City Tribune April 14, 2000
New £40m. Galway shopping complex attracts the crowds
The new £40 million shopping complex, Edward Square, opened its doors on Wednesday morning and enjoyed brisk business all day as thousands thronged the new centre.
Eager crowds waited patiently at the centre’s three entrances to get in and satisfy their curiosity on Wednesday morning, but they had to wait until the Mayor of Galway carried out the official tape cutting.
Dunnes Stores, the anchor tenant, and the other stores have reported a busy trade since opening, especially on opening day.
Located in the heart of Galway’s city centre, the new complex links the adjoining Eyre Square Centre with the pedestrianised William Street / Shop Street area.
After years of planning and 16 months of construction work, the opening of the new shopping centre was widely welcomed during the week by both shoppers and other city businesses.
Dunnes Stores has three floors of 64,000 sq. ft. retail space making it their fourth city branch and one of their national flagships which guarantees the availability of top of the range fashion being carried in the store.
A sign of confidence in the commercial values of the centre is the selection of English retail chains like Top Shop and Next which are renting there at £50 a sq. ft. In fact, this is the first Next branch to open in the West of Ireland – their two floors covering 8,500 sq. ft. offers ladies, gents and children’s clothes as well as a homewares section.
But overall, Edward Square will be of particular interest to teenagers with shops like A Wear, Oasis, Top Shop and Top Man as well as a brand new fashion line aimed at that age group being introduced by Dunnes at this branch.
For the older and larger sized lady, Evans will open, along with Top Shop and Top Man in a month’s time, on May 12.
Developed by Radical Properties, of which city businessman, Gerry Barrett is chairman and managing director, the Square is named after his late father making it an emotional occasion for him and his 92 year old mother, Kathleen who used to be well known many years ago as a baker, primarily of wedding cakes.
The opening of the 85,000 sq. ft. centre was a culmination of years of planning, decision making and hard work. In fact the idea of developing that particular site, known as Corbett’s, came to Mr. Barrett in 1991, but he didn’t acquire the site until April 1996.
Local heritage groups were consulted to ensure that the old Galway walls and other archaeological features were incorporated in the design. As it transpired, the modern design of limestone, aluminium and cedar by Hugh Wallace of Douglas Wallace Architectures got the thumbs up all round.
The only remaining archaeological evidence of Cromwellian presence inside the walls of Galway was preserved by the architects and is now a beautiful feature in the A Wear shop.
Everyone was relieved that the development had finally opened as it had been a particularly demanding project for the builders, P.J. Hegartys over the past 16 months according to John Hegarty who Mr. Barrett for his “tremendous foresight in maximising the site”.
Mr. Barrett thanked Galway Corporation, the local heritage groups, his architects and builders for their advice and support in bringing this project together – one of the first plans for the site was for a hotel and multi-storey car-park.
He also thanked his bank, Anglo Irish, for believing in him when the project was only an idea years ago. He said he was delighted with the blend of the old with the new and the way it linked naturally with the surrounding businesses, not only in the Eyre Square Centre but in the heart of Galway.
Once the centre was officially opened by the Mayor of Galway, Cllr. Declan McDonnell throngs of shoppers, young and old, flooded into Dunnes and the other new stores.
In the months ahead Dunnes will be developing their delicatessen and sandwich bar at the basement level adjacent to their full grocery department plus off-licence, which is connected with the two upstairs levels by travelators which take trolleys.
The new store is considered as one of Dunnes’ flagships and though Margaret Heffernan couldn’t be at the opening due to being abroad, she is expected to pay a visit in the next few weeks. However, the store’s celebrity fashion advisor, Barbara McMahon attended the official opening.
The new store employs over 150 people bringing the total number of Dunnes employees in Galway to over 600. The existing store in Eyre Square remains open, but the new A Wear replaces their Eglinton Street store which has been taken over by Moons, another store which will be undergoing some changes soon when it inherits the Brown Thomas name.
The Heart of Galway Association welcomed the opening of Edward Square pointing out that the mix of shops would provide and even wider choice and encourage more people into the pedestrianised zone.
By Bernie Nilatharta