Limerick Businesses Opening

Vanquished · 29-07-2024 3:57pm

Another poor calibre business on the way to William Street with Turkmen Grill takeaway opening in the former Hogan's Butcher premises. I think they operate on Parnell Street at the moment.

breezy1985 · 29-07-2024 4:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122441109#Comment_122441109

Turkman Grill is an excellent spot. Way above those crappy little kebab shops that are everywhere. The ones that are just a wrap with a bit of lettuce.

Delighted for them.

Vanquished · 29-07-2024 4:24pm

Others would disagree. There are no standards enforced whatsoever on William Street. From unauthorised and outrageously poor signage to dreadful maintenance of upper floors,long term vacancy and poor public realm.

There is also a proliferation of low order uses such as bookies, charity shops, tech repair and general tat shops and dingy takeaways. There has to be some attempt by Council to limit the damage and help reintroduce some higher standards of occupancy to the street.

Poxyshamrock · 29-07-2024 5:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122441176#Comment_122441176

Yes, it’s a nice kebab shop but it’s still a kebab shop. I think that’s the point that’s being made by Vanquished and a point which I fully agree with.

breezy1985 · 29-07-2024 5:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122441258#Comment_122441258

They should introduce a minimum standard shop front on all new shops opening. Something like Enzo's or O'Connor's. They talked about it but they will be afraid of people going to the papers saying they are anti business.

Turkman are not any of those shops you mentioned above though.

breezy1985 · 29-07-2024 5:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122441556#Comment_122441556

Not sure what amazing business is gonna go into that tiny unit. Another coffee shop maybe.

Jofspring · 29-07-2024 8:28pm

I think this is the second time in this thread that Turkman Grill has been referred to as "another kebab shop" . In fairness to them they continually upgrade the inside of their restaurant. It's always busy so must do good food. It's more of a Turkish restaurant than just a Kebab shop. It's not like a standard place that goes Kebabs, burgers, fish and chips and pizzas.

breezy1985 · 29-07-2024 8:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122442166#Comment_122442166

It was also described as "a poor calibre business" which is a disgraceful thing to say about them.

Ide love to hear what people think might actually move into these old units.

Cetyl Palmitate · 29-07-2024 9:35pm

Turkmen grill is one of the best casual restaurants in Limerick. Their lamb chops are lovely. Tabouleh is nice as a side as well. Even something simple like fresh flatbread and hummus is good.

There are plenty of poor quality kebab restaurants around but Turkmen grill is not one.

Poxyshamrock · 29-07-2024 9:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122442265#Comment_122442265

It’s hardly Noma either though is it?

I’ve eaten in there a few times and it’s fairly bog standard in terms of fit out and layout and looks exactly like most kebab shops down the town. The food is delicious, I’m not denying that but I’m not sure why you’re so defensive when people don’t agree with your opinion. I don’t think any comments here have been “disgraceful”.

breezy1985 · 29-07-2024 10:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122442596#Comment_122442596

I think "poor calibre business" is a disgraceful thing to say. Could have a bit more respect for people who are doing a good job running a business. Especially from someone who complained about the amount of vacancies on the same street.

There are better streets in Limerick that have empty units so what exactly are people expecting to move in.

Vanquished · 31-07-2024 10:05am

You have to laugh really at the preciousness being displayed here over a fast food business. Maybe it's a little insight into why low standards are tolerated so readily in Limerick if people are eulogising junk food outlets so much. We often hear of how "beloved" the Chicken Hut is to Limerick people also.🙈

Say what you like but a business serving high fat, high salt, high sugar food lacking in nutrients is a low calibre business and I don't care what anyone says.

