Limerick Businesses Opening

Bored_lad

Not only is it a prime retail unit and the face dealz are going in there lowers the tone of the street and in my opinion is a waste of a unit. Do we really need two dealz in town. But it is only basically right beside the only 5 star hotel that we have in Limerick city.

Vanquished

Incredibly frustrating! I had vain hopes that a quality mens clothing retailer might just take a punt on it but I should've known better!

Instead we get yet another rubbish brand selling cheap tat! There really couldn't have been a worse outcome!

zulutango

Bored_lad wrote: »

Not only is it a prime retail unit and the face dealz are going in there lowers the tone of the street and in my opinion is a waste of a unit. Do we really need two dealz in town. But it is only basically right beside the only 5 star hotel that we have in Limerick city.

I may be wrong, but doesn't the council have the power to regulate the type of businesses that opens on a street? If that's the case, the council basically saw this planning application come through and said feck it, don't care. Same as those hideous advertising hoardings that have spring up all over. They are basically ****ing the city up, one decison at a time.

Red King

moleyv wrote: »

What is wrong with two shoe shops beside each other when they have largely different offerings? I use both depending on what I'm looking for.

It is about maximising the retail potential of the street. There is only a few units yet four are taken up by an outdated travel agents, a barber shop and two shoe shops.

I don't blame the businesses in question for seizing the initiative.

But Limerick is badly let down by poor planning. Time and time again copycat businesses set up yards from each other leading to things like Kebab Row in the Market and discount row at the top of William Street.

Bedford Row was hailed as a new Prime Retail shopping street in its redevelopment - we didn't get that, not even close. Not in terms of the tenants anyway.

Adding Dealz to the mix just drags the whole tone down.

Let's just say all the units on Bedford Row were empty and looking for tenants. Which of the current crop do you think people would have been clamouring for to occupy those units?

I know that is a bit simplified but christ almighty I never thought when Bedford Row was being redeveloped that we would end up this sorry selection of businesses. (with one or two exceptions)

FutureGuy

There are few reasons for shoppers to come into the city. Brown Thomas is one. Debenhams is another.

You need these type of stores to get people into the city.

That unit in Bedord Row could have been anything.

It's now a Dealz.

Poxyshamrock

Red King wrote: »

It is about maximising the retail potential of the street. There is only a few units yet four are taken up by an outdated travel agents, a barber shop and two shoe shops.

I don't blame the businesses in question for seizing the initiative.

Bedford Row was hailed as a new Prime Retail shopping street in its redevelopment - we didn't get that, not even close. Not in terms of the tenants anyway.

You really don't like two shoe shops, do you? :pac:

Red King

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

You really don't like two shoe shops, do you? :pac:

Bedford Row is so small I'd rather see one shoe shop. If the street was larger I wouldn't have a problem tbh

Bored_lad

Red King wrote: »

It is about maximising the retail potential of the street. There is only a few units yet four are taken up by an outdated travel agents, a barber shop and two shoe shops.

Limerick travel has been in that location for years it is obviously still doing quite well if it is still open. If you want a travel agent in Limerick you have to come into town as far as I know so I don't see why this is a problem if it's attracting people in.

Figaro's is the best barber shop in town in my opinion and the only place I and many of my friends will trust to cut our hair. Again you don't have any barbers like this outside of town so once again we have something to attract people into town. Also nearly any time you go into Figaros you'll find people in there waiting so it's busy and it's getting people to the area.

One the two shoe shops I really don't see why this is a problem and if anything it's considered an attraction to have two shoe shops beside each other because people will think if I don't find anything in Schuh I'll go into Clarke's. You need a lot of shops in town to attract people in. If it was the case that only one of each type of shop worked then when you'd go out to the Crescent and other shopping centres you wouldn't find multiple clothes shops or multiple sports shops. But you do because if you are looking for something you'll want to go somewhere were there is a few shops selling what you want so you can shop around.

Red King

You are missing the point I am trying to make.

Bedford Row in its redevelopment seemed to promise much more than it has delivered in terms of the businesses that have taken up residence there.

