The Old Dunnes Stores Building Enniscorthy

Rockery Woman

Doesn't it look terrible. Its been empty for a very long time. There were rumours about Penneys and Heatons looking to set up there but obviously untrue.

Id say there is rats as big as dogs in it!!!:eek:

1966

Yeah it's an absolute eyesore on the street

Silent Shrill

Pennys wanted to take it but Dunnes refused, I guess they didn't want the competition. Time the council started to impose fines for derelict buildings that the owners leave empty, say a 1000 per week.

Padjo1981

The council were supposed to have done that already. Fines for derelict sites and buildings, but I a not sure if they really imposed any of them at all.

Cantona's Collars

There was a notice for planning permission in the window but nothing has come of it,pity-it's a large space just being left idle while on another thread we see new shops opening in Wexford.The site being discussed for Champion Sports flagship store in the South East was reported to be too small-why not try and entice them to Enniscorthy? I suppose that won't happen as we have 3 sport shops already.The way things are going in the town we could see the dole office moving in there just to cope with the numbers of unemployed.

Judgement Day

The town could badly do with an indoor market which would encourage small entrepreneurs to have a go at starting a business. The council needs to get involved by acquiring a suitable premises and letting units at realistic rents and with low rates. Something similar is done by the IDA with advance factories to entice in new businesses but nothing is done for retailers - and it won't be!

Silent Shrill

I dont think the town council is going to get involved in buying/leasing premises for sme's. What would stand a chance is for the town council to contact Dunnes in an effort to allow the building to be used as you state Judgement Day, obviously for rent, but at a reasonable price to allow start-up people the opportunity to get a foothold. The people that want to start up a small stall should not be subject to a long lease or 6-12 month contract, that is just crazy for a 1 man band, but rather a weekly rent paid in advance. This works well in the UK, one I remember well in South Harrow. The indoor market was supervised by 1 man that collected the rent, in advance, each week. And should anyone wish to leave, they had the week to work before going. Many of the stallholders had been there for years, and of course, many came and went.
The only condition I would like to see is that businesses in the town already, especialy the ones that practically own the town, should not be trying to "take" the spaces, but rather trying to encourage the developement of sme's, as this will have a positive advantage for their businesses.

RKQ

Nice posts above by Judgement day and Silent Shrill, have to agree 100%.
An indoor market, rent paid in advance on a weekly basis - is a great idea.
Well done and lets hope someone can put your ideas into practice on Rafter Street.

Cantona's Collars

Wouldn't it be an idea to move the stalls from The Fairgreen into Dunnes old building for the Winter,it could attract more stall holders and free up much needed parking at the top of the town.I know the fairgreen is tradition and only once a month but if it's indoors it would be more of an attraction and be more central.Who knows-could even lead to the re-invention of The Market Square as an actual market.Even the Farmers Market wouldn't object to moving indoors during the Winter.God know's the town centre needs something to attract shoppers.

St Senan

Zerks that's a brillant Suggestion. The carpark at the fairgreen is used for parents to bring children to school Before 9am and a Pick up at 2.40pm. This morning i was Nominated to do the school run. We got there at 8.45am to find a lorry parked sideways unloading big pane's of glass for the front of pettits. The lorry was taking up about ten parking spaces no one could get in and manovoure about. Then a Dipstick drove in at 9.05am with a big van and trailer and Reversed along the carpark towards the trolley bays a blocked 4 cars trying to get out. Regarding the Market I know the stall holders are only there once a month but when they are there they dont give 2hoots about parents trying to get parking before 9am. Also Whoever measured the width of the parking spaces in the carpark should go back to school.

RKQ

zerks wrote: »

Who knows-could even lead to the re-invention of The Market Square as an actual market.Even the Farmers Market wouldn't object to moving indoors during the Winter.

100% agree, a great idea.

Sadly I'm old enough to remember the market actually in the Market Square:eek:. Even as I child I couldn't understand the logic of moving the Market up to the Fairgreen. A Market Square without a Market??

I do remember the Shopkeepers in the Square were against the Market.
From memory the Market drew in large numbers of shoppers on a Tuesday once a month.

Silent Shrill

Enniscorthy would be an ideal market town. Market towns were the forefront of the larger cities we see today. Many market towns exist all over the UK and bring people, money, jobs, and other types of buisnesses to the area. But all of the market towns are open air due to the size of them. The Fairgreen market is not that often and I do not believe the stallhoders there would want an "all week" venue in Enniscorthy.

The Saturday market down opposite the Credit Union, (farmers market), would be more ideal, but again, would these stallholders want an all week venue? and would they see opposition from the meat/fruit/veg shops in town? probaby so.

If you want a positive vote from the town as a whole, and this would include the "established" shops, the idea has to be to "draw" new ventures that would not conflict with existing premises. I dont want you to get me wrong here, I'm not saying we must be "picky" about the type of "mini-shops", but there has to be some kind of criteria as to the stalls/shops wares/services. You wouldn't want to go in there if all that was for sale was 1 euro items. The stalls would not last long and you would be back to an empty building.

If the town council really want to improve Enniscorthy they will do all they can to assist with the enterprise, but I do not believe they will give financial assistance, maybe they would and prove me wrong, but it is going to take private funding to put the plan into action, which means that a profit must be made. An investor has to be "in" from the start, an individual/committee have to do the ground work, sourcing potential renters, the premises have to be prepared as I'm sure a bit of work is required inside, insurances, esb, phone lines, the list is long. So it is not just a case of open the doors and invite them in. It can be done...dont get me wrong, but there's a good deal of planning involved.