Yes there are undoubted issues in attracting new businesses to Limerick city centre. National not to mind international retailers etc. are showing little interest in setting up here. Many units have been vacant for years now but that doesn't mean that we exacerbate the perception of the city centre being an unattractive commercial location by allowing the likes of takeaways, vape shops, tech repair and tat stores, charity shops, bookies etc. to further proliferate. There are many alternative types of businesses that could be encouraged to set up in the William Street unit under discussion. It extends well back onto Chapel Lane and Cruises Street so it's floorspace could definitely be maximised. A cafe would certainly be a better use, as would a pastry store, a bakery, health food store, a butcher, craft shop, jeweller, shoe shop, cosmetics, homewares etc etc. We don't have to settle for the lowest common denominator.

Yes the Council could be a bit more pro-active by offering rate cuts, holidays and start up support grants. Along with just generally cleaning, repairing and improving the appearance of streets. Implementing some long overdue public realm upgrades also. It can be done and it must be done if the city centre has any chance of rebounding.

breezy1985 · 31-07-2024 10:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122447766#Comment_122447766

I've always thought a coffee shop would do really well there by the bus stop. Really elaborate pastry shops like Angel Dust seem to be a thing other places which we will hopefully see more of. Good quality pizza by the slice is all over the other cities too for a few years now and I'm still surprised it hasn't happened here.

As for being precious I have the opposite view. I think people get too precious here every time a shop opens that isn't some high end retailer. And everywhere has it's Chicken Hut or Donkeys, it's not a Limerick or even an Irish thing.

Vanquished · 31-07-2024 3:10pm

It's not even about high end retail. That isn't coming to Limerick city centre any time soon until we significantly boost the population of the city centre, comprehensively upgrade our embarrassing public realm, increase the Garda presence and just generally make it a vastly more attractive place for residents and visitors. I'd settle for just a semblance of quality at this stage considering the commercial fortunes of the city centre have been in decline for 20 years at this stage.

There is a very surprising lack of cafes on William Street given the length of the street and the fact that it's the second most important commercial street in the city centre. I think there are only two coffee shops between O'Connell Street and Gerald Griffin Street with just one more then on Upper William Street.

Pizza slice outlets are a very weird absentee in Limerick alright considering how common they are all over Europe. Good quality Asian or Middle Eastern street food hatches are another miss here. We're generally not seeing the same level of investment in either existing or new hospitality businesses in the city centre as comparable regional cities are. We're a bit behind the curve for sure. There are many former hospitality units still vacant in the city centre for a number of years now.

breezy1985 · 31-07-2024 3:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122449112#Comment_122449112

I would put the coffee problem on William St. down to the traffic. Jus thinking of ourselves, Cork and Galway they tend to coalesce around the low traffic areas (with exceptions obviously). I think the only saving of William St. Is to expand what was done on Catherine St. but I don't see anyone being brave enough to do it.

We are in a tough place coming out of a recession and a bad reputation into a world where high street shopping is in massive decline. Added to that we are in a country with an anti city living attitude.

Zverklez · 01-08-2024 3:59pm

I might pop in for a kebab after reading all of this nonsense

Paddico · 06-08-2024 2:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122453334#Comment_122453334

Me too. Most places buy that dreadful doner meat from the wholesalers. Zero effort to do some homemade food.

Those boys actually sound really good.

Louche Lad · 08-08-2024 3:01am

Former Hogans butchers in William St to become a restaurant: https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/1572968/plans-revealed-at-former-butchers-shop-in-limerick.html

mgbgt1978 · 08-08-2024 5:07pm

Mentioned by Vanquished last month (See post #10202). Nice to see The Leader still have their finger on the Pulse 😁

breezy1985 · 08-08-2024 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122480096#Comment_122480096

Well it is important in the sense that it doesn't mention Turkman. He actually says it will be something different to what he has done before.

I googled the guy in the article who is moving into William St. and he seems to also be involved in the Eskimo Pizza franchise.

Poxyshamrock · 08-08-2024 6:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122480211#Comment_122480211

That’s not what the drawings submitted as part of the planning application suggest. The proposed signage says Turkmen Grill and the proposed layout would indicate the same.