# Shopping trip to Newry - 2008 advice?



## minion

As a slap in the face to our recent budget and the rise in VAT, im going to go up the North to do a heap of shopping in a few weeks.  Call it a protest.

Has anyone any advice on the best places to go in Newry and the best exchange rates that the various shops are offering on Euro?

I know there was a thread here but its old and i am sure current info would be better.  Thanks and screw you FF


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## Joe1234

The 2 major shopping centres are Buttercrane and The Quays.  They are accross the road from each other.  There is a retail park at the roundabout at the Armagh/Craigavon/Belfast junction.


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## johnjoda

hi, i was in Newry last week, i noticed a sign by supavalu offering 95p for every euro spent. Good rate of exchange or what ?


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## shesells

johnjoda said:


> hi, i was in Newry last week, i noticed a sign by supavalu offering 95p for every euro spent. Good rate of exchange or what ?


But have they put up their prices to make their money back?


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## Mpsox

First things first, go early, if you go at a weekend, you almost certainly won't get parked from lunchtime onwards. Also, the supermarkets struggle some days to keep the shelves stocked

Secondly, be disciplined and learn the prices of things here before you go up, otherwise what looks like a bargain may not be so. Bulk buy to get full value for your fuel costs

having said that, wine, baby products and household detergents/washing powder etc are significantly cheaper. Nothing wrong with a lot of Sainsburys own brand products either

If Newry is crowded, there is another huge Sainsburys/Toys r us/Currys about another 20-30 minutes further north. We normally go there as it tends to be a bit less manic and stop in Banbridge on the way back as it's a lovely little town


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## Celtwytch

I would second the advice to go early.  Go midweek, if you can, as the weekends are crazy (I was in Sainsbury's at 10am one Saturday and barely escaped alive!)  Sainsbury's opens at 8am every day except Sunday, when they don't open til 1pm.  Avoid buying fuel north of the border - it's far more expensive than it is here.  Most shops in Newry will accept Euro notes (some will take €1 and €2 coins too) but your change will be given in Sterling.  Sainsbury's will not accept Laser cards.  I think one or two other shops do, but best not to depend on that form of payment.  Oh, and Sainsbury's shopping trolleys will accept £1 and €1 coins.  As far as grocery shopping is concerned, I have very rarely noticed anything costing less in the Republic than it does up north (unless it's a special offer here).


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## Caveat

Newry has become _very_ busy over the last few weeks and it will only get worse the closer we get to christmas.

Strongly advise anyone to be there early. Sainsbury's is great - quality as well as value, but as others have said, do your homework and don't get carried away.

(As my granny never tires of saying - _it's only a bargain if you need it_)


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## minion

Thanks guys.  Might go up weekend after next.  Are there any places that are open 24 hrs like Tesco in Ashbourne?

Do they all take Euro?


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## gipimann

If you're a clothes shopper in the UK chain stores (principles, next, dorothy perkins, New Look, etc etc), you will make savings if you buy up north because of the "generous" exchange rate the shops use down here!   

You'll find most of the shops between the two shopping centres in Newry.

Has anyone been to Asda in Kilkeel, Co Down?


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## Celtwytch

minion said:


> Thanks guys. Might go up weekend after next. Are there any places that are open 24 hrs like Tesco in Ashbourne?
> 
> Do they all take Euro?


 
As previously stated, most shops in Newry will take Euro notes (some take €1 and €2 coins too).  Sainsbury's in Newry is open from 8am until 10pm.  There is a Tesco in Banbridge that stays open until midnight.  I am not aware of any 24 hour supermarkets in the Newry area.


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## Caveat

gipimann said:


> Has anyone been to Asda in Kilkeel, Co Down?


 
Cheers for that - didn't know there was one.  I'll definitely check this out soon - convenient enough for me. ASDA are one of the cheapest chains.


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## pmm

Could somebody please give details of where the Toysrus shop is please?


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## dvpower

Last time I went shopping in Newry, it took me an hour to get to the border (from Dublin) and another hour to get into the Quays. Next time I go up, I might head into Banbridge.


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## joanmul

johnjoda said:


> hi, i was in Newry last week, i noticed a sign by supavalu offering 95p for every euro spent. Good rate of exchange or what ?


 I checked them out when they were offering 85 to the Euro. They had a very limited stock and nearly all of it was dearer than anywhere else.


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## JdmSpec

Is the outlet centre in banbridge or before it?Also is there an iceland in either newry or banbridge?

I've only ever tipped as far as newry early midweek and found it ok although the off licence seemed to get hectic around lunchtime,more dublin than northern accents too!

Are you better off taking the trip that bit further to banbridge?


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## joanmul

JdmSpec said:


> Is the outlet centre in banbridge or before it?Also is there an iceland in either newry or banbridge?
> 
> I've only ever tipped as far as newry early midweek and found it ok although the off licence seemed to get hectic around lunchtime,more dublin than northern accents too!
> 
> Are you better off taking the trip that bit further to banbridge?


The Outlet is, they say, 15 mins further on from Newry. I'd take the 15mins with a grain of salt, but it's well signposted.


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## Caveat

JdmSpec said:


> Also is there an iceland in either newry or banbridge?


 
There is one in Newry - don't know about Banbridge, I don't think so though.

Banbridge is, by the way, 13 miles north of Newry - it's not far.


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## MB05

I was there yesterday.  Sainsbury's exchange rate was 79.6p to the €1 and Dunnes was 80p to the €1.  It wasn't any busier than any other supermarket in Dublin on a Friday.  You can check out all Sainsbury's prices on their website before you go (, then click on the dept's you are interested in.  Dunnes only show their weekly specials on their website.


