Athlone thread

John_Rambo

The last time I was in Athlone was to buy pork in Horan's, (they do seriously good pork chops with the skin left on!) I was in a rush but noticed progress on a cool civil style area with what looked like an awning and nice paving just outside the Fatted Calf. Has this progressed? Is there further plans for seating? Would make a cracking market style feature for the town...

Zubeneschamali

Mena Mitty wrote: »

Only today I noticed the Goldsmith gone, when did this happen ?

It burned down in 2010, a kitchen fire.

Mena Mitty

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

It burned down in 2010, a kitchen fire.

Thanks for replying, I didn't know it burned down. Are there any plans to rebuild it at some point ?

Zubeneschamali

Mena Mitty wrote: »

Thanks for replying, I didn't know it burned down. Are there any plans to rebuild it at some point ?

It was a protected building, not sure what the implications are for rebuilding.


There are bars shuttered all over town - not a great business to be investing now.

veryangryman

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

It was a protected building, not sure what the implications are for rebuilding.


There are bars shuttered all over town - not a great business to be investing now.

Yet the Ranch place (old Biddys/Cloonans or 10 others) never has trouble with eejits thinking they can make a buck there

L.Jenkins

Someone has to think themselves that there's more than enough Pubs in town at this stage.

4ensic15

L.Jenkins wrote: »

Someone has to think themselves that there's more than enough Pubs in town at this stage.

The real issue is not how many pubs there are but how many people are willing to drink in them. Years ago there were 60 pubs in Athlone, 8 in Connaught Street alone. Now, with twice the population there are many fewer pubs. People are not supporting pubs.

pawrick

I ran in to an event organiser type person for a large indigenous brewing company at a beer festival a couple of years ago, he was telling me that they had tried to organise a similar annual event in Athlone given the central location and it having plenty of accommodation making it a perfect location for a weekend event. He went on to say that no one would entertain the idea that other pubs/venues would share in hosting it even though the idea was for something larger than any one pub in the town would be able to handle. Basically infighting in the town rather than looking at how it could increase publicity for the area and visitors to all involved put paid to the idea. Could have all been bs from him but he seemed to really have a poor opinion on how things are done here and the lack of community.

L.Jenkins

4ensic15 wrote: »

The real issue is not how many pubs there are but how many people are willing to drink in them. Years ago there were 60 pubs in Athlone, 8 in Connaught Street alone. Now, with twice the population there are many fewer pubs. People are not supporting pubs.

I live in Athlone and it's been 10 years since I've been out to a pub. They lost there appeal a long time ago.

martin1

4ensic15 wrote: »

The real issue is not how many pubs there are but how many people are willing to drink in them. Years ago there were 60 pubs in Athlone, 8 in Connaught Street alone. Now, with twice the population there are many fewer pubs. People are not supporting pubs.

Actually I think at one stage there were 13 pubs in Connaught Street

Mcneills
Noggin Inn
John Lennons
Mattie Lennons
Lucy touhys
Tommy Grenhams
Michael Murrays
Jack O mearas
Connaught House
Winnie Flynns/oBriens
Gerards
Tara house/Kirbys
Walshes

White lighting

L.Jenkins wrote: »

I live in Athlone and it's been 10 years since I've been out to a pub. They lost there appeal a long time ago.

I'd ssay your loads of fun

nice_guy80

martin1 wrote: »

Actually I think at one stage there were 13 pubs in Connaught Street

Mcneills
Noggin Inn
John Lennons
Mattie Lennons
Lucy touhys
Tommy Grenhams
Michael Murrays
Jack O mearas
Connaught House
Winnie Flynns/oBriens
Gerards
Tara house/Kirbys
Walshes

and probably twice as many shops

L.Jenkins

White lighting wrote: »

I'd say your loads of fun

Don't need to set foot in a pub to have a bit of craic.

L.Jenkins

Hope everyone is having a good Christmas period, no matter what you do or don't celebrate.

As usual, the traffic and parking down by Golden Island was a nightmare. I'd have stayed at home if the trip could have been avoided, but it wasn't to be on this day.

Athlone needs more parking and not just dotted here, there and everywhere.

L.Jenkins

L.Jenkins wrote: »

Hope everyone is having a good Christmas period, no matter what you do or don't celebrate.

As usual, the traffic and parking down by Golden Island was a nightmare. I'd have stayed at home if the trip could have been avoided, but it wasn't to be on this day.

Athlone needs more parking and not just dotted here, there and everywhere.

Athlone needs a park and ride during times of peak "retail therapy", you could easily run such a scheme from the soccer stadium car park.

veryangryman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Athlone needs a park and ride during times of peak "retail therapy", you could easily run such a scheme from the soccer stadium car park.

Not much use when you have over 3 bags of stuff or are going between shopping centres and dropping things to or from car.

Not enough road space for fast bus lanes either.

Golden island itself is a park and ride of sorts with its massive and free for most car park. Be alpt of changes before it makes sense to use lissywollen for p n r

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Not much use when you have over 3 bags of stuff or are going between shopping centres and dropping things to or from car.

Not enough road space for fast bus lanes either.

Golden island itself is a park and ride of sorts with its massive and free for most car park. Be alpt of changes before it makes sense to use lissywollen for p n r

No need for a fast bus lane, the problem is lack of additional parking in the centre, traffic in town is always going to be a mess unless they introduce an additional one way system to the east.
In a clockwise direction along Grace Park Rd > Lower St > Irishtown > Sean Costello St & Gleeson St with partial freeflow junctions at the crescent and the other junctions along the route.

