me there is a willingness to put a big effort in by a lot of workers to keep thing moving.

sdonn wrote: »

You can claim JSA/JSB and some other benefits if you work for 3 days (or pro rata 20 hours) per week, obviously at a lower rate than usual.

any town is better off with something like this open than it is without, I reckon. If local businesses are suffering then maybe they should consider renting one of the vacant units.

I dont know what you can or cant claim but I dont think places are a whole lot better off with these type of jobs but I would be quite happy to be proved wrong.
As for renting out these units what is the cost going to be? This is a huge problem around Ireland at moment where people have to give back their keys as the cant meet the rent and this place will also put a further nail into the heart of Balbriggan which I feel is sad considering the work done around the Square over the last few years.

The Hill Billy

Folks - There's a Work & Jobs forum for debating such matters. Let's keep this thread relevant to the locality.

Thanks,

HB

Jimdagym

Interestingly enough, there isnt an ATM to be had in the new centre, apparently.

PaulD77

Went up and did a shop yesterday in it. Nothing special and dear enough. Good a good bit of food, but no kitchen/bathroom cleaning items. Still came up to €200 which was a bit of a shocker to me!

Then to make it worse, mcDonalds still isnt even open :mad:

bb12

was in tescos last night and to be honest for a brand spanking new supermarket i thought the food section was a bit of a dive. and the prices were even higher than other tescos....e.g they had doritos bogof @ €2.98...got this same offer in tesco ashbourne last week for €1.99. have no interest in ever returning to balbriggan in the future.

tregan

tan11ie wrote: »

Heading down tomorrow for a gander - memo to self -don't use laser card!

that reminds me! must look at my statement as i DID use laser without thinking!

tregan

Jimdagym wrote: »

Interestingly enough, there isnt an ATM to be had in the new centre, apparently.

yes, another pain for me as the More4Less shop isn't set up for laser and i forgot to get cashback in tesco and found out that there isn't an ATM yet! :mad:

Jimdagym

bb12 wrote: »

was in tescos last night and to be honest for a brand spanking new supermarket i thought the food section was a bit of a dive. and the prices were even higher than other tescos....e.g they had doritos bogof @ €2.98...got this same offer in tesco ashbourne last week for €1.99. have no interest in ever returning to balbriggan in the future.

Jaysus, calm down. There is more to Balbriggan than tesco's...

cyberhog

Jimdagym wrote: »

Interestingly enough, there isnt an ATM to be had in the new centre, apparently.

That's a bit ridiculous. The Tesco Extra in Drogheda have two ATM's in store.

Eoineo

Was up there again yesterday. Still a lack of special offers on groceries which we depend on for our weekly shop. When we were there it was quieter than last week and we didn't have to queue to check out. Parking is far better on the high rise than the basement.

I have noticed a great number of wheelchair and parent/child parking spaces which is great to see. There always seems to be a free parent/child space when I'm there anyway.

There is still a pricing issue with items upstairs in the clothes/hardware/electrical section. Almost all of the prices are large in STG but very small in the EURO on their labels (if at all). It's very easy to make a mistake and think you're purchasing for cheaper than you would think. My husband picked up 2 items which he thought were marked 2 for €16 but they were in fact 2 for STG£16. When at the check out this translated to 2 for €24. The equivalent price in STG is approx £21 - so that illustrates the markup that we are paying for the privilege of shopping in Tesco in Ireland.

Interestingly if you're driving a car you either park in the basement or the high rise to the back but you do not enter the shopping centre on the ground floor. That means you are "driven" up through the main part of the centre from the basement or down from the first floor in order to do your grocery shopping. When more shops open it will require some strong will power and a light wallet to make it into the shop without spending time in the other stores.

Khannie

Went over there at the weekend. We got a bunch of 10 euro off vouchers (1 per week for 4 weeks) so I was making use of them.

Pro's:
Good size.
Some good offers on easter eggs.
Very nice lady on the checkout.
10 euro off voucher.

Cons:
Half price turkey turned out to not be half price at all. :mad: Only discovered this when I got home. This nearly wiped out the 10 euro voucher. Was more than a bit cranky about this. Yes I'll get it sorted, but it requires another drive out there from Skerries.
Bottle of wine that is 5.99 in Gerrys currently (7.99 usually) was 8.99 in tescos.
In general it wasn't that cheap at all (I keep a keen eye on the cost of things).
Fruit and veg section was lacking.

Eoineo

Khannie wrote: »

Went over there at the weekend. We got a bunch of 10 euro off vouchers (1 per week for 4 weeks) so I was making use of them.

Pro's:
Good size.
Some good offers on easter eggs.
Very nice lady on the checkout.
10 euro off voucher.

Cons:
Half price turkey turned out to not be half price at all. :mad: Only discovered this when I got home. This nearly wiped out the 10 euro voucher. Was more than a bit cranky about this. Yes I'll get it sorted, but it requires another drive out there from Skerries.
Bottle of wine that is 5.99 in Gerrys currently (7.99 usually) was 8.99 in tescos.
In general it wasn't that cheap at all (I keep a keen eye on the cost of things).
Fruit and veg section was lacking.

For future reference if you check your till receipt before you leave, any item that you have been mischarged needs to be brought back to the customer service desk along with the original receipt. You will then be refunded the amount you were charged (in full) and receive the item for free.

My sympathies, I learnt this the hard way.

thedeal

Khannie wrote: »

Went over there at the weekend. We got a bunch of 10 euro off vouchers (1 per week for 4 weeks) so I was making use of them.

