32 year battle to get Marks&Spencer to Limerick

Birdie086

Had to laugh in work yesterday when I saw the front page of the Leader.............here we go again, seriously would the people of Limerick ever just get over it, M & S IS NOT OUR SAVIOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian Lighthouse

Marks and Spencer will never answer the cities problems.
During the good times there was a potential to commercially enhance the coffers of either city/county Council (Opera or Crescent) by attempting to woo M&S to Limerick. The result would have seen shoppers as far away as Gort travel to Limerick for a change instead of Galway, and Mitchelstown to Limerick instead of Cork, and so on. Hopefully they would enjoy the experience and return.
In the bad times, as now, Who in the nether reaches of Limerick`s Hinterland could possibly afford to travel here for their groceries?
It reeks of desperation for the Mayor to cite "free rent" etc for M&S when struggling business` are facing increases in costs, falling revenues, and still have to pay rates etc.
Who is the Mayor anyway only a ceremonial figure? Its the Admin that has the power and call the shots. They will allow the mayor think that he has some influence, but he doesn`t. A bit like Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister.

xsiborg

jmch81 wrote: »

Kess, do you want to run for Mayor when its directly elected in two year? I might not agree with everything you have ever posted but at least you know how to use a computer!

You'll have my vote

im torn now between Kess and marienbad, if Kess gets a run at it (see what i did there? ) he'll have us all out doing jumping jacks in the people's park or something, i much rather marienbads paintball idea!

on topic- how much longer are the local newspapers going to drag on with this M&S non story? they seem to relish the idea of some arabian white knights dangling a carrot in front of the donkey mayor.

jmch81

xsiborg wrote: »

they seem to relish the idea of some arabian white knights dangling a carrot in front of the donkey mayor.

Sancho Panza?

xsiborg

jmch81 wrote: »

xsiborg wrote: »

they seem to relish the idea of some arabian white knights dangling a carrot in front of the donkey mayor.

Sancho Panza?

haha, now you mention him, i'd happily portray the role of Sancho Panza to Kess' Don Quixote!

once i'd get my island though, i still wouldn't have any M&S on it...

Kess73

xsiborg wrote: »

haha, now you mention him, i'd happily portray the role of Sancho Panza to Kess' Don Quixote!

once i'd get my island though, i still wouldn't have any M&S on it...

So I get to be the madman attacking windmills and you get to be my sneaky squire?


Could you not have chosen a pairing where things don't end badly and with a dose of humiliation?

Then again Quixote and Panza would be ideal future candidates for the roles of mayor and deputy mayor of Limerick.:)

xsiborg

Kess73 wrote: »

xsiborg wrote: »

haha, now you mention him, i'd happily portray the role of Sancho Panza to Kess' Don Quixote!

once i'd get my island though, i still wouldn't have any M&S on it...

So I get to be the madman attacking windmills and you get to be my sneaky squire?


Could you not have chosen a pairing where things don't end badly and with a dose of humiliation?

marks and sp... oh!

Then again Quixote and Panza would be ideal future candidates for the roles of mayor and deputy mayor of Limerick.:)

'because these are not just fools, these are M&S fools!'

constantg

the leader cannot afford to let the M&S story die; it fills up too many column inches. Facing facts M&S are a profit making business.....they operate in Cork, Dublin, Galway and a few other spots in the Republic. All major metropolitan areas with money to spend. They've been in Cork since at least the opening of Merchant's Quay (20+ years right?)

So if they're not here, they're not here for a very good reason, probably as they do not see a massive return for their investment.....

ongarboy

constantg wrote: »

the leader cannot afford to let the M&S story die; it fills up too many column inches. Facing facts M&S are a profit making business.....they operate in Cork, Dublin, Galway and a few other spots in the Republic. All major metropolitan areas with money to spend. They've been in Cork since at least the opening of Merchant's Quay (20+ years right?)

So if they're not here, they're not here for a very good reason, probably as they do not see a massive return for their investment.....

Not necessarily major metropolitan areas. They opened in Killarney when Tralee town council small mindedly refused permission. Neither of these towns have more than 25000 people. TBH, the only thing appealing to me about them is their food (although very overpriced). Their clothes are just a cross between Dunnes and Next at best. Fine for office attire/smalls but I wouldn't know anyone under 50 who'd wear an M&S outfit for clubbing/going out/casual wear.

Kess73

constantg wrote: »

the leader cannot afford to let the M&S story die; it fills up too many column inches. Facing facts M&S are a profit making business.....they operate in Cork, Dublin, Galway and a few other spots in the Republic. All major metropolitan areas with money to spend. They've been in Cork since at least the opening of Merchant's Quay (20+ years right?)