The beauty of the street market is all you need is a stall and somewhere to set-up.

JayEnnis

I'm gonna say an indoor skate/bike park but there's no sort of progressive thinking in this town at all.

barney 20v

zerks wrote: »

There was a notice for planning permission in the window but nothing has come of it,pity-it's a large space just being left idle while on another thread we see new shops opening in Wexford.The site being discussed for Champion Sports flagship store in the South East was reported to be too small-why not try and entice them to Enniscorthy? I suppose that won't happen as we have 3 sport shops already.The way things are going in the town we could see the dole office moving in there just to cope with the numbers of unemployed.

Sports shops? They are terrible excuses for sport shops, i tried to purchase 2 Ireland home soccer jerseys at the weekend in Enniscorthy and to my shock i discovered it is impossible to find any in Enniscorthy... you can get man united, liverpool, etc but no Irish jerseys. oh and sorry for hi jacking the thread.

Silent Shrill

If suggestions are welcome, I'll put this one up
http://www.cashconverters.com/index.aspx
A worldwide franchise that booms in recession and booms in the "boom years".
Currently no shops in Ireland.........it would be a first, and in Enniscorthy. I've been in these shops, the products are well priced, of good quality, and a very entertaining way of spending a few hours. If you got them to open here, (it is a franchise), I'm pretty certain the town would take on a new look.

Judgement Day

Silent Shrill wrote: »

If suggestions are welcome, I'll put this one up
http://www.cashconverters.com/index.aspx
A worldwide franchise that booms in recession and booms in the "boom years".
Currently no shops in Ireland.........it would be a first, and in Enniscorthy. I've been in these shops, the products are well priced, of good quality, and a very entertaining way of spending a few hours. If you got them to open here, (it is a franchise), I'm pretty certain the town would take on a new look.

Is this what you mean? http://www.cashconvertersireland.ie/locator.html as they seem to already have some Irish shops.

Silent Shrill

Yes, very good judgement day. However 5 shops is not exactly nationwide with 3 in Dublin, 1 in Navan, and 1 in Galway. Let the old Dunnes stand and rot......that's what is happening the country over......and is it any wonder? If anyone thinks that the Government or Councils are going to help them dig their way out of the crap, they're 100% wrong. If no-one is going to invest in these buildings they will still be empty in 10 years time, look at the buildings already empty for years. Private investment is the only way it's going to change, how many old buildings were transformed during the boom years in Enniscorthy by the Council, or Government?

Initiative is required by individuals with access to money, way past many folk in Enniscorthy I'm afraid, and that is the reason why only a handfull of people in this town carry such clout........because they have the money. If no committee is formed to assist with the developement of Enniscorthy by way of attracting private investment, then this thread will still come up in years to come.

cython

barney 20v wrote: »

Sports shops? They are terrible excuses for sport shops, i tried to purchase 2 Ireland home soccer jerseys at the weekend in Enniscorthy and to my shock i discovered it is impossible to find any in Enniscorthy... you can get man united, liverpool, etc but no Irish jerseys. oh and sorry for hi jacking the thread.

Given the current situation with the Ireland home jersey, I'd not immediately hold that against the shops. The Eircom badged jersey is obsolete, so any shop would be glad not to be left with much/any stock of them, given that anywhere still selling them having to do so for half price, and the new 3 badged one is not available yet, so they can't sell them either.

I actually find Mysport better than a number of the larger chains for actual useful sports equipment, as opposed to sports fashion that some of them seem to go for, and John O'Leary who runs the place would be better informed and more interested in that side than your average chain store manager by a country mile.

Rockery Woman

I actually find Mysport better than a number of the larger chains for actual useful sports equipment, as opposed to sports fashion that some of them seem to go for, and John O'Leary who runs the place would be better informed and more interested in that side than your average chain store manager by a country mile.[/QUOTE]


agree! My Sport is a great shop. They actually know what they are talking about when it comes to sports. Many other "Sports Shops" are really just tracksuit shops. We dont need more sports shops in Enniscorthy, but I agree with the indoor market idea - its brilliant and wouldn't it be great if it materialised!!!!

Cantona's Collars

Just posted the Champion Sports thing as a bit of musing-it seems that all the top/new stores immediately bypass Enniscorthy to locate in Wexford town.I know Wexford has it's problems with empty premises but at least new ventures are given a chance to open in the town.The old Dunnes premises was a focal point on the street and now it seems dead with a big empty building in the middle.It would be in the interest of all other shops etc. on the street to have some kind of anchor store to attract customers and revitalise Rafter Street.

Entrepreneur1

RKQ wrote: »

Nice posts above by Judgement day and Silent Shrill, have to agree 100%.
An indoor market, rent paid in advance on a weekly basis - is a great idea.
Well done and lets hope someone can put your ideas into practice on Rafter Street.

Hi Guys,

If you're serious about wanting an indoor market, maybe we could get an idea of how many people would be willing to rent stalls each week...

If we got enough names in the bag we would be able to bring this idea to fruition and make something of the site on Rafter St.

Could anyone who would be interested reply to this post and include what kind of stall they would like to set up?