And another place closes down.

7upfree

realworld82 wrote: »

iIt is very interesting that Sherwoods run a very profitable store in Kilkenny but a similar sized store in a bigger city could not survive.
I think the ringing of Waterford City by Tescos was the beginning of the end for retail in the city center and the closure of the likes of Sherwoods is further proof of this.

City Centre parking also played its part. You can park for free at HN, DID, etc.
then the hourly charge is ridiculous.

In places like Dun Laoghaire you get 15 minutes grace before and after ticket purchase - allowing shops positioned like Sherwoods to trade competitively.

MacGyver

I see your point about parking and that holds true for a lot of companies around town but Sherwood's haven't been competitive at all in the last number of years. Old products sold at silly prices was their primary downfall

It is a wonder those rip-off merchants didn't close sooner. Sorry to hear about the jobs though.

Sully

Removed posts stating a business has gone under as there is currently no proof. While they are closed, they do not appear to be 'cleared out'. There is considerable reporting on this on Facebook but none by media (and the media I asked, were unaware). Sorry!

While the business (in Tramore, not Wateford) is now confirmed as in receivership, discussion on the said business is ongoing in the County Forum!

shockwave

Its the headline story on this weeks News & Star.

Sully

shockwave wrote: »

Its the headline story on this weeks News & Star.

Different business.

jennygirl

not sure if im allowed to say this Sully -
Sherwood's have done a deal to rent their premises to Dealz - they are opening in November in Sherwoods premises
maybe better to rent a shop than to run it !

Wanderer2010

Sad news but whats a bit strange is the longevity of some businesses in Waterford, I mean who the hell shops in Kniesel Jewellers, USA Stores or Heroes these days? An expensive jewellers, a niche clothes store in a bad location and another expensive clothes shop. All those shops are around years and years and have never come even close to closing down, I know they are different shops and most of them are surviving on club accounts but when you think of all the other shops the past few yrs that have opened and closed due to the recession its bizzare that these stalwarts are still standing!

Mooley22

jennygirl wrote: »

not sure if im allowed to say this Sully -
Sherwood's have done a deal to rent their premises to Dealz - they are opening in November in Sherwoods premises
maybe better to rent a shop than to run it !

Great news that Dealz is opening and it wont be just another empty building but i dont think the other discount shops on that street will last with Dealz beside them.

notfromhere

dealz are only opening for christmas trade

xperi

Dealz, the last thing the city centre needs another tacky discount store

jennygirl

xperi wrote: »

Dealz, the last thing the city centre needs another tacky discount store

were true - like Pound City these days - but where do u get quality shops from, that are not supported!
everyone wants M&S and similar, but we do not have a 20,000 sq ft shop in city centre. if m&S arrive, more will follow. the only solution is to CPO newgate st centre and get a builder with ball (Noel Fizby i think) to build it. if anyone objects, gag them for a few months!

decies

Many business people have many other irons in the fire , have rented property , vested interests in car parks etc. Much easier to stay afloat when you have income coming in from all directions . How many times would you pass a shop and never see a sinner in it and wonder how it survives. I reckon you'd have barely a half a dozen small shops left in Waterford city if this wasn't the case . Survival of the fittest really in more ways than one .

Ledger

Sad to hear about this. I done a week's work experience there about 5 or 6 years ago. Great bunch of lads working there and great manager.

If Dealz are only going to be there for Christmas, I can't imagine how they will get rid of that building. It is absolutely ma-hoo-sive!

Feel so sorry for the people who've lost their jobs.

Ah-Watch

Can't say I'm that surprised really. They seemed very expensive to me. I used always threw an eye at their prices and often compared and they normally seemed far more expsensive and thats not even comparing them to HN. It is a pity all the same, sad to see more people out of work

stefan idiot jones

Sorry but I haven't got a clue how to post a link to the you tube video I made a couple of weeks ago. Look up Waterford City Centre Empty Shops and check it out for yourself. I spoke to Waterford News and Star yesterday and they are going to use it on their web site to coincide with this weeks headline. I am a proud Welshman who has lived in Waterford for seven years and I am appalled at the state of the city centre as much as the next person. It's time that someone whoever they may be to get a grip on the increasingly deteriorating city centre because what kind of investor or backer will plough money into an area which is so run down and shabby ? We all know the financial state that Ireland and Europe is in but we must at least tidy up things here and be a little prouder of our city than we seem to be at the moment. If anyone could link the video to this and other sites please do as just as the journalist I talked to yesterday, somebody has to get a grip of this and stop the rot.

Psychedelic

What is the point of creating such a negative video of Waterford for the whole world to see, including potential investors?

Those of us who live here know all about the empty shops, this video is not going to create more awareness of it, and it's not going to put additional pressure on the powers that be to do something about it.

There are so many factors why the shops have closed: recession, competition, rates, rent, spending is down, or the shop was just plain crap. The whole country is fcuked, you will find the same run-down empty shops in every town, though admittedly Waterford could be a bit worse off than other places.

