Swan Centre Rathmines

terryhobdell

Why does the Swan Centre not have automatic doors it must be a nightmare for women with prams and invalids. I seem to spend half my time holding the door open for people. Even the smallest shop has automatic doors yet this place hasn't changed in 25 years or so.

sabat

Hi Terry, the architects and management of the Swan Centre usually check these boards a couple of times a week to answer queries like yours. I'm sure one or the other will be on to help you soon.

hfallada

I regularly use the swan centre and my guess is the fact that the swan centre is on the street and not stepped back like most shopping centres. Meaning every time someone would walk down the street the doors would open. Where as non automatic doors would stay closed

drumswan

That homeless guy around McDonalds is usually there to open the door for you

terryhobdell

With regard to the doors being near the street Both Lidl and Aldi are closer the street than Swan so is Boots all have automatic doors.
Maybe they should employ the Homeless man to serve their customers trying to open their doors.

terryhobdell

sabat wrote: »

Hi Terry, the architects and management of the Swan Centre usually check these boards a couple of times a week to answer queries like yours. I'm sure one or the other will be on to help you soon.

Ah well nearly 6 months down the road and no reply from the management or owners of the Swan Centre who I see have just bought the Odyssey in Belfast,still the old and those with bags and buggies are relying on someone like the charming homeless man to open the extremely heavy doors for their customers instead of automating them like their competition in Lidl and Aldi. I am amazed the tenants put up with it they must be loosing trade big time.

wowy

terryhobdell wrote: »

Ah well nearly 6 months down the road and no reply from the management or owners of the Swan Centre who I see have just bought the Odyssey in Belfast,still the old and those with bags and buggies are relying on someone like the charming homeless man to open the extremely heavy doors for their customers instead of automating them like their competition in Lidl and Aldi. I am amazed the tenants put up with it they must be loosing trade big time.

7th Feb to 27th April is a short "6 months".

I presume you've made a submission to centre management, detailing your concerns and proposing a solution? Right?

If it bothers you so much, you could just not go into the centre.

January

terryhobdell wrote: »

Ah well nearly 6 months down the road and no reply from the management or owners of the Swan Centre who I see have just bought the Odyssey in Belfast,still the old and those with bags and buggies are relying on someone like the charming homeless man to open the extremely heavy doors for their customers instead of automating them like their competition in Lidl and Aldi. I am amazed the tenants put up with it they must be loosing trade big time.

Did you really think sabat was being serious?

neckedit

terryhobdell wrote: »

Ah well nearly 6 months down the road and no reply from the management or owners of the Swan Centre who I see have just bought the Odyssey in Belfast,still the old and those with bags and buggies are relying on someone like the charming homeless man to open the extremely heavy doors for their customers instead of automating them like their competition in Lidl and Aldi. I am amazed the tenants put up with it they must be loosing trade big time.

I actually thought the op was a joke or a wind up! Do you honestly believe people are not using the Swan Centre due to traitional doors?? I would be amazed if this is the case!

JohnDx

Think you've got a tough job?

I clean the windows on automatic doors.

stop

Just go in via the Pharmacy's automatic door!

terryhobdell

wowy wrote: »

7th Feb to 27th April is a short "6 months".

I presume you've made a submission to centre management, detailing your concerns and proposing a solution? Right?

If it bothers you so much, you could just not go into the centre.

Well wowy of course I have made a "SUBMISSION" if using their contact form on their website is acceptable to you, but got no reply from that. I often mention it to the shops I use who all tell me they frequently raise the issue. Why should I stop using the centre because I find a problem with a door? it is the nearest to me and I don't often have a child with me so when I need to I use it I do. I like the Bookshop ,Dunnes and some other outlets but not the doors which are not user friendly I suggest you try opening the bloody things with a baby in a buggy and a bag of shopping if you think it so trivial. Shopping centres compete with each other if you offer a less pleasant experience than your competitor you lose business,simple.

WoollyRedHat

JohnDx wrote: »

Think you've got a tough job?

I clean the windows on automatic doors.

No way really?! I clean the windows on revolving doors!! We should meet up some time.

fleet_admiral

drumswan wrote: »

That homeless guy around McDonalds is usually there to open the door for you

that bigfoot fella?

Gyalist

But Terry, your nearest entrance on Castlewood normally has the Roma Big Issue sellers there to open the door for you!

Magenta

terryhobdell wrote: »

I am amazed the tenants put up with it they must be loosing trade big time.