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## bananas

pmm said:


> Could somebody please give details of where the Toysrus shop is please?


 Its part of the Sprucefield complex about 30mins from Newry where the A1 road meets the M1.  There's a large Sainsburys there, Argos Extra, and a few others I can't remember.


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## bananas

By the way I found Toys r Us quite expensive.  There's a large smyths in a retail park on the northern side of Newry which was cheaper but not much cheaper than the prices this side of the border.


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## Sue Ellen

pmm said:


> Could somebody please give details of where the Toysrus shop is please?



See here which includes maps.


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## superdrog

There is a large toy store in The Quays complex. I found the prices there quite good. Its directly across the car-park from Sainsburys.


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## Joe1234

JdmSpec said:


> more dublin than northern accents too!



Last time I was in Newry it was a weekday in July (think Wednesday) and I thought I was on Henry Street.


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## mcaul

pmm said:


> Could somebody please give details of where the Toysrus shop is please?


 
From previously being in the toy trade, I can say that you'll find smyths down south cheaper than toy r us in the North / UK. Smyths have now started opening in mainland UK as they know they can beat toys r us quite easily on price. - I have heard they are planning over 50 UK stores within the next 5 years! - Not bad considering they were a single corner shop in Claremorris not too many years ago!


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## ala4now

Alot of the shops in newry will except euros @ a very good rate. If you do get stg, you can take advantage of the price difference in the major retail outlets like Debenhams. Ever noticed the price tags down here "shirt 20stg €79"?? Enjoy your shopping trip.


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## pullandbang

MB05 said:


> You can check out all Sainsbury's prices on their website before you go (, then click on the dept's you are interested in.


 
Just did a quick comparison from the above website and what I usually pay here. 

Sainsbury's milk 2.27lt £1.53 = £0.67 per litre = £1.34 for a 2lt which in turn = €1.72 - *local shop here €1.50*

Standard eggs 18pk @ £1.80 = €2.30 - *local shop here €2.00* for tray of 20.

I'd really do my homework first as the savings may not be that great!

By the way, my local shop is in Navan and it's not a multiple - just a small veg shop.


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## Protocol

2L of milk for 1.50 euro in Navan??

I find that hard to believe.

Lidl/Tesco charge 1.65 for 2 litres.

What is the name of the shop in Navan that sells 2L of milk for 1.50??


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## Celtwytch

pullandbang said:


> Just did a quick comparison from the above website and what I usually pay here.
> 
> Sainsbury's milk 2.27lt £1.53 = £0.67 per litre = £1.34 for a 2lt which in turn = €1.72 - *local shop here €1.50*
> 
> Standard eggs 18pk @ £1.80 = €2.30 - *local shop here €2.00* for tray of 20.
> 
> I'd really do my homework first as the savings may not be that great!
> 
> By the way, my local shop is in Navan and it's not a multiple - just a small veg shop.


 
Those are very good prices for those particular items.  I too noticed that milk can be bought more cheaply in Dunnes than Sainsburys (if you buy own-brand versions).  However, I did a much bigger price comparison using a receipt from Sainsburys and the Tesco website.  On a selection of 28 branded items, Sainsburys were cheaper by €25.


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## Mpsox

Our major spend in Newry is on baby products. For example,.my smallie will only keep down Aptimil from a carton, she goes through approx 50 a week at the minute. It's €1.19 last I checked in all 4 main supermarkets in the South, 57p a carton in Sainsburys = approx €0.74. We stock up for 2 months at a time, that alone works out at around €180 saved over 2 months. 

Throw in nappies, wipes, etc, + wine, household products etc and we estimate we save at least €500 a trip before fuel costs (and we drive a diesal) and we go every 2 months or so.


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## minion

Well i went i shopped and  ......   I'll never shop in the south again for sure.  At least until the euro drops significantly against the pound.

Including petrol i saved 35% on 2 months shopping (bas perishables.

Filled the freezer.  Stocked up on enough biscuits, dog food, cereals, jarred foods, toiletries etc for a couple of months as well as all the odd stuff you only buy every few minths like razor blades shaving cream etc..  Would have stocked up on booze too but the car was full.  Going again tomorrow for that.

go to 
www.Tesco.ie 
and compare against 


Its outrageous.
I even emailed Tesco the receipts and asked them how they indend to entice me back  

Thanks everyone for your advice.


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## minion

pullandbang said:


> Just did a quick comparison from the above website and what I usually pay here.
> 
> Sainsbury's milk 2.27lt £1.53 = £0.67 per litre = £1.34 for a 2lt which in turn = €1.72 - *local shop here €1.50*
> 
> Standard eggs 18pk @ £1.80 = €2.30 - *local shop here €2.00* for tray of 20.
> 
> I'd really do my homework first as the savings may not be that great!
> 
> By the way, my local shop is in Navan and it's not a multiple - just a small veg shop.



Dont tell me that those are the only items you bothered to compare 
Why not compare your average shopping list ?


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## Happy Girl

Protocol said:


> 2L of milk for 1.50 euro in Navan??
> I find that hard to believe.
> Lidl/Tesco charge 1.65 for 2 litres.
> 
> What is the name of the shop in Navan that sells 2L of milk for 1.50??


 
I as a Navan resident can confirm that Market Fresh in Navan Shopping Centre *ARE* charging 1.50 euro for 2l of milk.