It could and should have attracted high end fashion/electronics stores. Instead we have Dealz and the likes.

It has just fallen far short of what it could have been.

Cherrycoke

Cedar House is opening in the old Café Noir spot on Robert St.

AFAIK, they were operating from Mejana up until now

bennyl10

Bored_lad wrote: »

right beside the only 5 star hotel that we have in Limerick city.

Its a disgrace it's dealz, but Savoy is no longer a 5*, hasn't been for over a year.

Perry square is the cities only 5star.

On topic, you'd imagine there would have been many interested parties... surely better than dealz..

moleyv

Red King wrote:

It is about maximising the retail potential of the street. There is only a few units yet four are taken up by an outdated travel agents, a barber shop and two shoe shops.

Yeah, and two shoe stores with different target markets will bring two different age brackets to the street. To be honest, I'd say they are the two busiest units.

Travel agent is a legacy, if they move or sell up fair enough. I don't think it brings down the street on a retail level, maybe aesthetically.

Office space should make up max 10% of a busy retail street. The travel agent has an active street frontage so isn't the worst of the 'office category'.

The reality is, Bedford row is a side street, there is nothing from the design to suggest it is anywhere special rather than a little refuge from the main O'Connell street (all things being well and units full of appropriate business). As such, more of a mix of uses is appropriate.

It is not a direct comparison with Top Shop etc in Cork. Maybe people want it like that, but what ended up on the ground couldn't meet that criteria no matter what went into the units.

The opera site is the only thing capable of being close, or more like Victoria Square in Belfast.

Dealz is probably in the right general location, but wrong unit, and that's before considering the proliferation of 'pound shops'.

What a waste of the nicest unit on the street.

Red King

Savoy has gone downhill, not surprised it is no longer 5*

The Market Quarter should be renamed Kebab Kasbah. There's even a tent

Bored_lad

bennyl10 wrote: »

Its a disgrace it's dealz, but Savoy is no longer a 5*, hasn't been for over a year.

Perry square is the cities only 5star.

On topic, you'd imagine there would have been many interested parties... surely better than dealz..

Do you have any source on this? I don't remember hearing anything about it and on TripAdvisor you'll only find the Savoy under 5 starts they say they are 5 stars on their website. Also Perry Squre has only ever been 4 star and it doesn't look like they've been upgraded as they say 4 star on booking.com.

I will agree that the Savoy leaves a lot to be desired for a five star hotel and Perry Square is far better in my opinion. However you will have people who are visiting and want to stay or only stay in five star hotels and will end up in the Savoy. Which isn't a great hotel and now is right beside a Dealz and also opposite a supermarket and mulistory car park. Not a great advertisement for Limerick.

Reputable Rog

Red King wrote: »

Savoy has gone downhill, not surprised it is no longer 5*

The Market Quarter should be renamed Kebab Kasbah. There's even a tent

I had a family meal in the Savoy recently and everything about it was excellent .

bigpink

See Mother Macs gone full on hipster now
Eva and poetry nights etc

Poxyshamrock

bigpink wrote: »

See Mother Macs gone full on hipster now
Eva and poetry nights etc

I wish they'd kept the old name. Mother Macs is bloody awful.

Red King

Reputable Rog wrote: »

I had a family meal in the Savoy recently and everything about it was excellent .

Standards there have noticeably dropped in the past year or so. From the bar service to the food, it is not what it used to be. Doesn't mean it is rock bottom and awful either though.

timesnewroman

bigpink wrote: »

See Mother Macs gone full on hipster now
Eva and poetry nights etc

"Hipster" - must be one of the most overused words on the Limerick section of boards. "Realm" surely a close second.

dunworth1

I don't really see the problem with dealz moving there it'll probably be a good place for them directly across from dunnes.

If people are worried about the savoys image then remember that there is a very tacky "computer repair" shop right beside it

No issue with two shoe shops beside eachother by the reasoning given above you couldn't have two clothes shops beside eachother either.

