Former Xtra-vision shop could be a block-buster location for new trade in Douglas
The former Xtra-vision unit at 3 Douglas East, in the heart of the suburban village, is across the road from the Douglas Village Shopping Centre anchored by M&S and Tesco, and where Starbucks was a 2015 arrival too, all served by a multi-storey car park.
It’s near the Douglas Court Shopping Centre, a Centra, and Unit 3 has dual access, from Douglas East, and behind from a car-park/plaza serving the Douglas multi-screen cinema, which is ear-marked for redevelopment, and a site likely to be occupied by a discount retailer.
Unit 3, being vacated by the rebranded HMV/Xtra-vision at the end of this month and available from February 1, brings to an end the local proliferation of video shops which dotted the affluent Douglas village core in the 1990s and into the 2000s: with streaming, Netflix and movies on demand, it’s unclear if there will ever be a VHS or Betamax revival like there has been for vinyl LPs.
The 1979-established Xtra-vision has had a chequered past, going into receivership in the 1990s, selling twice, latterly to Blockbuster; in 2013 resulting in 20 stores closing.
The 26 that remained were sold to Hilco, who co-branded with HMV.
Unit 3 is being let for a private landlord by agents Anthony Quinlan and John Downing, who seek €82,000 pa for the 3,250 sq ft at ground level, and €18,000 for the upper floor suite of offices/salons of c 970 sq ft more, previously used as a tanning salon.
The space can belet in one, or two, lots.
Location is prime and high-profile, directly opposite the famed KC’s chipper, frying since 1959 and with a turnover per square foot unlikely to be matched by any business anywhere in the country.
Like its food, the queues at KCs are the stuff of legend, so much so that a CCTV camera outside can be accesed on-line by patrons, to assess the length and the waiting times for sustenance.
The unit has 55ft street frontage and is next door to the relocated Permanent TSB, while Wetherspoons have been battling for over a year to locate in the older TSB bank branch a few meters away from Unit 3 Close by too is Centra, bookmakers Paddy Powers and Boylessports, along with Barrys pub/restaurant, and a number of other restaurants, including recent arrivals Ramen in East Douglas Village and Palmento, a top-quality pizzeria with a wood-fired oven.
Also opened recently adjacent to Unit 3/Permant TSB is an Eddie Rockets, at the Topaz filling station.
It arrived in October 2015, the first of 40 such ‘chip and fill’ alliances proposed nationwide by Topaz and the burger chain, and now being rolled out to other forecourts nationwide.
Anticipating a ‘blockbuster’ new tenant, agent John Downing says the vacancy “now offers potential tenants the opportunity to occupy an excellent property, the best pitch in Douglas, and we are experiencing a strong level of interest in the property.”
Subject to planning, new uses could span food/retail, restaurant, medical etc.
“Any new tenant will be in good company. As can be seen from a number of recent transactions, there is renewed interest in the retail sector across the county with rents now at realistic levels,” say Downing Commerical.
: Downing Commercial 021-4271000
