Fashion and homeware retailer Laura Ashley is to leave its long-held Cork city centre shop on St Patrick’s Street, after 30 years trading there at the Merchants Quay Shopping Centre: it is moving instead to suburban retail park.

Dealmakers behind the €14 million purchase of the bulk of the City Quarter investment in Cork city centre from Nama have emerged as the just-re-branded MC2 Accountants, on behalf of private investors.