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## ubiquitous

I had to smile on Saturday evening at the numbers of southern-registered cars filling up with petrol/diesel at the filling station opposite B&Q in Newry. If they haven't the savvy to buy their fuel south of the border where it is significantly cheaper, one wonders what sort of "bargains" they are getting in their shopping


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## teddyk

What was the price of the fuel?

Over the weekend, I noticed unleaded for 99 pence sterling per litre on the outskirts of Armagh City. That converts to roughly 1.26 euro per litre, which is not "significantly" more than prices down south.

teddyk.


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## ubiquitous

teddyk said:


> What was the price of the fuel?
> 
> Over the weekend, I noticed unleaded for 99 pence sterling per litre on the outskirts of Armagh City. That converts to roughly 1.26 euro per litre, which is not "significantly" more than prices down south.
> 
> teddyk.



I don't know how much it was but if it had been as low as 99 pence I would have noticed.
Even at that, it would still have been 10% or more expensive than in the South. Not great value.


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## Protocol

HappyGirl,

I must have a look at that next time I'm in Navan SC.

Do you happen to know where the milk comes from? What brand?


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## z109

Protocol said:


> Do you happen to know where the milk comes from?


M u s t   R e s i s t . . .


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## Protocol

I get you.

What I mean is whether it is RoI, NI or UK milk?


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## Happy Girl

Protocol said:


> I get you.
> 
> What I mean is whether it is RoI, NI or UK milk?


 
Sorry can't say as I never noticed.


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## korpy

minion said:


> Well i went i shopped and ...... I'll never shop in the south again for sure. At least until the euro drops significantly against the pound.
> 
> Including petrol i saved 35% on 2 months shopping (bas perishables.
> 
> Filled the freezer. Stocked up on enough biscuits, dog food, cereals, jarred foods, toiletries etc for a couple of months as well as all the odd stuff you only buy every few minths like razor blades shaving cream etc.. Would have stocked up on booze too but the car was full. Going again tomorrow for that.
> 
> go to
> www.Tesco.ie
> and compare against
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its outrageous.
> I even emailed Tesco the receipts and asked them how they indend to entice me back
> 
> Thanks everyone for your advice.


 

I'm thinking to go north to buy booze for the Christmas ( beer, wines, whiskey) , do you think is worth?


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## coolhandluke

Was up there yesterday and it was madness,on a wednesday!.Christmas is going to be chaos up in newry the way things are going,you'd wonder when the shops down south are going to start to make a real attempt to be competitive.How much vat/excise duty is the government losing due to the greed of the big multiples ? The drop in oil prices will only encourage the border shopping run !.


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## Celtwytch

korpy said:


> I'm thinking to go north to buy booze for the Christmas ( beer, wines, whiskey) , do you think is worth?


 
It depends on so many variables: distance you would need to drive, how much you're going to buy, etc.  I would suggest you begin by checking out  to get the prices of the items you wish to buy.  Compare them with the prices here (you could use Tesco's or Superquinn's online sites).  Calculate how much petrol you would use to get to the North, then see if you'll make a significant saving.

I personally shop north of the border because I live just 30 minutes away from Newry, and I find the prices to be drastically lower than they are here.


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## Celtwytch

coolhandluke said:


> Was up there yesterday and it was madness,on a wednesday!


 
It's madness every day unless you get there early!


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## GeneralZod

Stupid question. To get those € to £ exchange rates do you have to bring up cash or can you pay by credit card and have it done as a € transaction to avoid being screwed with a currency exchange charge on the card?


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## korpy

I was yesterday in Newry, the exchange rate in the shop was £ 0.778 for and euro and they accept euro in the shop. I went for the booze and I can say that is far cheaper, whisky 1L ( Jameson, Teachers, Jack Daniels) and wodka 1L, about 10 euro per bottle cheaper than here.
Also they had deals for beer and cider ( 15 cans X 440ml) carlsberg, fosters, strongbow 3 for £20 ( € 25.7 ) , that's 45 cans at 26 euro.


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## MB05

The best value in booze has to be the alcopops.  We went up for drink for my brothers debs and the Barcardi Breezers for example were priced at £7 for 2*4pks.  This worked out at €8.75 for 8 bottles (€1.10 a bottle).  Here a 4pk costs about €10.30 (€2.57 a bottle).  70cl bottles of it were 2 for £5 about the same price for 1 bottle here. Smirinoff Ice, Blue Wicked etc. had similiar prices.  Do the maths.  If you are having a party i.e. debs, 21st, New Year's etc and people who drink these are coming it is well worth the trip.


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## Protocol

The euro is heading for 82p today, an all-time high.

This makes shopping in NI even more attractive.


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## amh

things are definately much, much cheaper than here. we are being ripped off. i went to asda in the north and bought 200 pounds worth of groceries and my car was full. i checked out the same items on the tesco website. after entering just over half of the same items it cost 290 euro!! i know someone who takes orders from people for groceries in the north. he travels up at the weekend collects the groceries and travels down. you get the reciept and pay for the groceries plus 12.5%. it is brilliant because you don't pay before you get them, only on reciept, you don't have the hassle of driving up and waiting in traffic. better than getting your shopping from tesco because you save a fortune on the exchange rate too!!!


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## RMCF

I live right on the border and NEVER shop in the RoI I'm afraid to say. Simply doesn't make sense. And never has in my 8 yrs living in RoI.

I find the biggest difference is in alcohol prices. The RoI simply can't compete with the deals in NI.

As for making the trek north for others, I heard on the radio today that people are even coming from Cork. Find this hard to believe to be honest (no ice cream bought I hope). You'd need to be buying a MAJOR amount of food and drink to make a roundtrip from Cork to NI.