L.Jenkins

They'd also need to sort out the junction at AIB. Traffic coming from the East shouldn't be allowed turn down to the right, instead, head across the bridge and turn at the roundabout. Awkward I know, but it would help to keep traffic moving, instead of delays, because motorists want to turn down onto Northgate Street.

The flow of traffic would need to be well thought out. If I had a map of the town, I could generate a few ideas quickly, unpopular ideas I'm sure, but it would keep traffic flowing freely.

L.Jenkins

L.Jenkins wrote: »

They'd also need to sort out the junction at AIB. Traffic coming from the East shouldn't be allowed turn down to the right, instead, head across the bridge and turn at the roundabout. Awkward I know, but it would help to keep traffic moving, instead of delays, because motorists want to turn down onto Northgate Street.

The flow of traffic would need to be well thought out. If I had a map of the town, I could generate a few ideas quickly, unpopular ideas I'm sure, but it would keep traffic flowing freely.

Yeah, I'm sure there are many of us here who could come up with better ideas than the council's traffic planners, who seem intent on making the flow as "gluggy" as possible.

scarepanda

I personally still think that from a traffic flow pov that they are going in the wrong direction.... Doesn't make any sense to me to create junctions where you need to cross the road.

Also, have they removed or just moved the pedestrian crossings that were in the middle of town? Ive only been up there once since they finished the bulk of the work and it seemed a bit of a free for all between pedestrians and cars.

scarepanda

scarepanda wrote: »

Also, have they removed or just moved the pedestrian crossings that were in the middle of town? Ive only been up there once since they finished the bulk of the work and it seemed a bit of a free for all between pedestrians and cars.

I think the idea is a "shared space" where pedestrians can cross anywhere and the traffic must weave past them, or is it the other way round.

scarepanda

Deleted User wrote:

I think the idea is a "shared space" where pedestrians can cross anywhere and the traffic must weave past them, or is it the other way round.

Ha! I wonder who came up with that trendy idea? Twas a bit of a ****show the afternoon I was down there. It didn't help having a toddler with me and cars not giving way.

cena

L.Jenkins wrote: »

They'd also need to sort out the junction at AIB. Traffic coming from the East shouldn't be allowed turn down to the right, instead, head across the bridge and turn at the roundabout. Awkward I know, but it would help to keep traffic moving, instead of delays, because motorists want to turn down onto Northgate Street.

The flow of traffic would need to be well thought out. If I had a map of the town, I could generate a few ideas quickly, unpopular ideas I'm sure, but it would keep traffic flowing freely.

I couldn't agree more. Should be no right turn at all

Smashmouth

L.Jenkins wrote: »

They'd also need to sort out the junction at AIB. Traffic coming from the East shouldn't be allowed turn down to the right, instead, head across the bridge and turn at the roundabout. Awkward I know, but it would help to keep traffic moving, instead of delays, because motorists want to turn down onto Northgate Street.

The flow of traffic would need to be well thought out. If I had a map of the town, I could generate a few ideas quickly, unpopular ideas I'm sure, but it would keep traffic flowing freely.

Wouldn't be mad about the idea of people using the roundabout outside St Peter's as some kind of loop-back. It's a roundabout after all, not a merry-go-round.

I can't understand why they took the right-turn lane out of Church street. They've cut it down to one lane from three, whereas everywhere else is cut down from two. Now everyone going straight across has to wait.

And what have they gained from the extra space? A larger footpath for the owner of the Genoa to sit and read his newspaper. If he's still alive that is. Perhaps they could have built a roundabout around him.

Smashmouth

Smashmouth wrote: »

Wouldn't be mad about the idea of people using the roundabout outside St Peter's as some kind of loop-back. It's a roundabout after all, not a merry-go-round.

I can't understand why they took the right-turn lane out of Church street. They've cut it down to one lane from three, whereas everywhere else is cut down from two. Now everyone going straight across has to wait.

And what have they gained from the extra space? A larger footpath for the owner of the Genoa to sit and read his newspaper. If he's still alive that is. Perhaps they could have built a roundabout around him.

Putting back the right lane would be very beneficial, to avoid traffic backing up.

Zubeneschamali

Deleted User wrote: »

Putting back the right lane would be very beneficial, to avoid traffic backing up.

Nah, just ban right turns. WTF would anyone drive down Church St. to turn right there?

Smashmouth

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Nah, just ban right turns. WTF would anyone drive down Church St. to turn right there?

People are so set in their ways. Even now, I get cut off everyday turning left off the bridge because people turning right off Church street refuse to look down and see the road markings and realise that the right of way has changed.

Even during the worst of the roadworks, people were stubbornly driving through town and down around the strand rather than just going down garden vale.

I agree with you, they should just forget about right turns there.

Mearings

The top of Northgate Street is now two traffic lanes instead of three. I hope the footpath from Parsons Corner down to Court Devenish will be widened.

Zubeneschamali

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Nah, just ban right turns. WTF would anyone drive down Church St. to turn right there?

The one way system forces them that way if they,'re already on that area.

demanufactured

Just close town.
Looks like that's the plan, pubs, cafes etc are now going to have to pay for the privilege of putting tables outside.