ShoppingCentres: The €300 million MacDonagh Junction new city quarter in Kilkenny city opened for business last Thursday with about a dozen of the planned 50 Irish and international traders ready to serve the huge crowds who turned up over the weekend.
The new facility, beside the railway station, also includes extensive residential and leisure facilities, as well as the shopping centre.
The mayor of Kilkenny, Marie Fitzpatrick, officially opened the new city quarter which was developed by a company headed by Paul Hanby and Paul Newman.
Anchor tenant Dunnes Stores in the new 25,000sq m (269,100sq ft) shopping centre was immediately thronged, showing yet again that the Irish multiple is doing nicely despite the increasing incursion of overseas companies.
Also open on the day were TK Maxx, Champion Sports, Mexx, Carphone Warehouse, Health Express, Fields Jewellers, Peter Mark, River Island and Health Store. Retailers due to open in the coming weeks include Next, Esprit, Virgin Megastore, Benetton, Apollo Fashion, Bagel Factory, Barratt Shoes, BSkyB, Claire's Accessories, Dr & Herb, Gloria Jean's Coffee, Londis Newsagents, Quigley's Bakery, Sisley, Sweet Factory and Tom Tailor.
Edmund Douglas, managing partner of letting agent Douglas Newman Good, said that all the intensive planning and dedication of the past five years paid off with the amazing opening of the centre. The local community was out in force, despite the weather, to support the new city quarter.
