New Shops/Businesses in Bray

Thargor

Main Street not looking good at the minute, fake shop fronts, shutters down, for sale signs up, general dirty appearance to the place, it's starting to look like the completely failed towns you get in the Midlands and places like Tuam and Balinasloe. Good thing they resurfaced the street last year or the place would be a complete disaster.

B0jangles

Entertainment Exchange is close to opening - sign is up and the fittings are going in anyway.

Witcher

Thargor wrote: »

Main Street not looking good at the minute, fake shop fronts, shutters down, for sale signs up, general dirty appearance to the place, it's starting to look like the completely failed towns you get in the Midlands and places like Tuam and Balinasloe. Good thing they resurfaced the street last year or the place would be a complete disaster.

That's hardly new, been like that for years.

Thargor

Getting out of hand down the Quinsborough end now though, nearly as many vacant units as occupied, wasnt even that bad in the recession.

loyatemu

Thargor wrote:

Getting out of hand down the Quinsborough end now though, nearly as many vacant units as occupied, wasnt even that bad in the recession.

The commercial activity is shifting to the seafront.

Antrim_Man

loyatemu wrote: »

The commercial activity is shifting to the seafront.

That empty warehouse needs pulling down opposite the dart station for a start.

Antrim_Man

Antrim_Man wrote: »

That empty warehouse needs pulling down opposite the dart station for a start.

Or turn it into an arcade/market

Annasopra

Deleted User wrote: »

Or turn it into an arcade/market

Perfect site for a cinema.

Calibos

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Perfect site for a cinema.

Not viable without a multi-storey underground carpark given the footprint of the site and IRCC planning was rejected for a MSCP on that site a few years ago??

ie. A multi-screen cinema needs to be 4 or 5 storeys tall in and of itself. That's already at the limit of what planning would likely allow given that's it'd be overlooking and shading a historical railway station and given the heights of nearby properties. So all parking would need to be underground and given the footprint of the site you'd need at least 2 levels. That's why I reckon it's a non starter. There'll be a multiscreen cinema in the bowling alley building before there'll be one on the cash and carry site IMHO.

insomniac86

CEX is opening up where Monica Peters used to be on the Main Street.

murpho999

Calibos wrote: »

Not viable without a multi-storey underground carpark given the footprint of the site and IRCC planning was rejected for a MSCP on that site a few years ago??

ie. A multi-screen cinema needs to be 4 or 5 storeys tall in and of itself. That's already at the limit of what planning would likely allow given that's it'd be overlooking and shading a historical railway station and given the heights of nearby properties. So all parking would need to be underground and given the footprint of the site you'd need at least 2 levels. That's why I reckon it's a non starter. There'll be a multiscreen cinema in the bowling alley building before there'll be one on the cash and carry site IMHO.

The bowling alley right beside it is of similar height required that you mention and has underground parking, so I don't see why a cinema beside it would be a problem.

Thargor

Theres an underground carpark in the bowling alley? I never knew that...

g0g

Thargor wrote: »

Theres an underground carpark in the bowling alley? I never knew that...

Yeah it was a Go Kart track for a few years too! Never got around to trying it before they shut down

Calibos

murpho999 wrote: »

The bowling alley right beside it is of similar height required that you mention and has underground parking, so I don't see why a cinema beside it would be a problem.

Had a look at googlemaps there. The site is actually a bit bigger than the bowling alley which surprised me. Don't get me wrong. I'd love if there was a decent multiplex around there. Walk 30 seconds up the road instead of having to hop in the car to Dundrum or Dun Laoghaire Might accelerate the uplift of the area.

Think I found the ultimately rejected planning application from 2007.

Linky

4 Storey. 64 apartments and some retail units. underground parking.

I suppose if the reason for rejection was the housing density then maybe it would be a goer without the apartments and a multiplex instead.

Still, I'm not sure Bray could support a multiplex based on its own population alone and because of Brays traffic issues, if you wanted to travel to Bray to the cinema by road or Dart, you'd find it just as easy to drive or take the dart to Dundrum or Dun laoghaire respectively.

murpho999

Well a multiplex was planned in the "Bray Town Centre" (Is that completely dead in the water?).

