What do you think of the Christmas stalls on Henry Street in Dublin?

Gaspode

I don't particularly like the stalls, the create too much of a blockage on already busy streets, and so much of what they sell is rubbish. I'm amazed they can get away with selling the counterfeit stuff tbh. There's a stall right outside the door of Arnotts selling fake designer handbags, with the real ones on sale inside only metres away.

power pants

their argument regarding the handbags are that people who shop in arnotts would never shop at the stalls for one and people who shop at the stalls would never shop in arnotts

thats fine but its still fake illegal goods

Muahahaha

ended up in Jervis today and saw how blocked the street was because of them. Anyone got a recent count on them? Also are they likely to be operating under a casual traders licence? If so aren't they like €40 a day or something? If so DCC must be making sod all while the street becomes unattractive to shop. Its incredible it is allowed go on, as others said the small park behind the Church pub would be a far better location.

Also I avoided them for the wrapping paper based on reports here but got some in Dealz in the Ilac, 3m for €1.49 and it had good strength in it. What do the stalls charge for their wrapping paper?

Sunnyisland

Also to get a trading licence there you have to have a tax clearance certificate, I don't understand how they can sell all the counterfit stuff right there on the street ? Suppose a blind eye is being kepth just to keep the peace ??

esforum

There is a difference between being counterfeit and just a cheap alternative or replica. To be counterfeit a logo / tradmarked name must be used or similar enough to infer that its the original. A cheap knock off is exactly that, a cheap version using a similar but clearly different name.

Ie a phone that looks exactly like an iphone and has an apple on the back or for compedy purposes, lets say a pear. That is counterfeit. No fruit or logo on the back? replica and completely legal as generally you cannot protect a visual design.




proving something is counterfeit in court is also a pain in the hole. You need someone from the original company to testify to that fact, thus customs and the Gardai give the option to allow destruction of seized property in leu of prosecution.

The Sun King

But who is buying it? I can maybe understand small knick knacks, even though they can be gotten elsewhere.

But who is running to a lunch with the girlies with her Huey Buiton bag on her arm?

Cienciano

The Sun King wrote: »

But who is buying it? I can maybe understand small knick knacks, even though they can be gotten elsewhere.

But who is running to a lunch with the girlies with her Huey Buiton bag on her arm?

There's a market for an awful lot of shíte, you'd be surprised

Larry the Logster

I have never bought anything from them, I have always assumed that ALL items were either fake or at best 'off the back of a lorry'. Am I wrong?

Fooled

I bought a Candle in Henry Street Christmas Market when I came home I realised it was not working and cracked. What can I do? The trader had it hidden told me it was last one and for her grannies grave.

DellyBelly

Fooled wrote: »

I bought a Candle in Henry Street Christmas Market when I came home I realised it was not working and cracked. What can I do? The trader had it hidden told me it was last one and for her grannies grave.

If you kept the receipt you should get your money back. That's of course if the guy is still there

Fooled

Unfort no receipt given

Dr Crayfish

I wouldn't go near that street at this time of year because of these horrible stalls. I assume the inner city salt of the earthies don't claim their dole while selling counterfeit goods on their stalls?

jimmii

Fooled wrote: »

I bought a Candle in Henry Street Christmas Market when I came home I realised it was not working and cracked. What can I do? The trader had it hidden told me it was last one and for her grannies grave.

Wonder how many last ones they had! Top tip. If one of these street traders have a special product they're saving for someone but are now kindly going to sell it to you then you really should be questioning it! Did you not think hmmm strange how they were keeping a candle for their gran and now they are happy to be selling it to me?

L1011

Few years ago I came back to a legally parked car at the crack of dawn (its not pedestrianised until some hour of the morning) to find one of them screaming at Guards who were explaining that cars are allowed park there during non-pedestrianised hours and that they didn't own the space. Didn't really endear me to them...

imme

These stalls have no redeeming qualities or features, selling questionably sourced goods; they only serve to block up the street.

Muahahaha

imme wrote: »

These stalls have no redeeming qualities or features, selling questionably sourced goods; they only serve to block up the street.

I am just shocked the likes of Arnotts, Jervis, Ilac allow the DCC to do this to the area every Xmas. They really bring the tone of the place down. I would also imagine that if DCC tried replicating the same thing on Grafton Street they would soon find a legal battle on their hands from Brown Thomas and others.

Can anyone remember how long the stalls have been on Henry St? Was it just something that began during the Tiger years or does it go back beyond that?

Meauldsegosha

Muahahaha wrote: »

Can anyone remember how long the stalls have been on Henry St? Was it just something that began during the Tiger years or does it go back beyond that?

Definitely longer than that. I remember them back in the 1980's.

ixoy

Muahahaha wrote: »

I am just shocked the likes of Arnotts, Jervis, Ilac allow the DCC to do this to the area every Xmas.

Can you imagine the uproar the likes of SF and People Before Profit would kick up if they tried to stop this "tradition" of the "hard-working families" being put down by big bad businesses?
I avoid the street as much as possible when those stalls appear but I don't expect them to vanish any time soon.

sunrainmooncl

I really don't have a problem with them. How does everyone know the stuff is fake?

jimmii

sunrainmooncl wrote: »

I really don't have a problem with them. How does everyone know the stuff is fake?

Seriously?

jimmii

ixoy wrote: »

Can you imagine the uproar the likes of SF and People Before Profit would kick up if they tried to stop this "tradition" of the "hard-working families" being put down by big bad businesses?
I avoid the street as much as possible when those stalls appear but I don't expect them to vanish any time soon.

They'd no doubt be in uproar despite never venturing there themselves. I'm sure they'd be down in a flash if that did happen to pose with the normal folk. They've obviously got the right people on their side to be able to get away with it.

jippo nolan

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

Definitely longer than that. I remember them back in the 1980's.

They were there in the sixties too, “don’t forget your cheeky Charly”

Jawgap

ixoy wrote: »

Can you imagine the uproar the likes of SF and People Before Profit would kick up if they tried to stop this "tradition" of the "hard-working families" being put down by big bad businesses?
I avoid the street as much as possible when those stalls appear but I don't expect them to vanish any time soon.

Likewise. Totally wrecks the street. And I always reckon that by constricting the space they make it easier for pickpockets to operate.

Given the business rates the shops in the street pay (not to mention the tax, PRSI, etc) I'm surprised every year that they accept their presence without protest.

jippo nolan

It’s not called the “common market” for nothing!

rubadub

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

Definitely longer than that. I remember them back in the 1980's.

as a kid I would get wrapping paper off them, it was thinner and weaker than a separated sheet of 2 ply bog roll. May as well wrap in clingfilm as it was so transparent too!

Nothing else seemed to be particularly cheap.

odyssey06

Let us all resolve to never buy from them... hopefully the market (i.e. the likes of Dealz) will kill them off even if the powers that be tolerate them...

Chinasea

Who cleans up after them? Do they contribute to that?

Doubt it.

neris

Don't go near that area of town if going shopping but ended up on henry street before Xmas and some amount of tat been sold. Absolute dump of a place that whole area and the ilac

Gavin "shels"

Chinasea wrote: »

Who cleans up after them? Do they contribute to that?

Doubt it.

DCC do.

rubadub

odyssey06 wrote: »

hopefully the market (i.e. the likes of Dealz)

back in my day it was apollo 1 discount stores.



seems to be a eurogiant now.

And dolphin discs there, who often used to have all the lastest releases a bit less than the bigger chain stores.