New Business openings and closures around you?

djburchgrove

2:00 was advertised, didn't feel the need to contact them about it personally. One of my group may have.

In The Conversation

Looks like work has stopped at the Playwright on Newtownpark Ave in Blackrock. Word was that it was going to be a Tesco Express and a Starbucks. Work on the site seems to have stopped about 2 months ago. I read that Tesco have been struggling so it may be that they have pulled out. Would be a shame if it remains as a derelict site indefinitely.

Aard

Planning permissions state that development must be carried out in accordance with the plans, usually within 5 years.

ted1

Aard wrote: »

Planning permissions state that development must be carried out in accordance with the plans, usually within 5 years.

Once work has started it's easy to get an extension especially if work was delayed due to a down turn

Larbre34

The work on the Playwright was just some roofing and weatherproofing to secure the site as there were some issues. No occupation pending.

LXFlyer

Sad to report that News Print, the family run newsagent in Ballinteer Shopping Centre, closed last Sunday after 23 years in business. It was always one of the better stocked newsagents in terms of the range of magazines held.

On a brighter note, an XL shop is opening where the Spar shop used to be on Dundrum Main Street.

spillit67

Larbre34 wrote: »

The work on the Playwright was just some roofing and weatherproofing to secure the site as there were some issues. No occupation pending.

Looked like a lot more than that was going on in there tbh but I bow to your info on the matter. I'm not a building expert either!

coylemj

spillit67 wrote: »

Looked like a lot more than that was going on in there tbh but I bow to your info on the matter. I'm not a building expert either!

The work that was going on any time I passed varied from nothing to one or two lads doing some work. It was obvious that it wasn't a big project and if it was, there would have been a large sign proclaiming that Mickey Smith contractors was renovating the premises for a new Tesco/Supervalu/Nandos or whatever.

Labre34's post saying that it was simply remedial/maintenance work exactly matches what I've seen over the past few months.

spillit67

They knocked some exterior walls down and demolished the interior as well. I walked by It earlier and there's a side of it bricked up and looks unfinished to me.

I admit to not knowing much about building but from what I saw it looked like more than just work on the roof. Why would you spend money knocking down exterior and interior walls?

Just to add there are new walls as well. The wall is extending out from the original building.

OssianSmyth

Planning permission was granted in 2012 to convert the Playwright to a shop with off-licence. Some alterations, including an extension at the entrance were included in these plans. In August 2014, permission was granted to replace the thatched roof with natural slate.

coylemj

I think the problem with the premises is that there is no obvious tenant for it. You have a Spar store down at the Texaco filling station and there's a decent little O'Brien's (off-licence) a few doors away. The Playwright tried several combinations of pub/restaurant and none of them seemed to work so it just closed down. There have been all sorts of rumours going around here saying that (e.g.) it was going to open as a Tesco Express and the like but at the end of the day there doesn't seem to be anything happening that looks like it's part of a definite plan.

spillit67

I'd disagree, the Playwright was an extremely successful operation which was twice sold for the record price for a pub in Ireland. The Morans had that place rammed all weekend about 10 years ago. TGIs was doing okay when it started as it was just the Lounge. They then decided just as the the recession was really kicking in to make the The Pub apart of the TGIs franchise as well.

TGIs restaurants do well in city centres and shopping malls. Spending a huge chunk of money on the site and turning the interior into a TGIs was always going to be tough with what is really a suburban location. It was a terrible idea to put a TGIs there tbh.

If I had to guess they spent way over the odds on the place in the boom and just kept escalating their commitment to the site when every economic indicator said it was madness.

I do agree with not knowing what to put in there now. It is not suitable for a supermarket imo unless they take over the strip of shops where O'Briens is so they have access to more exits. The entrance currently is too close to a junction and is not a good spot for frequent entry/exits.

I've heard it mentioned a number of times that it would have been a perfect spot for an Avoca type spot. A mix between retail and food would be the most ideal I guess but who has the capital for such a project? A Tesco Express/Starbucks combination seemed to make some sense given that. Either that or it just becomes apartments which would probably be the best course of action at this point.

Larbre34

It'd make an ideal Wetherspoons

RainyDay

lxflyer wrote: »

Sad to report that News Print, the family run newsagent in Ballinteer Shopping Centre, closed last Sunday after 23 years in business. It was always one of the better stocked newsagents in terms of the range of magazines held.

Sad indeed. I heard two stories, that the owner was retiring, and also that the rent had increased. The retirement one doesn't make a whole lot of sense - you'd think that it could either have been passed onto family, or sold as a going concern.

the groutch

spillit67 wrote: »

TGIs restaurants do well in city centres and shopping malls. Spending a huge chunk of money on the site and turning the interior into a TGIs was always going to be tough with what is really a suburban location. It was a terrible idea to put a TGIs there tbh.

