I see the Christmas street traders are allowed now

Spanish Eyes

What could have been an opportunity to shove them all down to Wolfe Tone Park in a sort of Christmas Market situation, not happening, they are now to be allowed in reduced numbers in Henry and O'Connell Streets. Maybe next year they will be banned or moved :rolleyes:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/covid-19-dublin-street-traders-and-council-reach-deal-for-run-up-to-christmas-1.4425528

I hate them, not personally but the way they clog up the street and sell total shyte, together with Tobacco under the prams and god knows what else.

Not suitable for a pedestrianised shopping street. Don't know how the established shops put up with them TBH.

What do you think?

IngazZagni

Saw a couple stalls there today. Selling counterfeit handbags. It looks absolute gash. In years gone past I used to be embarrassed when tourists would ask if this was Dublin’s Christmas market.

Now Henry Street today was very busy. I’d hate to see it on a weekend with extra stalls cluttering up the street.

Amazingfun

I was under the (clearly false) assumption that the flower traders wouldn't be allowed either, so was very pleasantly surprised to see all the lovely Christmas bouquets out today :-)

(agree about the mostly crap items sold on Henry St. though).

The J Stands for Jay

They're part of the reason I started avoiding the area at Christmas years ago.

Spanish Eyes

McGaggs wrote: »

They're part of the reason I started avoiding the area at Christmas years ago.

Totally agree. Never went down that way after December 1st. Just so shoddy and awful. But I really hope DCC rethink this for next year.

I still cannot understand the relaxed way the indoor businesses on the street put up with it. Baffled.

mad m

Wouldn’t be bad if the Stalls weren’t full of $hite....

Spanish Eyes

mad m wrote: »

Wouldn’t be bad if the Stalls weren’t full of $hite....

I reckon those who buy from them are looking under the prams, not at the tat above lol. I am sure you know what I mean here.

Time to get rid of them. They can be given space in Wolfe Tone Park and set up their own Christmas Market. Would be very atmospheric lol.

Get them off the streets FGS.

Strumms

Do an audit on them.

Plain clothes Gardai...approach to enter into a transaction as if to buy...

On purchase, walk away, check item to see if counterfeit, when you asked for a receipt were they able to provide one with ALL required details so that it’s an appropriate and legal document ? And a legal transaction ?

Spanish Eyes

sugarman wrote: »

Agreed, they just resell stuff from the €2 shops, Dealz and Penneys at marked up prices along with cheap counterfeit tat from China.

Lots of "stuff" under the counter/pram aswell. DCC were asleep at the wheel here. Along with the Guards and Revenue too. But maybe they just turned a blind eye, like they do along Moore Street too.

L1011

Amazingfun wrote: »

I was under the (clearly false) assumption that the flower traders wouldn't be allowed either, so was very pleasantly surprised to see all the lovely Christmas bouquets out today :-)

(agree about the mostly crap items sold on Henry St. though).

The flower traders have different ongoing pitches; same as Moore Street and the Thomas Street ones; the dithering was solely over the Henry/Mary Street pitches - two of which are actually just other permanent pitches moved anyway out

The council has a fees list that gives where they can be allowed; although I don't know if this was actually enacted - it removed Cumberland Street which caused a bit of controversy.

Some of these just I suspect aren't used at all e.g. the Cardiffsbridge Road one sounds like a hangover from the time it was built but I don't live nearby so maybe it does happen.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Lots of "stuff" under the counter/pram aswell. DCC were asleep at the wheel here. Along with the Guards and Revenue too. But maybe they just turned a blind eye, like they do along Moore Street too.

Lots of stuff under the counter/pram?

What kind of stuff?? You seem to be in the know. Id be interested in what you think they are selling from under their counters?

Strumms

Strumms wrote: »

Do an audit on them.

Plain clothes Gardai...approach to enter into a transaction as if to buy...

On purchase, walk away, check item to see if counterfeit, when you asked for a receipt were they able to provide one with ALL required details so that it’s an appropriate and legal document ? And a legal transaction ?

This is done.

Prosecuting counterfeit in court is however highly unlikely as the companies will rarely send an expert witness for the sake of a small street seller.

Besides, if you locked up all the Irish women who had knock off bags and wallets, there wouldnt be any left! :P

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Lots of "stuff" under the counter/pram aswell. DCC were asleep at the wheel here. Along with the Guards and Revenue too. But maybe they just turned a blind eye, like they do along Moore Street too.

I assume you mean cigarettes? Which is a revenue offence for customs to deal with and not the Gardai primarily

L1011

A lack of dodgy smokes coming in due to much less travel is believed to be one reason why excise duty is up 11% year-on-year in November as it happens...

Spanish Eyes

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

I assume you mean cigarettes? Which is a revenue offence for customs to deal with and not the Gardai primarily

I know. You know, we all know this. Same with the knockoff stuff.

Terribly sorry I mentioned the Gardai there, mea culpa.

Get those traders outta there. As you can see I am not a fan. At all.

There is something dodgy about it all in my mind. Go across the road to Dealz or the Euro shop and buy at your leisure. It's a cover for something :eek:

Spanish Eyes

Jake1 wrote: »

Lots of stuff under the counter/pram?

What kind of stuff?? You seem to be in the know. Id be interested in what you think they are selling from under their counters?

You really don't have to be a genius to work it out, honestly.