So if they're not here, they're not here for a very good reason, probably as they do not see a massive return for their investment.....

Like Clonmel

constantg

:P i yield to superior town planners and social geographers


But seriously, those towns have large catchment areas, wealthy catchment areas (farmers, landowners, smaller towns). What does Limerick have? Regeneration? Ghettoisation? the Doughnut Effect?

Kess73

constantg wrote: »

:P i yield to superior town planners and social geographers


But seriously, those towns have large catchment areas, wealthy catchment areas (farmers, landowners, smaller towns). What does Limerick have? Regeneration? Ghettoisation? the Doughnut Effect?

The thing is Limerick city actually is in a wonderfully central location to exploit a very large catchment area that would take in many of the farmer and landowner types you mention.

What Limerick has suffered from the most is not the doughnut effect or the fact it is the city in Ireland with the highest % of social housing and generally the highest level of unemployment (even during the supposed boom years). Im my opinion the single biggest contributer to Limerick city being a second rate Irish city is lack of modern planning by those in the position to bring about serious change. There is a stunning lack of ambition and a stunning lack of forward planning displayed on a regular basis by the city council/planners/authorities and has been for years and years now.

constantg

Kess73 wrote: »

The thing is Limerick city actually is in a wonderfully central location to exploit a very large catchment area that would take in many of the farmer and landowner types you mention.

OK, IF Limerick is such a catch, then why are we on year 32+ of a campaign to bring M&S to the city?


As regards planning and elected officials, there's the wonderful thing about capitalism that is the fact it doesn't need public support to conduct its business. The businesses in question just do their business; they set up and start selling and then they turn a profit. Or they realise they won't make a decent profit and they don't set up.....

Kess73

constantg wrote: »

OK, IF Limerick is such a catch, then why are we on year 32+ of a campaign to bring M&S to the city?


As regards planning and elected officials, there's the wonderful thing about capitalism that is the fact it doesn't need public support to conduct its business. The businesses in question just do their business; they set up and start selling and then they turn a profit. Or they realise they won't make a decent profit and they don't set up.....

Having or not having a M&S store is no marker as to how goood or not Limerick city is location wise.

As someone who has had first hand experience of the joke set up involved with trying to set up a large store in Limerick city, I can say with no hesitation that the location was attractive and still would be if there was a more professional set up at certain levels.

Some years back at the company I was with, I was the regional manager for Wales and the North East of England when I was offered the position of having Ireland (North and South) as my new region. The company was looking to expand further in Ireland and amongst others Limerick, Galway, Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny were all ear marked for either new city/town centre stores during the first two years or major expansions of current set ups.

I and my colleagues had meetings in all of those cities and towns, We met people with experience in the correct fields. We met people who came prepared. They had all their facts and figures to hand, and they knew what they wanted from us.

We came to Limerick. People showed up late for meetings. We had different people show up for the second meeting who had not been briefed on anything that was discussed in the first meeting, and who had no authority to discuss certain aspects of the proposal etc. All in all it painted a very poor image.

Long story made slightly shorter was that we had Galway, Cork and Kilkenny all finalised (and in one case the physical work had begun) but in Limerick the dithering continued. We ended up not using Limerick city at all for a fresh build and instead just took a unit in the Crescent Shopping centre to have a presence in Limerick.

constantg

Having or not having a M&S store is no marker as to how goood or not Limerick city is location wise.

True, though i never said it was....

We ended up not using Limerick city at all for a fresh build and instead just took a unit in the Crescent Shopping centre to have a presence in Limerick.

Your post misses the point. If Limerick was so good location wise, but poor in planning and admin, then why not continue the trend that your company did and take a space in a retail park.....there are quite a number of them after all....

Kess73

constantg wrote: »

True, though i never said it was....





Your post misses the point. If Limerick was so good location wise, but poor in planning and admin, then why not continue the trend that your company did and take a space in a retail park.....there are quite a number of them after all....

By taking a unit in the Crescent shopping centre we did just that. The company policy was to either own or rent units on high street areas or in major shopping malls.

From the POV of companies that want to use High street locations, the retail parks outside of Limerick like those on Childers Road hold no attraction at all. They are simply not where such stores want to go, and not where high street stores do their best business.

constantg

Kess73 wrote: »

By taking a unit in the Crescent shopping centre we did just that. The company policy was to either own or rent units on high street areas or in major shopping malls.

From the POV of companies that want to use High street locations, the retail parks outside of Limerick like those on Childers Road hold no attraction at all. They are simply not where such stores want to go, and not where high street stores do their best business.

Sorry Mod, meant that M&S should possibly do that, not your own company which did!!

