Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Clonmel

Only Shopping Centre to open in Ireland in 2009

Great anticipation and excitement surrounds the opening of The Showgrounds Shopping Centre in Clonmel in Q4 2009 as it is the only shopping centre to open in Ireland this year.   The Showgrounds is anchored by Marks & Spencer who enjoyed one of its most successful Irish store openings ever in June and since then has been trading above expectation.

Comprising 11,000 sq.m. The Showgrounds will feature 32 retail units and 360 car park spaces.  The centre will have a strong fashion focus featuring M&S,  Pamela Scott, Jack & Jones, ONLY, Name It and a host of other fashion retailers to be announced shortly.   Food and lifestyle retailers include First Chapter Books, BB’s Coffee & Muffins, Crunch Food Store and Eddie Rockets.  Irish wine retailer Fine Wines is already open and trading “exceptionally well” in the centre.

Centre Manager Julian Smith anticipates a very positive response when The Showgrounds opens later this year.  “M&S opened ahead of schedule in June with one of its most successful store openings ever, and since then we have sustained a very strong footfall each week.  Only 35% of visitors to the centre are local with the remainder travelling from our very broad catchment of 240,000+ people within a 40 minute drive. We look forward to a very successful opening later this year which will boost footfall and build on the strong retail business we have already created here at The Showgrounds” he said.

Marks & Spencer is particularly happy with the performance of the Clonmel store.  Jonathan Smith, Head of Ireland, Marks & Spencer, said: “We were delighted to open our 20th store in Ireland in The Showgrounds in Clonmel on 25 June 2009. We have been thrilled by the response from our shoppers to date. We are pleased to be able to offer Clonmel customers the full range of M&S’ quality clothing and food products on their doorstep.”

Clonmel is a very affluent town with a population of 19,000.  The town boasts a host of major employers including Bulmers, Boston Scientific and Abbott.  It is also home to the TRBDI and South Tipperary Hospital.  The catchment is significant with 83,000 people living within a 30 minute drive and 240,000+ people within a 40 minute drive.

Retailers confirmed to date include: Marks & Spencer c.2,137 sq.m., Fine Wines c. 137 sq.m., Pamela Scott 374 sq.m., Jack & Jones c.129 sq.m., ONLY 135 c.sq.m., Name It c.122 sq.m., Crunch Retail (Irish foodstore) c. 336 sq.m., BB’s Coffee & Muffins c. 129 sq.m., Eddie Rockets c. 231 sq.m., First Chapter Books 234 sq.m., Hype Hair c.126 sq.m., The Showgrounds Pharmacy c. 185 sq.m. and Seruni accessories 25 sq.m.  A jewellery store and Pralibel Belgian chocolate shop have also agreed terms. More fashion retailers are due to be signed imminently and the remaining units are under discussion.

Peter O’Meara of joint letting agents Savills said there has been a great response from retailers.  “Clonmel is a vibrant town with a growing population which are underserved in terms of retail choice.  Retailers are very impressed with the strong catchment from the South East and we have attracted national and international brands which will be announced shortly.  Twenty five of the 32 units in the centre are currently let and we are in advanced talks with many retailers to fill the remaining units”.

The Showgrounds is being developed by Greenband Ltd. with Savills and Tom Pollard Properties as joint letting agents.  For further information on lettings contact Savills Cork office Tel: 021 4271371 or Tom Pollard Properties Tel: 052 6122755.

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For further information please contact:
Ger Hennessy
Rresident PR
087 2872249

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