Also heard that there was 12 mile tailbacks into Newry and a 2 mile trip took 3 hrs. No amount of savings would help me sit through that tbh.


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## paul24

I did a quick comparison yesterday between Sainsbury's and Tesco's. On our usual monthly big shop the cost saving on the baby and toddler stuff alone was €75.00

That definatley justifies my monthly trip.

Paul24


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## ciara_henegh

hi i was just wondering if shopping in enniskillin is the same price wise as shopping in newry? im in westport and travelling all the way up to newry... though the price definately sounds right.... its just too far, but enniskillin is closer and id just like to know if the savings will be as good? thanks


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## ubiquitous

ciara_henegh said:


> hi i was just wondering if shopping in enniskillin is the same price wise as shopping in newry? im in westport and travelling all the way up to newry... though the price definately sounds right.... its just too far, but enniskillin is closer and id just like to know if the savings will be as good? thanks



Hard to tell. Enniskillen is a much smaller town and has a lot less shops than Newry. Prices shouldn't differ that much. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some traders in both towns are tempted to take advantage of the "gold rush" mania by setting "paddy prices" for the pre-Xmas tourists.

That said, the journey from Westport to Newry sounds crazy unless you're buying a lot more than groceries & booze. It must be 150 miles each way?


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## allthedoyles

A Tyrone man told me to also drive to Craigavon . He said the town has a massive shopping centre , better value than Newry


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## unfamiliar

Hi, 
we went to Newry yesterday, yes the traffic was bad and to get parking was a nightmare took us about 10 mins to get a spot we were the lucky ones, but the savings are great 18 stg for jack daniels, hennessy 19stg, litre bacardi 14 stg, wine 3 for 10 stg and baby formula sma white 7.21 compared to nearly 13 euro here. we also went to debenhams and noticed tags with 45 stg and 70 euro. It's worth going up if you have lots to buy and your not in a rush would avoid the weekends tho if possible.


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## z105

Sunday Independent last week said Dunnes Stores in Newry were charging Stg 19.98 (circa Eur 24.00) for 2.5 litres of Smirnoff Vodka.

I paid Eur 24.00 for 1 litre in Tesco last week


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## unfamiliar

By the way we called into the toy store in the quays and didn't notice any savings so i wouldn't bother going just for toys.


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## Guest128

Havealaugh said:


> Sunday Independent last week said Dunnes Stores in Newry were charging Stg 19.98 (circa Eur 24.00) for 2.5 litres of Smirnoff Vodka.
> 
> I paid Eur 24.00 for 1 litre in Tesco last week



£19 in Armagh for a litre of Jameson *12 year old* last weekend


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## z105

> £19 in Armagh for a litre of Jameson *12 year old* last weekend



And what does that retail at here?

Also , I should have elaborated, the 24 Euro that I paid for 1 litre of Smirnoff in Tesco was on "special" reduced from the "normal" price of Eur 29.99 !!


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## Guest128

Havealaugh said:


> And what does that retail at here?
> 
> Also , I should have elaborated, the 24 Euro that I paid for 1 litre of Smirnoff in Tesco was on "special" reduced from the "normal" price of Eur 29.99 !!



O'Briens: Jameson 12 Year old, Was  €37.99,              Now €34.20 still almost 27% difference in price compared to the £19


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## amh

Easy on lads have you been drinking that drink or what?? I bought 1 litre of gordon's gin 3 weeks ago in ASDA in Cookstown co Tyrone for 13.00 Sterling, not on offer.


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## Gemz89

Does anyone know if shops like river island and next will accept euro and if they do is there an exchange rate there or will they match the euro to sterling ?

thanks 

Gemma


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## Caveat

Gemz89 said:


> Does anyone know if shops like river island and next will accept euro and if they do is there an exchange rate there or will they match the euro to sterling ?
> 
> thanks
> 
> Gemma


 
Don't know for a fact if _River Island_ do but I'd be astonished if they didn't as practically all outlets in Newry do. You'll probably get sterling change though. Unsurprisingly, they don't do you any real favours on the exchange rate but it's OK.


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## bertson

Could you not move some dosh to your VISA and use the visa in the shops?
Or just withdraw sterling on a northern bank machine

i.e. you pay the live bank exchange rate?


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## Gemz89

A few colleagues of mine have gone up and they said  that a few places accepted euro and matched it to sterling if thats true thats some savings !


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## ubiquitous

Gemz89 said:


> A few colleagues of mine have gone up and they said  that a few places accepted euro and matched it to sterling if thats true thats some savings !



Only if they're not charging paddy prices in the first instance


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## Cheeus

I found that lots of the shops in Newry had a weird selection of items - not what you would find currently on the high street. Eg: Clarks was like a Clarks reject store with styles from the 90s. 

I went up with family and found that they bought lots of stuff that they didn't actually need because they had made the trip - I doubt they actually got anything they were looking for. Good for shopaholics. Haven't found it so practical for specific items.


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## Gemz89

haha thats true


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## bertson

I travel to Donegal every week now as my mum is unwell, so I dip in and out of Derry/Strabane/Newry.

Booze is the biggest saving, as well as Mach 3 razors.
Dog/Cat food also have huge savings, as well as I her Baby stuff.

If your near Strabane, BettaDeals is worth a visist for Toilet Roll, washing powder etc.