Pro's:
Good size.
Some good offers on easter eggs.
Very nice lady on the checkout.
10 euro off voucher.

Cons:
Half price turkey turned out to not be half price at all. :mad: Only discovered this when I got home. This nearly wiped out the 10 euro voucher. Was more than a bit cranky about this. Yes I'll get it sorted, but it requires another drive out there from Skerries.
Bottle of wine that is 5.99 in Gerrys currently (7.99 usually) was 8.99 in tescos.
In general it wasn't that cheap at all (I keep a keen eye on the cost of things).
Fruit and veg section was lacking.

If they over charged for the Turkey go straight to customer service with receipt and show that you were over charged, Tesco have a no quibles money back gaurantee that if they over charge they will give you your money back and you keep the item that was over charged. Check out web and you will see this, I have got lots of stuff free from them over time but the trick is not to say it to checkout person as they will just correct it at till, you have to go to customer service after you pay for item. As for the wine being dearer big deal, most shops will have different items dearer than others!!

Khannie

thedeal wrote: »

As for the wine being dearer big deal, most shops will have different items dearer than others!!

Of course that's the case, I was merely pointing it out so that people could be aware that it's not super-mega-cheap compared to local supermarkets. Why would I not?

Bluetonic

Eoineo wrote: »

The equivalent price in STG is approx £21 - so that illustrates the markup that we are paying for the privilege of shopping in Tesco in Ireland.

You don't factor in higher wages, taxes, rents, etc.., etc.., do you?

It's all markup? Yes I know Tesco Ireland is one of the most profitable divisions but it's not all markup there are lots of other factors why you don't get the spot rate.

On another note I've gone by the place at 6pm the last two evenings and not a problem with traffic. Not a problem. Not one.

thedeal

Khannie wrote: »

Of course that's the case, I was merely pointing it out so that people could be aware that it's not super-mega-cheap compared to local supermarkets. Why would I not?

Agree but you could be all day trying to make that point. Most people now a day shop around and if not worse fool them...

Eoineo

Bluetonic wrote: »

You don't factor in higher wages, taxes, rents, etc.., etc.., do you?

It's all markup? Yes I know Tesco Ireland is one of the most profitable divisions but it's not all markup there are lots of other factors why you don't get the spot rate.

On another note I've gone by the place at 6pm the last two evenings and not a problem with traffic. Not a problem. Not one.

It is marked up because it's due to the conditions you mention above. The rent in Millfield has to be huge, the council rates for that amount of square footage must be astronomical. It is paying a markup for the privilege of shopping in Tesco in Ireland. I wasn't complaining about it. The amount he paid for the 2 items he bought was still good value compared to other retailers in the area.

Bluetonic

Eoineo wrote: »

It is marked up because it's due to the conditions you mention above. The rent in Millfield has to be huge, the council rates for that amount of square footage must be astronomical. It is paying a markup for the privilege of shopping in Tesco in Ireland. I wasn't complaining about it. The amount he paid for the 2 items he bought was still good value compared to other retailers in the area.

I think you're using the word markup incorrectly, however I know this is the place to debate it.

dazey

Has anybody had a gander at their clothes? I fancy picking up a few bits but only if they are any good ...I was in their clare hall branch last year and really liked what they had on offer

Jimdagym

It's the largest Tesco clothing section in Ireland, so if you liked Clare Hall, you should be fine.

Frank Spencer

dazey wrote: »

Has anybody had a gander at their clothes? I fancy picking up a few bits but only if they are any good ...I was in their clare hall branch last year and really liked what they had on offer

Jimdagym wrote: »

It's the largest Tesco clothing section in Ireland, so if you liked Clare Hall, you should be fine.

Just don't get lost like these lads last week!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beN7FftWNCM

Novella

Tesco no longer open 24 hours?

Rashers72

Opening hours seem to change. I went up there for 8.30am this morning, as I hoped to get all the shopping done early, but Tesco was closed till 9am (the centre was open, but no shops were). I also noticed it was closed till 10am yest. Assume the restricted hours linked to Easter.
If anyone knows the updated opening hours, please post here.
Thanks!

PS - I also wanted to get something in the gift shop there, but it was also closed at 10.30am. Fair enough, but it had no opening hours in the window.

tan11ie

I was talking to one of the lads in Tesco and he said the early closing hours were due to the bank holiday weekend.

Novella

Tbh, I can't see Tesco staying open 24 hours long-term. I was in there at about 1am one night during the week last week and it was pretty much myself and the staff!

Beasty

Novella wrote: »

Tbh, I can't see Tesco staying open 24 hours long-term. I was in there at about 1am one night during the week last week and it was pretty much myself and the staff!

That's no different from Clare Hall, and some of the UK 24 hour stores I have been in. As they tend to be re-stocking ovenight anyway, and it doesn't cost them much extra to keep the doors open - you often are left to your own devices overnight, using the self-service tills unless you make a specific request for assistance

Novella

Beasty wrote: »

That's no different from Clare Hall, and some of the UK 24 hour stores I have been in. As they tend to be re-stocking ovenight anyway, and it doesn't cost them much extra to keep the doors open - you often are left to your own devices overnight, using the self-service tills unless you make a specific request for assistance

Yeah, I've been in the Tesco in Drogheda late at night and seen them re-stocking, but there didn't appear to be any of that going on when I was in the one in Balbriggan late. It's just I know that Tesco in Newbridge used to open 24 hours but no longer does, so when I saw the Balbriggan branch closing the last couple of nights at 10pm, I figured same.