Superquinn decision no surprise to residents

THE decision by Superquinn to close its store in Dundalk partly because of the exodus of shoppers to Newry and other stores across the border did not surprise the people of Dundalk.

“The people who say their sons and daughters are losing their jobs here are the same people who are going up the North to do their shopping,” said 18-year-old Marina Flynn who does nearly all her shopping in Dundalk.

Her friend Michelle Cotter, who has a two-year-old daughter, also shops in the town and has done so for many years, including buying baby products here although they can be significantly cheaper in the North.

“I work locally and often go to Superquinn.

“I will miss it. There are always bargains if you go looking for them,” she said.

The significance of people shopping across the border was dismissed by one man as “a farce”.

He did not want to be named because he works in the retail trade in the North but said, “Superquinn in Dundalk has Tesco in another shopping centre just 50 yards away, there is another Tesco on the Dublin road in Dundalk and there is Dunnes Stores in the Marshes shopping centre… I think they are using it as an excuse. They just had too much competition,” he said.

One woman who has never shopped in Northern Ireland since she arrived in Dundalk from Slovakia seven years ago is Suzanna Kandrova.

“I always shop here, but I can understand people not wanting to shop here on a Sunday when many of the shops can be closed.”

Dundalk is a 10-minute drive from Newry and neither Gary Hoey or Gerard Lampf, who both work in Dundalk, expect to stop shopping in Newry in the near future.

“I have never done a shop in the south, I go every second week to Newry to do a good shop.

“What I don’t understand is why can’t Dunnes Stores for example have the same price on things with the exception of the different VAT rate?” said Mr Hoey.

Mr Lampf agreed: “The VAT rate went up here to 21.5% and it went down in the North to 15%.

“I once did a shop here (the south) and for the same money I got nothing. You can’t blame people for going to the North, the Government should be doing something to encourage them to stay at home to shop.”