People say the Council should reduce rates and parking fees, but it's just not as simple as that - if they were cut rates by 5% cut (out of their €18m rate base), that wouldn't do much for the shops, but would mean €900,000 lost to the Council. That would mean either they cut services, promoting the city, funding to local projects/initiatives and so on - and no doubt people would be up in arms if any of that happens. Remember also that central government funding to the Council has been cut. Source for figures: http://www.waterfordcity.ie/documents/reports/2012Budget.pdf

bradknowell

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

Sorry but I haven't got a clue how to post a link to the you tube video I made a couple of weeks ago. Look up Waterford City Centre Empty Shops and check it out for yourself. I spoke to Waterford News and Star yesterday and they are going to use it on their web site to coincide with this weeks headline. I am a proud Welshman who has lived in Waterford for seven years and I am appalled at the state of the city centre as much as the next person. It's time that someone whoever they may be to get a grip on the increasingly deteriorating city centre because what kind of investor or backer will plough money into an area which is so run down and shabby ? We all know the financial state that Ireland and Europe is in but we must at least tidy up things here and be a little prouder of our city than we seem to be at the moment. If anyone could link the video to this and other sites please do as just as the journalist I talked to yesterday, somebody has to get a grip of this and stop the rot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX1OktbFkXw

Hmm welsh man, in waterford. Do you build motorbikes by any chance?

Bards

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

Sorry but I haven't got a clue how to post a link to the you tube video I made a couple of weeks ago. Look up Waterford City Centre Empty Shops and check it out for yourself. I spoke to Waterford News and Star yesterday and they are going to use it on their web site to coincide with this weeks headline. I am a proud Welshman who has lived in Waterford for seven years and I am appalled at the state of the city centre as much as the next person. It's time that someone whoever they may be to get a grip on the increasingly deteriorating city centre because what kind of investor or backer will plough money into an area which is so run down and shabby ? We all know the financial state that Ireland and Europe is in but we must at least tidy up things here and be a little prouder of our city than we seem to be at the moment. If anyone could link the video to this and other sites please do as just as the journalist I talked to yesterday, somebody has to get a grip of this and stop the rot.

All you have done is Give Hogan more amunition to allow Dungarvan Town Council to rule over the City, and take even more money out of the City

Max Powers

Psychedelic wrote: »

What is the point of creating such a negative video of Waterford for the whole world to see, including potential investors?

Its pathetic isnt it, the same people who complain are usually the ones who do f-all about it and spout on about continuous negative crap, do most of their shoppin on-line etc. Clearly, far too much time on their hands and too little cop-on

stefan idiot jones

Thank you very much mr. bradknowell for doing what I really should learn how to do myself. As I have explained before, we all realise and have to live in this ****ty economic time and there might be hundreds of reasons why this and that shut or failed or whatever. But what is really shocking (and this comes from someone who originates in Swansea for christs sake) is the tatty, unkempt look at a lot of the empty buildings. I am not blaming anyone in particular as it's pointless looking back, it's just that the council I guess have let it all slide in front of their very eyes.
The Canadian travel agents were here last week having photos taken outside Reginalds Tower just yards away from the closed Bowery Bar. The Viking Triangle which is a very valuable asset and in fairness to them, the council are really doing a decent job of promoting and with the new museums etc. is looking really good. But as I read earlier there is sixteen vacant premises between the Theatre Royal and the GPO. Just who is overseeing and culpable of the state of the empty shops etc. ? They can't fill these shops overnight or get the restraunts open again soon but at least they can make the place a lot less gloomy buy just a spot of window dressing. We have all seen plywood hoardings around plots and construction sites all over the world, and when they are painted up with well designed grafitti or collages or whatever they look great. Why do they allow tatty shopfronts with broken glass and cobwebs etc. to make the place look so scruffy? I'm sure that the dippy art students in the colleges would love to have a stab at tarting the place up. If any of you have been to Haight Ashbury of even Camden the way the shops look when they are shut is fantastic.
I am not from this town, I live here and like a lot of you I guess are a little ashamed by the look of some of the town but for ****s sake will someone take charge of this situation and at least put a bit of colour back into the city centre.
People have commented on how negative the video is, well I suppose it is. But if just one person in authority reads this or watches the video in the way it was intended and embarresses them into acting then I have done my job.
p.s. I know nothing at all about motorbikes.....

SweetCaliber

Sully wrote: »

Removed posts stating a business has gone under as there is currently no proof. While they are closed, they do not appear to be 'cleared out'. There is considerable reporting on this on Facebook but none by media (and the media I asked, were unaware). Sorry!

Hey Sully,

Sorry about that. But Tramore Tourism have released a statement on their Facebook Page about it, is that a credible enough source to allow us talk about it? Thanks!

odds_on

7upfree wrote: »

City Centre parking also played its part. You can park for free at HN, DID, etc.
then the hourly charge is ridiculous.