The worst thing for me is my in laws here in carlow think I am a courier service


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## mloc

I've heard a rumour that Sainsbury's in Newry are matching €1 for £1. Does anybody know for certain if that is true?
If it's not true than does anybody know what exchange rate they are offering at the checkouts in Sainsbury's? (assuming they take euro's at the checkout)


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## Happy Girl

Thinking bout heading north on Monday next. From people's own experiences wd I be better off (traffic wise) to go to Newry or Enniskillen. Wd be shopping for groceries/drink/jewellery/childrens clothes. I would be leaving Navan at about 11.30am so wd be arriving around lunch time in case arrival time might make a difference as to where to go.


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## bettyboo

Last night Sainsburys in Newry were offering 0.867 exchange rate.  Great savings on wine and other bits and pieces!


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## Bronte

I haven't read all the posts on this but I cannot see the advantage of travelling vast distances, queuing for parking spaces to save 40 Euro on the weekly shop. There is a cost to travel, time and stress that should be factored in before you travel from say Kerry to Newry.  It of course makes sense for people on the border and those going on a once off for say alcohol for a party where the savings may be substantial.  I'm delighed ye are all going North if it means I'll find it easier to park and shop in Dublin.


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## MrKeane

I just bought Colemans mustard in Limerick Dunnes €1.89. I checked online and its £0.93 in Asda. I am going to collect my receipts for a while and head north for a weekend and do some shopping on the way home. I will have the research done and bulkbuy small non perishable items (like the mustard example above, toothpaste, razors, washing powder etc.) I reckon the savings will largely subsidise the cost of a weekend away.


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## SARAH 123

Happy Girl said:


> Thinking bout heading north on Monday next. From people's own experiences wd I be better off (traffic wise) to go to Newry or Enniskillen. Wd be shopping for groceries/drink/jewellery/childrens clothes. I would be leaving Navan at about 11.30am so wd be arriving around lunch time in case arrival time might make a difference as to where to go.


I went to newry last weekend and skipped the one hour back up traffic on the way into newry by taking M1 exit for Carlingford instead of Newry. This adds about 10km onto your journey but halves your time as there is no traffic on this road. We also stopped off in Carlingford for lunch on the way and discovered some great little boutiques with pre-christmas sales on. We also found that the later in the day you hit sainburys the better as most people are getting there early and leaving early so your chances of getting parked anytime around lunchtime are small.


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## Gemz89

went up to newry this morning left wicklow at 6 was parked and in the shopping center without a bother by 8 45, well worth it i thought the savings were huge for me !! and my petrol for the trip up and down ?? €25 not bad !!! got my petrol for 99.9 cent just before the border


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## faolteam

*Re: parking in Newry - 2008 advice?*

if i go to to newry mid week weres the best place to park the quays car park or sainsbury car park and do they charge,

also is it worth going to the outlet i dont know which to do first any clues ?????????


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## terrontress

Bronte said:


> I haven't read all the posts on this but I cannot see the advantage of travelling vast distances, queuing for parking spaces to save 40 Euro on the weekly shop. There is a cost to travel, time and stress that should be factored in before you travel from say Kerry to Newry. It of course makes sense for people on the border and those going on a once off for say alcohol for a party where the savings may be substantial. I'm delighed ye are all going North if it means I'll find it easier to park and shop in Dublin.


 
Shopping in Dublin is an absolute nightmare. I'm most familiar with Swan Centre Rathmines, Dundrum Town Centre and Swords Pavillions. Relaxed they are not. Fair enough, there may be stress in going North but you are going to have stress either way.

If money were no object, I'd use Tesco online and not worry about the prices and go nowhere near supermarkets. But it is an object and the thousands of people driving North each day are not deluded.


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## mullary

i have been shopping in newry for the last 12 years and saved enough money to take hubby and 3 kids to the sun each year.even when the exchange rates were bad the savings were still there.i would go to iceland more so then sainsburys but both are good and there is an offlicence across from iceland called curlys its got all the booze you will need and good prices and no crowds


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## sfag

Have to say shopping in newry is hell on earth these days. It takes hours to get in to it and its jammed when you are there. 

You might not think its worth it.


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## ubiquitous

mullary said:


> i have been shopping in newry for the last 12 years and saved enough money to take hubby and 3 kids to the sun each year.even when the exchange rates were bad the savings were still there.



I sincerely doubt this. I have shopped in Enniskillen for donkeys years because I live quite near it, but until a 15-18 months ago there was little discernable price difference, except on random products, eg items sold below cost in NI. In fact one of the major benefits of the town in those days was that it was quieter than places like Athlone. Had the price differences been that big, it would have been a lot busier, as it was for a while in the 80s and is again these days.


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## Celtwytch

*Re: parking in Newry - 2008 advice?*



faolteam said:


> if i go to to newry mid week weres the best place to park the quays car park or sainsbury car park and do they charge,
> 
> also is it worth going to the outlet i dont know which to do first any clues ?????????


 
Sainsbury's is in The Quays shopping centre.  The other shopping centre in Newry is Buttercrane.  Both have free parking, and lots of it, but The Quays tends to fill up first (probably because of Sainsbury's).  I parked there easily enough shortly after 9 on Thursday, but by 11, people seemed willing to sell their firstborn for a parking spot.

The Outlet is a lovely place to shop.  It depends on what you're looking to buy on whether or not it's worth a visit, though.  Check out the website () before you go to see if the shops would interest you.