Apparently the reason why automatic doors were invented was in response to the recession that manual doors caused back in the 80's. Seems the Swan centre still hasn't learned!!!

terryhobdell

Thank you Magenta. I thought I was deluded after the reaction I got.It seems perfectly clear to me that a shop or shopping centre should try to make the shopping experience as pleasant as possible. The Swan is investing millions on building more screens yet can't spend a few grand encouraging people into the shops by having a pleasant experience entering. To those who doubt it matters look up the statistics. If a customer is welcome they enter if they are not they go elsewhere. How do you measure that? I don't know but it isn't the busiest centre I have seen

mickdw

Is the kylemore cafe still there? Ive not been there for 10 years.

neckedit

terryhobdell wrote: »

Thank you Magenta. I thought I was deluded after the reaction I got.It seems perfectly clear to me that a shop or shopping centre should try to make the shopping experience as pleasant as possible. The Swan is investing millions on building more screens yet can't spend a few grand encouraging people into the shops by having a pleasant experience entering. To those who doubt it matters look up the statistics. If a customer is welcome they enter if they are not they go elsewhere. How do you measure that? I don't know but it isn't the busiest centre I have seen

Maybe you could but a link up to the statistics you have seen regarding Maual Doors loosing footfall and Automatic Doors increasing it with in the confines of a Shopping Center. While I agree customers will be put off by a unwelcoming entrance, I dont believe a traditonal door to be the problem.

Magenta

terryhobdell wrote: »

Thank you Magenta. I thought I was deluded after the reaction I got.It seems perfectly clear to me that a shop or shopping centre should try to make the shopping experience as pleasant as possible. The Swan is investing millions on building more screens yet can't spend a few grand encouraging people into the shops by having a pleasant experience entering. To those who doubt it matters look up the statistics. If a customer is welcome they enter if they are not they go elsewhere. How do you measure that? I don't know but it isn't the busiest centre I have seen

I was joking...;)

Synode

mickdw wrote: »

Is the kylemore cafe still there? Ive not been there for 10 years.

They are indeed - moved upstairs to the second floor a good few years back.

terryhobdell

neckedit wrote: »

Maybe you could but a link up to the statistics you have seen regarding Maual Doors loosing footfall and Automatic Doors increasing it with in the confines of a Shopping Center. While I agree customers will be put off by a unwelcoming entrance, I dont believe a traditonal door to be the problem

This survey whilst carried out by a trade organisation shows a huge support for automatic access
[/http://www.aaadm.com/]

Synode

I walk in and out of the Swan Centre almost every day. The doors are not a problem. I've done it with a buggy too. Again, not a problem (you just go backwards).

Automatic doors might be a bit more convenient, but I doubt anyone avoids the Swan because it doesn't have them.

neckedit

terryhobdell wrote: »

neckedit wrote: »

Maybe you could but a link up to the statistics you have seen regarding Maual Doors loosing footfall and Automatic Doors increasing it with in the confines of a Shopping Center. While I agree customers will be put off by a unwelcoming entrance, I dont believe a traditonal door to be the problem

This survey whilst carried out by a trade organisation shows a huge support for automatic access
[/http://www.aaadm.com/]

mmmmmmm......The survey, was carried out by The American Association of Automatic Doors, where they ever going to conclude differently??
We see no proof of a survey, only a result, also this "Survey" is for a preference for automatic doors over traditional doors, it is not however anything to do with the topic at hand, that is, does a tradition door loose a shopping centre population vs an auotmatic door.

bonerjams03

terryhobdell wrote: »

The survey, was carried out by The American Association of Automatic Doors

I broke down laughing on reading that.

This thread is gold.

maryishere

Synode wrote: »

I walk in and out of the Swan Centre almost every day. The doors are not a problem. I've done it with a buggy too. Again, not a problem (you just go backwards).

Automatic doors might be a bit more convenient, but I doubt anyone avoids the Swan because it doesn't have them.

agreed, I sometimes go in there too and it never bothered me. Never even thought of it until now.

Vito Corleone

Unrelated. But who is that dude with the white Santa Clause beard that's always around Rathmines. He's a mad bastard so he is!

terryhobdell

I see they are putting in Automatic doors! Where has the newsagents kiosk gone? And one of the coffee shops. Needs serious work to get this commercial again even Cinema goers are not now entering through the centre.so that hardly helps.

D

Good to see that your tireless efforts have led to a progressive change.

Victor

terryhobdell wrote: »

Where has the newsagents kiosk gone?

I understand there are changes with Candybar. Tuthills are opening where AMPM used to be.

terryhobdell wrote: »

even Cinema goers are not now entering through the centre.

Late in the evening, this means that the whole shopping centre doesn't have to be open, with consequent security and cleaning savings.

Presumably the cinema is happier with a more prominent entrance.