I do think the town and North Wicklow environs has enough population for a cinema but agree about traffic.

loyatemu

Between Bray and Greystones you would think there are enough people to support a cinema, but the problem is that most people going to see a film during the day (with kids or whatever) will go to Dundrum to combine it with shopping, trip to McDs etc.

A cinema as a standalone destination isn't enough any more - it might do alright in the evenings with teenagers but if you have to get in the car anyway (particularly from Greystones or Enniskerry) then you might as well go to Dundrum as there's more stuff there.

Calibos

loyatemu wrote: »

Between Bray and Greystones you would think there are enough people to support a cinema, but the problem is that most people going to see a film during the day (with kids or whatever) will go to Dundrum to combine it with shopping, trip to McDs etc.

A cinema as a standalone destination isn't enough any more - it might do alright in the evenings with teenagers but if you have to get in the car anyway (particularly from Greystones or Enniskerry) then you might as well go to Dundrum as there's more stuff there.

+1

This was the point I was trying to make in my own hamfisted way

murpho999

OK, but there are cinemas in the likes of Stillorgan and Dun Laoghaire with not much more around them and they are still there.

zoobizoo

And also the IFI and The Lighthouse Cinema... I choose the cinema based on the films they show. I choose between DL, Dundrum and Stillorgan with DL coming out on top as I don't have to pay for parking. If I want to see something Art house I'll hit up the Mermaid or head into town. I would presume that any cinema opening would have food offering. I never had an issue with the Royal cinema as it was so convenient.

Bray population is about 35,000 - Arklow has a cinema and the population there as about 13,000... I'm sure the Cineplex's would open in Bray if it was profitable - maybe they are waiting to see what's happening with various developments but I'm sure they would see the combined population of Bray, Shankill and Greystones (plus surrounding villages) as a very attractive reason to open here.

Thargor

Plus a cinema with a DART station on the doorstep would boost its catchment area aswell if it was built down there, seafront/Bray Head/Coast walk and then cinema and a train home would be a good day out for a lot of people for 6 months of the year anyway.

I had 2 cinemas within a 5 minute walk of my house when I was living in Galway and they were both packed.

foxy06

Lots of talk that smyths is closing. Anyone know if it's true?

Calibos

No, but if they do close I'm sure there'll be lots of talk of........Penneys.......opening in their stead.

I swear to God, if I won 100 million Euromillions jackpot I'd go on an investment spree the likes of which the town has never seen from a private individual. Pick some key locations, troubled derelict spots for key investments to spark further investment by others. Reverse the 'Broken Window' Syndrome. Gentrify etc. The town has so much potential. Its so frustrating that progress is so slow.

foxy06

No not penneys this time.....dealz. I hate adding to rumours that will probably turn out to be false but losing Smyths would be terrible. I know dealz has been moving into supervalu, city 2 and national Irish over the last few months so that part probably isn't true.

Annasopra

I'm loving the revitalised Albert Walk and new shops and refurbishment of shops. Well done to Bray Tidy Towns for cleaning it all up.

murpho999

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

I'm loving the revitalised Albert Walk and new shops and refurbishment of shops. Well done to Bray Tidy Towns for cleaning it all up.

Mmmm...still think it could look a lot better. Especially on the non shop side.

Also, the arcades (closed and open) look awful.

foxy06

Unfortunately it had been confirmed on smyths toys Facebook page that they are closing the bray store.

Thargor

Thats a shocker, always people going in and out from what I saw, nothing but cafes and pound shops down there soon.

P0lygon Wind0w

foxy06 wrote: »

Unfortunately it had been confirmed on smyths toys Facebook page that they are closing the bray store.

Link please?

EDIT: Nevermind. http://i.imgur.com/2YOIh3P.png

Sad

foxy06

Yes I am shocked too. I thought it was one of the busier shops in the town. Hopefully it won't be idle for long.

zoobizoo

I always wondered how that building got planning approval.... shocking design and totally out of kilter with the surrounding area.

While Crazy Prices wasn't great, at least it wasn't just a big box with windows. Plus it had some parking.