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## dereko1969

if you're going to go to the outlet, i'd advise doing the rest of your shopping in lisburn. i went to the sainsbury in sprucefield there yesterday and no queues at the checkouts at all, very easy parking too. it's a little further on from newry than i'd remembered about 25 minutes but handy to find as is just off the motorway (you have to head towards the m1 then come back on yourself at the roundabout to get in). the outlet is only about 10 minutes away on the way back. i just went into sainsburys but there's an argos, toys'r'us, b&q and a currys there too.
i was mainly buying british ales that can't be bought down here but the range of vegetarian products is miles above what's available in the supermarkets down here.


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## dradams93

Hi Guys,

If you are travelling north to take benefit of savings my advice is if Newry is busy, visit Banbridge. It has a *Tesco's* (take the next exit off the A1 after the Outlet just past Summerhill housing development, take right at t junction towards town centre and take right at roundabout. It also has an *Iceland* in the town centre. Banbridge town centre has some lovely shops, and if you want a fantastic lunch try *Piggots*, Rathfriland St (ask any of the locals for directions) or *Cafe Coco*. Sprucefield is just 15mins north (take the signs for Belfast)

Lyttles, Porters, Quails, Donaghys, Ardis are all stores worth visiting. *Banbridge is a very euro-friendly town.*


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## killybram

ubiquitous said:


> I sincerely doubt this. I have shopped in Enniskillen for donkeys years because I live quite near it, but until a 15-18 months ago there was little discernable price difference, except on random products, eg items sold below cost in NI. In fact one of the major benefits of the town in those days was that it was quieter than places like Athlone. Had the price differences been that big, it would have been a lot busier, as it was for a while in the 80s and is again these days.


 
totally disagree!! - We have done our big grocery shopping in the 6 counties for years and even when the stg was about 63 or 64p to the € we still saved a lot of money. The fact is that we have been ripped off for years and years and now it really matters because people cant afford to be screwed anymore so they shop around.


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## Bronte

killybram said:


> totally disagree!! - We have done our big grocery shopping in the 6 counties for years and even when the stg was about 63 or 64p to the € we still saved a lot of money. The fact is that we have been ripped off for years and years and now it really matters because people cant afford to be screwed anymore so they shop around.


  How much weekly have you been saving?  I understood some retailers were charging up to 50% extra in exchange rates?


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## ubiquitous

dradams93 said:


> If you are travelling north to take benefit of savings my advice is if Newry is busy, visit Banbridge.



Armagh City is another option.


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## Caveat

Bronte said:


> I understood some retailers were charging up to 50% extra in exchange rates?


 
What?!

I have never come across anything even close to this - nor have I ever heard of it.


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## ubiquitous

killybram said:


> totally disagree!! - We have done our big grocery shopping in the 6 counties for years and even when the stg was about 63 or 64p to the € we still saved a lot of money. The fact is that we have been ripped off for years and years and now it really matters because people cant afford to be screwed anymore so they shop around.



I think we can agree to differ on this one. The fact is that, until 12-18 months ago, the flow of shoppers across the border was merely a trickle. And, a few years ago, Dunnes Stores and Lidl in Cavan were regularly full of Northerners who had travelled down to do their grocery shopping.


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## Caveat

Bronte said:


> ...spending to save money - madness, it's to replace the chatter about house prices going up. There is no discussion at all about what people are really saving. As in saving by not spending, now where are those people?


 


Bronte said:


> I haven't read all the posts on this but I cannot see the advantage of travelling vast distances, queuing for parking spaces to save 40 Euro on the weekly shop. There is a cost to travel, time and stress that should be factored in before you travel from say Kerry to Newry. It of course makes sense for people on the border and those going on a once off for say alcohol for a party where the savings may be substantial. I'm delighed ye are all going North if it means I'll find it easier to park and shop in Dublin.


 


Bronte said:


> How much weekly have you been saving? I understood some retailers were charging up to 50% extra in exchange rates?


 
Bronte, I may be wrong, but with the tone and hyperbole of your posts it looks to me like you have some vested interest in discouraging people from spending in NI?!


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## NorthDrum

I posted my savings here:

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=98563

I did no research (bigger fool me) and the prices have reduced since my trip. I couldve easily saved up to 40% - 50% had i been properly prepared.

It is worth it if you will do your homework.

Personally I think bypassing Newry (go even to sprucefield) makes much more sense then sitting in traffic in Newry. I got to belfast in 2 hours on a tuesday at 10.30am!

The reason this "patriotic" waffle isnt working is because the government have a "do as I say, not as I do" approach to things. Perhaps if they made some sacrifices themselves people would feel more patriotic. Like its government, the people are looking after their own interests at the expense of the country.


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## bond-007

Caveat said:


> What?!
> 
> I have never come across anything even close to this - nor have I ever heard of it.


There are still many retailers only offering 60 and 70p to the euro.


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## Bronte

Caveat said:


> Bronte, I may be wrong, but with the tone and hyperbole of your posts it looks to me like you have some vested interest in discouraging people from spending in NI?!


LOL -  Sorry Caveat, no vested interest whatsoever.  It just has not been proved to me that it's worthwhile on a long term basis unless you may be living on the border.  Comparison by 6 county shop to 26 county shop by item to item of normal shopping of the same branded good taking into account distance travelled, cost of time wasted, and exchange rate differences.  I'm also intrigued with all this shopping going on when we're in the middle of a recession.  That's all, nothing else, I'm easily amused you see.


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## Caveat

Bronte said:


> I'm also intrigued with all this shopping going on when we're in the middle of a recession.


 
I think the problem, as you've kind of alluded to, is the whole noise surrounding this phenomenon.

