Retailer opens its first Irish branch

TWENTY-FIVE jobs will be created in Clonmel with the arrival of a major British fashion retail store later this month.

Retailer DV8, with a network of 30 stores in Britain, is set to open its first Irish branch in Clonmel’s town centre at the end of October.

The 5,000-square feet outlet is due to open at the Ormonde Centre on Gladstone Street.

DV8 sells over 40 leading fashion clothing brands as well as footwear and accessories in its stores and online at www.dv8fashion.com.

Neville McDowell from DV8 said he was delighted to be opening a new store in Clonmel “and are very excited by the opportunity to do business in the town, which has a great reputation as a vibrant shopping destination”.

The company hopes to complement existing retail operators in the area, he said, “with our unique range of male and female clothing and footwear”.

According to Mr McDowell, Irish shoppers will “enjoy” the DV8 experience, “with a first-class offering of fashion brands and excellent customer service”.

The company will be advertising for staff in the coming weeks.

Local auctioneer Pat Quirke of PF Quirke & Co Ltd, who acted for the landlords, said that this move by DV8 is a “strong statement regarding theviability of Clonmel’s town centre”. He said while his firm has carried out many lettings recently, the DV8 letting was the largest such transaction in Clonmel over the last few years.

The new store’s location at the Ormonde Centre formerly housed the local branch of Tesco, until the retail giant moved to an edge-of-town site on the Clonmel outer relief road.