Cork City retail fighting for survival amid closures and changing shopping habits

Cork’s iconic shops may be closing, but new voices, loyal customers and quiet resilience are shaping the city’s next chapter

Debenhams was one of Cork’s first 'big name' retailers to close, pulling down the shutters on its St Patrick’s Street shop in April 2020. File Picture: Larry Cummins

Once packed full with shoppers and bursting with life, the former Debenhams building now casts a long shadow over Cork’s city centre.

The building acts a sobering reminder of how St Patrick’s Street — and the city centre as a whole — is having to fight hard to retain its retail crown amid stiff competition from suburban shopping centres and even stiffer competition from online.