Being iny early 20s I only use the shoe shops on Bedford row and once dealz opens I'll probably pop in there sometimes aswell.

When I'm in town i spend most of my time on cruises Street and William street anyway i hardly ever venture to O'connell Street or Bedford row
Dealz might change that depending if anything is different from the William street store

Vanquished

zulutango wrote: »

I may be wrong, but doesn't the council have the power to regulate the type of businesses that opens on a street? If that's the case, the council basically saw this planning application come through and said feck it, don't care. Same as those hideous advertising hoardings that have spring up all over. They are basically ****ing the city up, one decison at a time.

Technically yes. They can put in place special planning controls to regulate retail activity and prevent certain types of retailers setting up on particular streets. Dublin City Council established such a scheme for O'Connell Street but in typical style never enforced it!

Dealz didn't have to apply for planning permission here as there was no change of use involved.

Poxyshamrock

dunworth1 wrote: »

I don't really see the problem with dealz moving there it'll probably be a good place for them directly across from dunnes.

And the bus stops to Moyross and Ballynanty! :pac:

Poxyshamrock

dunworth1 wrote: »

What's this supposed to mean?

The Caherdavin bus also goes from there.

People from every walk of life use Dealz, a significant percentage of their customer base come from working class areas though. It will no doubt help them that people will be able to go to Dealz and hop straight on the 303 or 306. I see it myself on William Street. People come from Dealz and head for the 303 to O'Malley Park.

Yes, they may also use the 302 but not as many.

bigpink

Strange opening another store less than a minute away

Townie_P

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

You really don't like two shoe shops, do you? :pac:

There was a third shoe shop looking at Bedford Row in the not too distant past, where Noels Menswear are open now. That would have been three shoe shops in a row - may have caused the man a heart attack!

Dealz is very disappointing but not surprising. IMO you are not going to see the big retail names coming to Limerick until the 2030 redevelopment work is complete. City needs a makeover and needs more tourists/visitors to drive extra footfall and sales. It's just not attractive enough as things stand.

mynameis905

bigpink wrote: »

See Mother Macs gone full on hipster now
Eva and poetry nights etc

Bigpink, your stream of consciousness posts are a joy to read. What exactly is an Eva though?

Red King

Dolores McNamara is looking to buy Guilders Road Retail Park

Eddie Hobbs is advising her. This is not a late April Fools

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/euromillions-115m-winner-bids-to-buy-limerick-retail-park-1.2607890


Eddie Hobbs? Jesus wept.

Special Circumstances

Red King wrote: »

Dolores McNamara is looking to buy Guilders Road Retail Park

Eddie Hobbs is advising her. This is not a late April Fools

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/euromillions-115m-winner-bids-to-buy-limerick-retail-park-1.2607890


Eddie Hobbs? Jesus wept.

Hmmm, seems like an established successful site. If the Hobbs was advising her to buy the Event Horizon Mall*, or the Wickes "zombieland" retail park I think it would qualify as April Fools material.

*There really should be a petition to change it to the "Event Horizon" mall. In general relativity, an event horizon is a boundary in spacetime beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer. An event horizon is most commonly associated with black holes. Light emitted from inside the event horizon can never reach the outside observer. Likewise, any object approaching the horizon from the observer's side appears to slow down and never quite pass through the horizon...

Straight Edge Punk

I can't buy decent clothes anywhere in the city and they go ahead with another euro shop, Limerick makes me weep.

Red King

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Hmmm, seems like an established successful site. If the Hobbs was advising her to buy the Event Horizon Mall*, or the Wickes "zombieland" retail park I think it would qualify as April Fools material.

*There really should be a petition to change it to the "Event Horizon" mall. In general relativity, an event horizon is a boundary in spacetime beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer. An event horizon is most commonly associated with black holes. Light emitted from inside the event horizon can never reach the outside observer. Likewise, any object approaching the horizon from the observer's side appears to slow down and never quite pass through the horizon...

Hobbs is a chancer. Someone with her wealth should avoid him like the plague.