If I had to guess they spent way over the odds on the place in the boom and just kept escalating their commitment to the site when every economic indicator said it was madness.

that, and TGI's food is horrible.

vivab13

lxflyer wrote: »

On a brighter note, an XL shop is opening where the Spar shop used to be on Dundrum Main Street.

I see XL is owned by same group as Spar - anyone know if they are similar / what XL shops are like?

spillit67

Larbre34 wrote: »

It'd make an ideal Wetherspoons

You're right, wrong location though! Tells you a lot that they went for the less expansive Tonic site for their Blackrock one.

spillit67

the groutch wrote: »

that, and TGI's food is horrible.

Overpriced as well. It's a real spot for groups of teenagers or kids birthday parties. Works well when you have a cinema like in Dundrum alongside it.

Aard

With the new(ish) Monkstown Ring Road greatly improving accessibility, the site must be much more valuable now.

ted1

the groutch wrote: »

that, and TGI's food is horrible.

I went in on the day wearing an Irish rugby jersey on day of a six nations March. I asked them if they were showing the match.
They said that they were,
When they bought the food they put on the match.

They put on an premiership match. I asked them to put on the match, they said that this is the match they are shown. I left the food on the table and went to a place that was showing the match. Was very happy and not surprised that they closed

MonkstownHoop

ted1 wrote: »

I went in on the day wearing an Irish rugby jersey on day of a six nations March. I asked them if they were shoing the match.
They said that they were,
When they bought the food they out on the match.

They put on an premiership match. I adjed them to put on the match, they said that this is the match they are shown. I left the food on the table and went to a place that was showing the match. Was very happy and not surprised that they closed

They probably couldn't understand you

Larbre34

It could be a great pub again. There is money in the area and there is definitely spare capacity in the catchment between the Grange, The Magic Carpet, the Leop and Stillorgan village. The Wishing Well is a much smaller scale. Run it like the Leop Inn or The Goat - very good standard pub grub, big bars with a few nooks and crannies, maybe a live performance space, make a big fuss for the rugby games, good coffee during the day for the mummies

If I had a few spare million Id do it myself!

errlloyd

I think it's too close to blackrock, which has Dark Horse, Wetherspoons, Conways, Wicked Wolf and more, so Blackrock is actually quite a nice place to go for a drink...

dublinman1990

coylemj wrote: »

I think the problem with the premises is that there is no obvious tenant for it. You have a Spar store down at the Texaco filling station and there's a decent little O'Brien's (off-licence) a few doors away. The Playwright tried several combinations of pub/restaurant and none of them seemed to work so it just closed down. There have been all sorts of rumours going around here saying that (e.g.) it was going to open as a Tesco Express and the like but at the end of the day there doesn't seem to be anything happening that looks like it's part of a definite plan.

No you're wrong this time. There is a Centra Store located there since May of last year.

coylemj

dublinman1990 wrote: »

No you're wrong this time. There is a Centra Store located there since May of last year.

OK, there is a convenience store down at the Texaco filling station.

Happy now?

ted1

coylemj wrote: »

OK, there is a convenience store down at the Texaco filling station.

Happy now?

It's not that convenient..

Gareth Keenan

Weafer and Cooper in Glasthule is closing. From their FB page:

It's one of the first pictures we put on facebook and we served a lot of scones since then! Call in for one more this week and get your fix!!
If you want a last pizza then you should definitely come this week as it is two for the price of one from tomorrow (Monday) until Thursday*.
Finally it is going to be a lot of fun on Saturday night! Join us on our closing night, reservations recommended 01-2311971 or info at weaferandcooper dot com
*request "two-for-one offer", pizzas must be the same, applies to children's and take away pizzas as well as standard pizzas, valid until 10pm, 22/1/15.

I believe that it is to be taken over by well known UK firm Wetherspoon's Carluccio's

qb123

Oh no!! W&C looked to be working very well, good food at a reasonable price. Hard to see Carluccio's doing as well, especially when larger Caviston's opens up.

Fratton Fred

Carluccios in Glasthule? wow.

I've been to Weafer and Cooper quite a few times and its only in the last year I haven't been disappointed. So I'm sad to see it go, but Carluccios is a fantastic chain that will be a big plus for the village.

Gareth Keenan

The Frascati centre in Blackrock has been granted planning permission for a huge extension

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/67m-plan-will-double-size-of-shopping-centre-30917783.html

Always peed me off that it wasn't called the Frescati Centre.