It's easy to assume that the shoppers heading north are buying everything that isn't screwed down but speaking for myself and anyone else I know - all we are doing is our standard grocery shopping, albeit that we are buying a few items in bulk where appropriate.

I think there is absolutely no doubt that there are savings of 20, 25, 30% to be made even when fuel costs are accounted for. Having said that, I can't see how it would be advantageous for someone from say, Kerry to shop in NI but conversely, anyone within approx. 45 minutes drive of the border (and especially those closer) should benefit a lot from the trip IMO.

As always, shop around and compare like with like, remembering that not *everything* is cheaper.


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## terrontress

NorthDrum said:


> I posted my savings here:
> 
> http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=98563
> 
> I did no research (bigger fool me) and the prices have reduced since my trip. I couldve easily saved up to 40% - 50% had i been properly prepared.
> 
> It is worth it if you will do your homework.
> 
> Personally I think bypassing Newry (go even to sprucefield) makes much more sense then sitting in traffic in Newry. I got to belfast in 2 hours on a tuesday at 10.30am!
> 
> The reason this "patriotic" waffle isnt working is because the government have a "do as I say, not as I do" approach to things. Perhaps if they made some sacrifices themselves people would feel more patriotic. Like its government, the people are looking after their own interests at the expense of the country.


 
What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Ireland has benefited massively from globalisation. When Barclays, Rabobank, Deutsche Bank have opened in the IFSC to take advantage of favourable conditions, they have taken money from the British, Dutch and German exchequer. The wages they have paid have fed straight into the Irish exchequer through direct and indirect tax take, be it income tax, VAT, VRT, DIRT or even stamp duties.

This same system has allowed people to cross European borders freely. Countries who have not benefited from the EU to the extent of Ireland have been putting up with it for years. Finnish buying vodka in Talinn. Austrians having their teeth done in Slovakia.

I think the Irish government should be happy that they are part of a system whereby trade can cross international borders as we have all done VERY well from it.


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## Sylvester3

The way things are at the moment with the currency exchange, it seems that even petrol is cheaper, or at least on a par with fuel here. I'm heading up to my parents in Belfast tomorrow for Christmas (From Cork) and normally I would fill up in Dublin to avoid having to refuel at UK prices. That doesn't make sense anymore - at 87.9 p per llitre of petrol, it is the now the equivalent of 94/95 cents per litre. Nothing in it really, so I might as well trundle all the way there on a single tank and refuel at the end.


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## tallpaul

Another huge saving is on baby's milk. Our little lad will only drink the ready-made SMA Gold. It costs £1.90 in supermarkets in the North but €3.69 for the exact same product in the Republic. This is getting on for an 85% saving on each carton!!!

Saved over €25 on 16 cartons of it recently...


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## terrontress

It has been widely speculated that the UK interest rates will drop further at the next meeting of the Bank of England and that the £ will fall beneath the €. It is going to be crazy to look at a UK price and then knock a few percent off the number to get a Euro price.


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## Bubbly Scot

Anyone who was in The Quays car park yesterday could be forgiven for thinking they'd never left the republic!! I was there an hour before opening and it was almost full of southern registrations. The queues for Sainsburys were huge and they had a one way system in operation for the off licence.

Well worth the trip from Wexford though but definatly do your homework first.


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## rmelly

terrontress said:


> What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Ireland has benefited massively from globalisation. When Barclays, Rabobank, Deutsche Bank have opened in the IFSC to take advantage of favourable conditions, they have taken money from the British, Dutch and German exchequer. The wages they have paid have fed straight into the Irish exchequer through direct and indirect tax take, be it income tax, VAT, VRT, DIRT or even stamp duties.
> 
> This same system has allowed people to cross European borders freely. Countries who have not benefited from the EU to the extent of Ireland have been putting up with it for years. Finnish buying vodka in Talinn. Austrians having their teeth done in Slovakia.
> 
> I think the Irish government should be happy that they are part of a system whereby trade can cross international borders as we have all done VERY well from it.


 
Exactly - I thought free movement of goods and services was supposed to be a core tenet of the european 'experiment', I guess that applies only when it suits...another broken promise from the eurocrats.


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## olddoll

I bumped into a lady in the ILAC centre on Saturday.  She was from Dundalk and had got up at the crack of dawn to travel to Dublin to do her Christmas shopping.  On principle she wouldn't shop in the North as she believed money should be kept in the South.   I had to admire her stance.


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## Jister

olddoll said:


> I bumped into a lady in the ILAC centre on Saturday. She was from Dundalk and had got up at the crack of dawn to travel to Dublin to do her Christmas shopping. On principle she wouldn't shop in the North as she believed money should be kept in the South. I had to admire her stance.


 
I think she is a reflection of why our prices are so high in the first place - we have been happy to rip ourselves off for years.

The VAT difference is only 6.5%, apart from that most of the rest is just ripoff margin. A lot of goods come from China, USA and mainland Europe etc. so the final prices should be similar except for the VAT.


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## ubiquitous

Jister said:


> I think she is a reflection of why our prices are so high in the first place - we have been happy to rip ourselves off for years.
> 
> The VAT difference is only 6.5%, apart from that most of the rest is just ripoff margin. A lot of goods come from China, USA and mainland Europe etc. so the final prices should be similar except for the VAT.



If you look at this issue closely, I think you will find that retailers' margins are lower here than in other countries. Overhead costs such as wages, rent, insurance and professional and regulatory fees are far too high in this country. If you don't believe me, count the numbers of stores that will shut down in the first few months of 2009.


