New businesses

Officer Giggles

Is there something going in beside McDonalds in Castlebar, bit of activity in there last few days clearing out and levelling the site

irishgeo

Putting a proper surface on the car park?

Westernyelp

irishgeo wrote:

Putting a proper surface on the car park?

I'd say so. There was one of those. Tidy up notices posted there by the the council a little while back

naughto

Who owns that spot

maudgonner

The carpark at Tesco Castlebar is going Pay & Display. Pay machines & signage is in place but covered with black bags.

irishgeo

maudgonner wrote: »

The carpark at Tesco Castlebar is going Pay & Display. Pay machines & signage is in place but covered with black bags.

1 euro an hour I think and it can be refunded if you spend 15 euro in Tesco.

15 euro is quite steep

Dudda

irishgeo wrote: »

1 euro an hour I think and it can be refunded if you spend 15 euro in Tesco.

15 euro is quite steep

Interested to see how it works. So you purchase the ticket in advance? I presume as the machines are new they'll accept card. Then when inside you spend 15 euro and get a euro off the purchase price? Wonder how this will work with the self scanners.
I'd be tempted to not bother with the ticket as I'm in and out in 10 minutes and my visits are usually from 7pm on when its quiet. Particularly if its 15 euro as the few bits of milk and bread won't come to that.

Pain in the ass really.

PARlance

Dudda wrote: »

Interested to see how it works. So you purchase the ticket in advance? I presume as the machines are new they'll accept card. Then when inside you spend 15 euro and get a euro off the purchase price? Wonder how this will work with the self scanners.
I'd be tempted to not bother with the ticket as I'm in and out in 10 minutes and my visits are usually from 7pm on when its quiet. Particularly if its 15 euro as the few bits of milk and bread won't come to that.

Pain in the ass really.

Afaik: Pay in advance, ticket has barcode, scan barcode at self scan or till to receive discount/parking fee back (if spending €15+).

Simple enough really but it would be a pain if they didn't take cards.

Westernyelp

Dudda wrote: »

Interested to see how it works. So you purchase the ticket in advance? I presume as the machines are new they'll accept card. Then when inside you spend 15 euro and get a euro off the purchase price? Wonder how this will work with the self scanners.
I'd be tempted to not bother with the ticket as I'm in and out in 10 minutes and my visits are usually from 7pm on when its quiet. Particularly if its 15 euro as the few bits of milk and bread won't come to that.

Pain in the ass really.

first 15 mins is free anyway

irishgeo

Everyone will just park in dunnes and walk over.

seligehgit

irishgeo wrote: »

Everyone will just park in dunnes and walk over.

Are there not parking charges in the Dunnes Stores car park?

Far easier to pop across from Aldi.:D

seligehgit

Westernyelp wrote: »

first 15 mins is free anyway

Perfect!

irishgeo

seligehgit wrote: »

Are there not parking charges in the Dunnes Stores car park?

Far easier to pop across from Aldi.:D

Even better the underground car park no one knows exists.

corsav6

irishgeo wrote: »

Even better the underground car park no one knows exists.

I used to love parking up there when I had a nice sounding car, the diesel just doesn't give the same buzz.

seligehgit

Yikes the fumes can be extremely noxious in that car park.

irishgeo

seligehgit wrote: »

Yikes the fumes can be extremely noxious in that car park.

Never been more than about 3 cars in it when I park there.

runawaybishop

irishgeo wrote: »

Even better the underground car park no one knows exists.

Jaysus, shut the front door!

BASHIR

irishgeo wrote: »

Even better the underground car park no one knows exists.

ssssshhhh

naughto

irishgeo wrote: »

Never been more than about 3 cars in it when I park there.

It's very handy never many in it

maudgonner

PARlance wrote: »

Afaik: Pay in advance, ticket has barcode, scan barcode at self scan or till to receive discount/parking fee back (if spending €15+).

Simple enough really but it would be a pain if they didn't take cards.

Pretty sure I saw Visa/Mastercard logos on a corner of the paymachine that the bin bag hadn't fully covered.

Thou

Passed the car park earlier seems more empty than it normally would most days during the week. Dunno if that's because of the weather or new charges. Surely this will have a knock on effect for all footfall in the area.

The free parking was very convenient, I'm sure for many they would park in Tesco and shop in Argos, Boots and Tesco itself or elsewhere on the road, the new charges could be a big disincentive to do so now. Who will be making money from this? and where is it going? to me the town looks very run down, streets look dirty and many old buildings in dilapidated state, seems there is no initiative to facilitate renewal of Castlebar.

I'm sure local businesses find it tough going with all rates, rents, insurance etc. At least if place was maintained a bit better or could see a plan put in place to improve things, it would soften the blow, but it all makes for grim viewing unfortunately.

irishgeo

Thou wrote: »

Passed the car park earlier seems more empty than it normally would most days during the week. Dunno if that's because of the weather or new charges. Surely this will have a knock on effect for all footfall in the area.

