Castlebar

djPSB

What are your thoughts on Castlebar as a town?

A nice town generally but well below what it could be potentially imo. It being the capital town of Mayo.

I'm terms of shopping and retail it's very good.

Nightlife seems to be very poor with Westport being the main spot in Mayo. No proper nightclub.

As a town, I don't feel it's very well layed out, it doesn't seem to have a town centre or focal point, a little scattered.

The accessibility roadswise is abysmal. How isn't there motorway access. This side of the country seems to be deprived of proper Road infrastructure.

The town has a very poor selection of hotels or places to stay for tourists especially when again compared to Westport.

It's hard to believe the previous Taoiseach's constituent office was based in Castlebar, he doesn't seem to have done alot for the town in terms of capital investment.

ethical

"It's hard to believe the previous Taoiseach's constituent office was based in Castlebar, he doesn't seem to have done alot for the town in terms of capital investment."...................

.....................reason for this is that he was afraid of his own sh1te that he'd be seen to do anything for Castlebar!

Doctors room ghost

Tisnt the same since they lost baja browns

irishgeo

bosh is a big loss, no place now to go go where you can have a few different sports on

Doctors room ghost

The bourbon was a great spot for a few quiet pints gone now too

voz es

It's past time we got a Castlebar appreciation thread going, we are always defending our county town, time we boasted about the place.

Graces7

voz es wrote: »

It's past time we got a Castlebar appreciation thread going, we are always defending our county town, time we boasted about the place.

...for the shopping alone... Great place

Castlebardude

djPSB wrote: »

What are your thoughts on Castlebar as a town?

Nightlife seems to be very poor with Westport being the main spot in Mayo. No proper nightclub.

The town has a very poor selection of hotels or places to stay for tourists especially when again compared to Westport.

So where is the town at, hospitality Industry-wise at the moment ? We're coming into summer & The Ivy Tower is closed again isn't it ? For how long more ? The county town which once had a thriving night life doesn't even have a night club anymore. Even when it did re-open, it was the same 'ole, same 'ole - no fancy refurbishment & nothing on the horizon either so everyone jumped back on the buses again.Bosh is closed so one less decent place to go for Live music/Dj entertainment. Imperial Hotel closed never to reopen as a hotel it seems - what a loss ! Such a historically important building in the heart of the town potentially linking the commercial western side with the commercial eastern side but instead dividing it in two. Could never understand why that wasn't saved - that block fronting onto the mall could be such a hive of activity much like how The Skeffington Arms in Galway fronts onto Eyre Square. Its a disgrace to walk or drive past that white elephant for the length of time its been closed - give it to the Aussie guy in Ballinafad House to restore ! The Tourism & Hospitality Industry go hand in hand so with no new money being invested in pubs,clubs,nightclubs,hotels,cafes etc in the town, then Castlebar can only watch as the exodus descends on Westport everyday. Then again, why would any entrepreneur want to invest here anyway, the way the vultures in the council swoop in demanding development fees, water connection fees & all kinds of redtape before a sod can be turned. Tax breaks need to be given to attract investment, town centre dilapidated buildings need to be sold on from their owners if they are not going to maintain them & occupy them.

irishgeo

Castlebardude wrote: »

So where is the town at, hospitality Industry-wise at the moment ? We're coming into summer & The Ivy Tower is closed again isn't it ? For how long more ? The county town which once had a thriving night life doesn't even have a night club anymore. Even when it did re-open, it was the same 'ole, same 'ole - no fancy refurbishment & nothing on the horizon either so everyone jumped back on the buses again.Bosh is closed so one less decent place to go for Live music/Dj entertainment. Imperial Hotel closed never to reopen as a hotel it seems - what a loss ! Such a historically important building in the heart of the town potentially linking the commercial western side with the commercial eastern side but instead dividing it in two. Could never understand why that wasn't saved - that block fronting onto the mall could be such a hive of activity much like how The Skeffington Arms in Galway fronts onto Eyre Square. Its a disgrace to walk or drive past that white elephant for the length of time its been closed - give it to the Aussie guy in Ballinafad House to restore ! The Tourism & Hospitality Industry go hand in hand so with no new money being invested in pubs,clubs,nightclubs,hotels,cafes etc in the town, then Castlebar can only watch as the exodus descends on Westport everyday. Then again, why would any entrepreneur want to invest here anyway, the way the vultures in the council swoop in demanding development fees, water connection fees & all kinds of redtape before a sod can be turned. Tax breaks need to be given to attract investment, town centre dilapidated buildings need to be sold on from their owners if they are not going to maintain them & occupy them.

plenty of big shops paying rates.

AllForIt

Castlebar's problem is Westport. If Westport didn't exist Castlebar would be a very different place in terms of it's social nightlife attractions.

Personally Castlebar these days is a much better place to live if one isn't concerned about nightlife - although there is hardly a place in Castlebar I'd like to go for a coffee. Westport for me is a bit pokey during the day despite all it's physical attractiveness.

I never liked Bosh, I went in there shortly before it closed for lunch with a friend from college - and it stank, so we left. Not at all surprised it has closed.

I know Castlebar doesn't have a nighclub but it does have a late night venue you can enter for free. Not being a disco bunny any longer, I like that.

Loafing Oaf

Growing up near Ballina I used to think Castlebar had all the cool stuff but there isn't much to choose between them now.

AllForIt

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Growing up near Ballina I used to think Castlebar had all the cool stuff but there isn't much to choose between them now.

I like Ballina I think it's a lovely town. I love to cycle up there from time to time going up through Pontoon from Castlebar. The river is awesome. What's the night life like there? Would ppl travel up to Sligo for a night out?

irishgeo

AllForIt wrote: »

I like Ballina I think it's a lovely town. I love to cycle up there from time to time going up through Pontoon from Castlebar. The river is awesome. What's the night life like there? Would ppl travel up to Sligo for a night out?

the street up to the post office in ballina is loads of closed shops.