Shopping centre makes a fashion statement

Dundrum is impressive in spite of problems, writes Evelyn Ring.

THOSE who were among the first to visit Ireland’s biggest shopping complex yesterday certainly liked what they saw.

A host of international retailers have been attracted to Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin, turning it into a shoppers’ heaven.

It was a case of shop ’til you drop as 75,000 people turned up yesterday. Some of the big retailers open for business included House of Fraser, Marks and Spencer, BT2, Timberland, Boots, Zara, Tesco, Next and Penneys.

Phase two of the scheme, due to be completed before 2008, includes a 105-bedroom hotel, theatre, cinema complex and apartments.

The section already completed stretches for nearly half a kilometre alongside the Dundrum bypass and while the Luas will ease congestion around the area, there are fears the development will add to traffic problems.

People who visited the centre yesterday soon got their bearings because there is just one long mall on each of the three floor levels. And, if they could not find what they were looking for, they could ask staff members at every turn for help.

Helen Richardson, one of a number of staff manning the centre’s courtesy desk yesterday, said help was also at hand for those who could not remember where they parked their car.

A timed and dated photograph is taken of each car using the centre’s car park and there are touch-activated computers that can identify which floor level the car is parked on, although the one I used yesterday did not locate my car.

Lisa Stubbs from nearby Ballyogan, who brought along her six-month-old daughter Abbie, decided to park in a nearby housing estate and walk.

If she had decided to use the car park, the entrance to which needs to be better sign-posted, it would have cost her €4 for a two-hour visit.

And, if she needed cash from an ATM machine she would have found it difficult to find one.

None of the staff could direct me to one and the only ‘hole in the wall’ I found was, literally, a hole in the wall because the ATM had not been installed.

Admiring the view of the complex from the third-floor restaurant were Elizabeth O’Dwyer from Churchtown and Maeve Dunn from Donnybrook.

“It’s just wonderful. We decided to have a cup of coffee and enjoy watching all the people coming and going,” said Ms O’Dwyer.

While they agreed that there was a good mix of outlets they regretted that some of the smaller shops in the town would suffer as a result.

Both women had parked on side roads beside the complex, which was just as well because not all the exits from the centre’s car park were open yesterday, a situation that had me driving in circles before friendly and apologetic staff helped me find the way out.

Ailish Flynn from nearby Balally was planning another visit when things quietened down a bit. She and neighbour Patsy McGlynn had walked from their homes to the centre.

“We had been watching the building take shape for the last three years so we just had to see how it looked from the inside. We’re very impressed,” said Ms Flynn.

“It’s absolutely fantastic; a shopper’s heaven but I am going to wait until Monday to have a proper look,” said Ms McGlynn.

Teresa Hurley and Josephine Ryan, from Clonskeagh, agreed that visiting the centre was like shopping downtown, although Ms Hurley said she still preferred going from shop to shop in the city centre.

Mariam Corboy from Blackrock said she would be happier coming to the centre to do her shopping from now because she felt it was safe enough to let her teenage children have a look around on their own.