Its great that BT, Debenhams, Pennys, Tesco and DUnnes all have major hiigh street locations, but unless, say the old dunnes on sarsfield street (with no parking) or a similar location opens up, a space out of town might be the best place for M&S???

Kess73

constantg wrote: »

Sorry Mod, meant that M&S should possibly do that, not your own company which did!!

Its great that BT, Debenhams, Pennys, Tesco and DUnnes all have major hiigh street locations, but unless, say the old dunnes on sarsfield street (with no parking) or a similar location opens up, a space out of town might be the best place for M&S???

Ahh sorry I read your post as asking why did the company I was with not do so.


As for M&S doing so, they did try to do that in the Crescent Shopping centre but were refused planning permission to build a new store and a new section of underground car park.

Plus the owner of the Parkway Valley Retail park, who was publically criticised by the mayor of Limerick, is meant to have contacted M&S with regards to them being one of the anchor tenents in his project. But I imagine the mayor will object to that, and to paraphrase the mayor will use everything in his power to block the Parkway Valley centre from being built.

europa11

Surely no one as thick as Jim-Il-Long has any such powers :eek:

Not that I'm worried whether or not another overhyped British supermarket wants to open here or not and cream the mugs who it seems, would feel privileged to be allowed shop there.

Personally, I'd prefer if Carrefour or Karstadt opened here.

Fugk the M&S Food Hall - check out Carrefours' Wine Cellar.

bellieella

I am seriously one of the m & s obsessed just love it for all the family. I personally think if it was in the city it would create a bit more of a buzz around the place and maybe begin to draw a crowd to the city instead of the cresent

constantg

Kess73 wrote: »

But I imagine the mayor will object to that, and to paraphrase the mayor will use everything in his power to block the Parkway Valley centre from being built.

So he'll jump up and down in his robes and his blingin' chain and get sulky?

I am seriously one of the m & s obsessed just love it for all the family. I personally think if it was in the city it would create a bit more of a buzz around the place and maybe begin to draw a crowd to the city instead of the cresent

I'm coming around to the idea of having M&S come here, just purely so I can walk up and smack all those prophets of massive economic recovery, when things are still largely the same after they have set up shop

Berty

constantg wrote: »

I'm coming around to the idea of having M&S come here, just purely so I can walk up and smack all those prophets of massive economic recovery, when things are still largely the same after they have set up shop

What of the people who are under no illusion that M&S is coming here to save our souls rather people just want a nice store to spend their money in, something different, somewhere with good products in Clothes, Foods, Cards and gifts.

I like M&S, like shopping in M&S and would like an M&S near me like most people.

jmch81

Beer Baron wrote: »

I like M&S, like shopping in M&S and would like an M&S near me like most people.

I like their socks and cookies.

+1 on wanting Carrefour, a big chain that isn't currently represented in Ireland is the best way to get shoppers from outside the area in e.g. house of fraser in dundrum

Berty

jmch81 wrote: »

I like their socks and cookies.

+1 on wanting Carrefour, a big chain that isn't currently represented in Ireland is the best way to get shoppers from outside the area in e.g. house of fraser in dundrum

+2 on Carrefour. A shop with a wine dispenser so can fill up your empty wine boxes right in store. :eek:

Kind of like a big Asda really. Sell everything from car parts to toilet roll and everything in between.

pigtown

Looks like this discussion is starting again. http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/commercial-property/m-s-in-talks-to-anchor-limerick-centre-1.1385005
I had hoped that this centre wouldn't go ahead. Maybe it will be a positive but to be honest it would be a big blow to both the city and the Crescent if it gets completed.

Poxyshamrock

I'd rather live without M&S than see it go out there.

Parkway Valley should be razed.

flutered

why have they not suggested john lewis.

pigtown

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Parkway Valley should be razed.

I'd love if a public amenity like the following could be built there;
Turn the entire Groody Valley into a huge public park with cycle paths, sports pitches, etc.( a Limerick Phoenix Park if you like) and finish the shopping centre as a hanging garden/botanical garden type structure. Of course I've no idea where the money would come from but perhaps an Eden Project style set up could be possible.

It's good to dream I suppose.

Pumpkinseeds

I don't really see what's so wonderful about M & S. I usually pop in when I'm in Galway and rarely buy more than some cakes for Mr P. The clothes seem to be pretty much what you'd find anywhere else and very over priced in my opinion. As for their grocery section, its not somewhere you'd do a full grocery shop as its far too expensive.

I'd have loved to see a British Home Stores open here, it would have been like a better mix of Debenhams and Brown Thomas combined but with much better value.

Jofspring

As many have said before its all about jobs. If they do open and hire a lot of people then brilliant. I won't be a regular there but each to their own I suppose in that respect.