Spanish Eyes

L1011 wrote: »

A lack of dodgy smokes coming in due to much less travel is believed to be one reason why excise duty is up 11% year-on-year in November as it happens...

That is not surprising, but they can't catch everyone even pre Covid. Maybe need tobacco detecting dogs aswell as the money and drug detecting pooches.

Just walk them up and down Henry/Mary/Moore Streets.

I know, I know, what about the Boardwalk and the open drug dealing etc. but we are talking about a main shopping street and permission from DCC here.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

You really don't have to be a genius to work it out, honestly.

I was aware of the dodgy tobacco, but honestly, never knew they were selling drugs, as you are alleging.

learn something new everyday.

Spanish Eyes

Jake1 wrote: »

I was aware of the dodgy tobacco, but honestly, never knew they were selling drugs, as you are alleging.

learn something new everyday.

Lawless, the lot of them, perfect cover. Get your tinsel, your bits of Christmas tat, and.......

Now why would anyone buy from them when it can be bought for the same or lower price in a store across the road? Often wondered about that.

But I am the one who will be arrested for saying this. :P

ixoy

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I still cannot understand the relaxed way the indoor businesses on the street put up with it. Baffled.

The shops, I believe, would gladly see the stalls banned. They've no say in the matter and the stall owners would cry tears of persecution by the Big Bad Council if they were shut down.

Pete Moss

Spanish Eyes wrote:

That is not surprising, but they can't catch everyone even pre Covid. Maybe need tobacco detecting dogs aswell as the money and drug detecting pooches.

This has to be a wind-up? You think there is some Narcos style drug dealing going on from prams under stalls on one of the busiest streets in the country? At the busiest time of year? Where hundreds of unknown passers-by (any one of which could be a Garda in plain clothes) browse the same exact stalls?

I worked in the area and knew a few of the traders when I was younger. To think, Rose the 50 year old mother of 2, who sold selection boxes and tat made in China, was really El Chapo all this time.

Spanish Eyes

ixoy wrote: »

The shops, I believe, would gladly see the stalls banned. They've no say in the matter and the stall owners would cry tears of persecution by the Big Bad Council if they were shut down.

But the indoor shops are paying a mint to the Council in rates. The street traders just pay a license fee or something.

Funny that the Traders were giving out first, but the indoor shops stayed quiet. I still can't figure it out. Are the indoor shops afraid of them or what?

Pete Moss

Spanish Eyes wrote:

Funny that the Traders were giving out first, but the indoor shops stayed quiet. I still can't figure it out. Are the indoor shops afraid of them or what?

Intimidation now too. The charge sheet is growing by the minute. Throw the book at 'em, OP.

Spanish Eyes

Pete Moss wrote: »

This has to be a wind-up? You think there is some Narcos style drug dealing going on from prams under stalls on one of the busiest streets in the country? At the busiest time of year? Where hundreds of unknown passers-by (any one of which could be a Garda in plain clothes) browse the same exact stalls?

I worked in the area and knew a few of the traders when I was younger. To think, Rose the 50 year old mother of 2, who sold selection boxes and tat made in China, was really El Chapo all this time.

Look, if I want to buy tinsel and all that I'll go to a shop, it is cheaper and you can browse to your heart's content. Work it out. These street trading people cannot fool purchasers anymore so there you go.

Spanish Eyes

Pete Moss wrote: »

Intimidation now too. The charge sheet is growing by the minute. Throw the book at 'em, OP.

LOL. :P

elperello

I find it easy enough to not buy from them.

From their point of view I suppose they have to hold their ground.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

LOL. :P

Im heading in tomorrow for selection boxes and a big bad of heroin.

Spanish Eyes

Good to see it's (so far) lighthearted.

But they grind my gears just the same, anyway...

Spanish Eyes

Jake1 wrote: »

Im heading in tomorrow for selection boxes and a big bad of heroin.

As a Dub I broke me heart laughing at that. Fair play to you.

Pete Moss

Spanish Eyes wrote:

Look, if I want to buy tinsel and all that I'll go to a shop, it is cheaper and you can browse to your heart's content. Work it out. These street trading people cannot fool purchasers anymore so there you go.

For what it's worth, I dislike the stalls. Years ago, there was an element of 'Dublin in the rare auld times' from them. Times move on and it would be better to have a designated Christmas Market.

That said, I would not for one second be thinking that the traders there are peddling smack. There would be plenty of more secure locations to do that than on Henry Street at Christmas - one of the most densely packed and well-lit streets in the country.

Anyway, we'll agree to disagree. Have a merry Christmas, OP - I feel safer knowing you're walking the beat of this town :P

Spanish Eyes

Pete Moss wrote: »

For what it's worth, I dislike the stalls. Years ago, there was an element of 'Dublin in the rare auld times' from them. Times move on and it would be better to have a designated Christmas Market.

That said, I would not for one second be thinking that the traders there are peddling smack. There would be plenty of more secure locations to do that than on Henry Street at Christmas - one of the most densely packed and well-lit streets in the country.

Anyway, we'll agree to disagree. Have a merry Christmas, OP - I feel safer knowing you're walking the beat of this town :P

I don't think I ever mentioned Smack at all. Just dodgy dealing and a bit of weed and cheap tobacco maybe under the prams/stalls.

But wishing you a great Christmas too. I am just shooting the breeze on a topic that most people ignore, but I absolutely hate!

All the best.