In places like Dun Laoghaire you get 15 minutes grace before and after ticket purchase - allowing shops positioned like Sherwoods to trade competitively.

I was visiting Tramore for a few weeks last month. Not a lot there in the way of shops (though there is a Tesco, Super Value and Lidl, so had to go to Waterford City. Being retired and having difficulty in walking, I just couldn't find any free parking around the city centre. Having to pay for 1 hour parking for 20 minutes shopping is not my idea of value.

Thus I ended up shopping "out of town" where parking is free. Have look at Youghal - parking metres if you want to park "on street" near your shop or free off road parking with a little walking involved.

There should be some free parking, say up to 1 hour. They could try free parking in some areas, maybe one day a week and see if there are more people in town.

fricatus

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

Why do they allow tatty shopfronts with broken glass and cobwebs etc. to make the place look so scruffy? I'm sure that the dippy art students in the colleges would love to have a stab at tarting the place up. If any of you have been to Haight Ashbury of even Camden the way the shops look when they are shut is fantastic.

You don't sound like that much of an idiot Stefan...

Good post... that idea certainly makes sense.

Another thing that I would add is that now that we're getting a property tax, it should be a site value tax. Just check out what Ronan Lyons has written since he's made some very cogent arguments in favour of it.

Basically the argument as it relates to the city centre is that if you have two buildings next door to one another, occupying the exact same amount of land, the tax is exactly the same on both.

If one landlord has dropped the rent to a reasonable level, kitted out the place nice, put apartments on the upper floors, he is not stuck with a higher tax just because he's earning more from the building or it's more valuable than the one next door because of his efforts.

Likewise, if some absentee landlord is sitting on the building next door and allowing it to practically fall down whilst waiting for the next boom, then he still has to pay a yearly tax on it, which might prod him into selling it on to someone who'll make use of it.

odds_on wrote: »

There should be some free parking, say up to 1 hour.

I think this sort of idea makes a lot of sense. If you have free-for-all parking, you just get commuters taking all the best spaces.

But an hour's free parking allows people to nip in and do a bit of business, which provides much needed activity in the city centre.

stefan idiot jones

Max Powers wrote: »

Its pathetic isnt it, the same people who complain are usually the ones who do f-all about it and spout on about continuous negative crap, do most of their shoppin on-line etc. Clearly, far too much time on their hands and too little cop-on

If the council workers/employees/bosses/landlords/ministers/senators/politicians whoever still continue to spend their dinner hour/hour and a half walking around town with their heads up their backsides or in the sand and continue to either ignore it or swerve it then people like us may just have to embarress them into it.
If the council has no authority over landlords to force them to sort out their own property then maybe it's time to reform the laws or create a new bye-law instead. AT LEAST SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE WITH A BIT OF CLOUT HAS TO DO SOMETHING !!!!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Bards

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

If the council workers/employees/bosses/landlords/ministers/senators/politicians whoever still continue to spend their dinner hour/hour and a half walking around town with their heads up their backsides or in the sand and continue to either ignore it or swerve it then people like us may just have to embarress them into it.
If the council has no authority over landlords to force them to sort out their own property then maybe it's time to reform the laws or create a new bye-law instead. AT LEAST SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE WITH A BIT OF CLOUT HAS TO DO SOMETHING !!!!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

there is and It's called the Derelict Sites Act, and has been used by Waterford City Council before, Jury's Hotel and Infrimary building are two that comes to mind

stefan idiot jones

O.K. It's good that there is a law concerning derilict buildings, but can you remember how long the Jurys saga went on for before it was eventually dealt with ? I know there was stubborness with Kilkenny but most of the scruffy properties are not derelict just neglected and ugly which tarnishes the look of the town. I certainly don't have the solutions needed to get traders back in these places it's just that someone has to put their foot down quick as any investor will be put off when he or she visits. A lot of this is within a stones throw from city hall. In fairness to the council, the viking triangle is really looking good with the museums etc.etc. but please don't spoil it all now. Fix it now and ask questions later.

Momento Mori

Sherwoods in Kilkenny is still open to my knowledge. Kind of surprised it is actually judging their prices.

Silverado

Why not introduce a Rates free zone for the Viking Triangle? If we can’t entice new industry to our city maybe we can entice more tourists by making it a more interesting place for them to visit. This would be helped by more shops and tourist related enterprises located in the Triangle.

If you walk around the Triangle it still has an aura of depression with locked up premises everywhere. Cathedral Square has its lovely new museum but it needs more tourist businesses to create activity. The same could be said for Bailey’s New St and the other streets in the vicinity.

There are far too many closed up shops and business premises in the area. Maybe now is the time to apply some lateral thinking.

bradknowell

Talking to one of the lads last night he was saying the barman from cleaboy went to open up yesterday to find that all the locks have been changed and its closed down now. Thought the place was after been sold but I presume not.