The free parking was very convenient, I'm sure for many they would park in Tesco and shop in Argos, Boots and Tesco itself or elsewhere on the road, the new charges could be a big disincentive to do so now. Who will be making money from this? and where is it going? to me the town looks very run down, streets look dirty and many old buildings in dilapidated state, seems there is no initiative to facilitate renewal of Castlebar.

I'm sure local businesses find it tough going with all rates, rents, insurance etc. At least if place was maintained a bit better or could see a plan put in place to improve things, it would soften the blow, but it all makes for grim viewing unfortunately.

Its tesco car park. The one next door is the town council

The free parking was being abused. Some days you could be driving around looking for a spot.

UsBus

Thou wrote: »

At least if place was maintained a bit better or could see a plan put in place to improve things.

At least the council have finally chopped back the trees on the Lough lannagh road up to Casey's. Much brighter there now, they were let go for far too long..

Mickeroo

UsBus wrote: »

At least the council have finally chopped back the trees on the Lough lannagh road up to Casey's. Much brighter there now, they were let go for far too long..

Don't get why they did that, they were well back from the road as it was.

Dudda

Mickeroo wrote: »

Don't get why they did that, they were well back from the road as it was.

Walkers and cyclists.

Kinda like this from a few months back https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/roundup/articles/2019/08/23/4178639-state-of-mayo-greenway-route-described-as-appalling/

Thou

Better the trees get done now before they grow too wild.

How about the (new) paving and some of street furniture could definitely do with a bit of a power hose.

CtrlAltDelete

Thou wrote: »

Passed the car park earlier seems more empty than it normally would most days during the week. Dunno if that's because of the weather or new charges. Surely this will have a knock on effect for all footfall in the area.

The free parking was very convenient, I'm sure for many they would park in Tesco and shop in Argos, Boots and Tesco itself or elsewhere on the road, the new charges could be a big disincentive to do so now. Who will be making money from this? and where is it going? to me the town looks very run down, streets look dirty and many old buildings in dilapidated state, seems there is no initiative to facilitate renewal of Castlebar.

I'm sure local businesses find it tough going with all rates, rents, insurance etc. At least if place was maintained a bit better or could see a plan put in place to improve things, it would soften the blow, but it all makes for grim viewing unfortunately.

Exactly. Eventually it will become obvious to the powers that be. The world is a changing place. People can do lots of shopping online. Nailing them with parking charges isn't going to attract customers. Look at the US as an example. Free parking at all the big shopping centres.

Dudda

CtrlAltDelete wrote: »

Exactly. Eventually it will become obvious to the powers that be. The world is a changing place. People can do lots of shopping online. Nailing them with parking charges isn't going to attract customers. Look at the US as an example. Free parking at all the big shopping centres.

Not sure I agree fully. Remember this is Tesco’s carpark and Tesco have an online presence and do home delivery in Castlebar.

While this might impact other shops around Tesco I don’t think it will impact Tesco itself and in fact as a shopper to it about 3 times a week on average it will make it more enjoyable as I’ll now get parking easier and for quick visits I’ll be in and out in less than 15 minutes not needing a ticket and for larger shops I’ll get the euro back. You can get a ticket with contactless and scan the ticket at checkout. Very easy. I do a lot of online shopping but they’re clothes, electrical and other items. Not groceries but if I was to get groceries delivered Tesco is probably one of the few options.

Boots have parking outside the door but people park in Tesco as it’s free. It’s to stop this type of messing.

If this was a council carpark I’d question the move but it’s not. It’s privately owned by Tesco and from their and their customer point it makes sense.

To the other smaller shops this will impact them but it’s the council’s job to help them not Tesco. If anything we should be lobbying local politicians and encouraging the council to make their carpark free. Remember the council have charged for years in carparks and onstreet around Castlebar and recently added Westport. In addition they didn’t give the free parking around the town in the run up to Christmas this year like they did previous years. If the council carparks were free Tesco wouldn't have had to make this move. I think we're blaming the wrong people here.

Thou

Dudda wrote: »

To the other smaller shops this will impact them but it’s the council’s job to help them not Tesco. If anything we should be lobbying local politicians and encouraging the council to make their carpark free. Remember the council have charged for years in carparks and onstreet around Castlebar and recently added Westport. In addition they didn’t give the free parking around the town in the run up to Christmas this year like they did previous years. If the council carparks were free Tesco wouldn't have had to make this move. I think we're blaming the wrong people here.

Point well made.
Think it's been the general consensus that council have been hampering improvement and development in town, two on Main St. supposedly held up due to parking levies and, in some cases maybe contributing to closures. Rate increases again this year and aforementioned parking charges not helping, how do businesses and people respond? retail is already hard enough with online shopping and the West of Ireland not benefiting from same economic upturn as rest of country.
Getting more difficult for small businesses all the time.

PhoneMain

irishgeo wrote: »

Its tesco car park. The one next door is the town council

The free parking was being abused. Some days you could be driving around looking for a spot.

I'll hold my hand up, many a day I parked in there for an hour and a half/2 hours and didn't go near Tescos.