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## bamboozle

but dont a lot of the higher costs faced by southern companies arise from the manic greed and government ineptness during the tiger years??
going out of their way to fuel property growth meant the government left companies (and households) paying above the odds for properties as the price was inflated by Interest and Tax breaks, companys are now faced with paying rent on propertys far in excess of similar properties elsewhere in europe; as such these costs have to be absorbed into the price of their goods and services...i'm not justifying the high costs we have here i'm just pointing out the love-in between the property developers and Fianna Fail created a lot of it.


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## ubiquitous

bamboozle said:


> but dont a lot of the higher costs faced by southern companies arise from the manic greed and government ineptness during the tiger years??
> going out of their way to fuel property growth meant the government left companies (and households) paying above the odds for propertys as the price was inflated by Interest and Tax breaks, companys are now faced with paying rent on propertys far in excess of similar property's elsewhere in europe and such these costs have to be absorbed into the price of their goods and services...i'm not justifying the high costs we have here i'm just pointing out the love-in between the property developers and Fianna Fail created a lot of it.



Exactly.

The so-called "ripoff" retailers are not to blame for this mess. The government and the property vested interests hold much of the responsibility.


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## theoneill

Regardless of who is to blame I think the results will be the same. People flocking to the North, decreasing tax revenues and increasing unemployment it’s about time we stopped fixing the blame and fixed the problems in this economy. Like it or not we are too expensive and inefficient this must change.


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## bamboozle

theoneill said:


> Regardless of who is to blame I think the results will be the same. People flocking to the North, decreasing tax revenues and increasing unemployment it’s about time we stopped fixing the blame and fixed the problems in this economy. Like it or not we are too expensive and inefficient this must change.


 

Well if you can suggest a way of removing a government that has handed over control of the country to Public Service Unions while it was too busy cosying up to the Property Develpers then i'm all ears...
the writing was on the wall 4 years ago yet people still voted Fianna Fail, 10% of what the current government is borrowing is going to pay the bloated salary's in the civil service while any money that has been put away during the boom years went into a war chest designed to pay the Inflation linked Pensions of our Civil Service.


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## GMD

Interesting article on the subject which I came across today:

CROSS-BORDER SHOPPING CAN BE THE NEW PATRIOTISM
There has been a lot said and written about cross-border shopping and
patriotism in the weeks running up to Christmas. As a person with a passing
interest in both subjects (the latter mainly on the terraces at Lansdowne
Road), I wonder if I might add my two ha'apence.
Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan started it all with his unwise 'call to
patriotic action' in urging Irish people to accept the harsh cuts of his
October budget. He then compounded the error when he told RTE listeners last
month: 'When you shop in Northern Ireland, you're paying Her Majesty's
taxes, you're not paying taxes to the state that you live in.' (1)
Inevitably the people ignored him. The main consequence of that budget for
the average Irish citizen north of a line from Dublin to Galway (and even
further south) seems to have been to drive them in even larger numbers
across the border to do their Christmas shopping. The price differences
between North and South - helped by a dramatically weakened Sterling and a
2.5% cut in VAT in the UK compared to an 0.5% rise in the Republic - are now
the stuff of legend: Irish-made Kerrygold butter twice the price in Dublin
as in Lisburn; a bottle of Irish whiskey £14 cheaper in Northern Ireland;
and a wide range of goods from breakfast cereals and Pampers to women's
shoes and cups of coffee over 30% more expensive.
Not surprisingly, it didn't take Northern politicians long to weigh in on
the other side of the argument. Peter Robinson, stressing that he was not
trying to score any 'cheap political points', nevertheless couldn't stop
himself commenting: 'In truth it is good for us all. Northern Ireland gets a
significant economic boost, and people in the Republic might save enough on
their shopping to help pay their higher taxes and their health bills.' (2)
Jeffrey Donaldson found it 'interesting that the Irish Government supports a
united Ireland, but when it comes to patriotism, that only extends to the 26
counties of the Republic.' (3) Martin McGuinness said he was 'gobsmacked
that we are being excluded from the all-island economy.' (4)
A man with no political axe to grind, Bill Tosh, the head of Dundalk Chamber
of Commerce, put the central issue of cross-border prices most succinctly
when he pointed out that Larry Goodman produces a large proportion of the
meat sold on the island from his base near the border in County Louth: 'It's
all the same meat but somehow it ends up costing twice as much down south.
That's obscene.' (5)
Paul Cullen, Irish Times consumer affairs correspondent, noting the Dublin's
Fianna Fail Lord Mayor's call for its citizens to show 'civic patriotism' by
choosing to shop in the capital rather than go North this Christmas,
commented: 'It might seem strange for a member of the Republican Party to
suggest that patriotism cannot be exercised north of the border. After all,
isn't the most patriotic thing to buy Irish-made goods wherever they are
sold (and preferably at the cheapest prices), especially when the retailer
down South may be foreign-owned?' (6)
Or as one Limerick reader wrote to the Irish Times: 'When Aer Lingus moved
its Heathrow service from Shannon to Belfast, objectors were told it was
done because costs were lower in the North. We were informed by various
politicians and commentators that this was a free market, that we were all
one island. However when ordinary people head north to shop for the same
economic reasons, they are branded as "unpatriotic".
The prominent Southern economist Jim O'Leary pointed out that the more
Southerners went North, the more pressure there would be on Southern
retailers to cut their profit margins, costs and prices, and 'this is as it
should be.' The problem of floods of people heading North to buy cheaper
priced goods was part of the wider problem of the South's lost
competitiveness. The Republic's main weapon in the fight against the current
severe economic recession would be to cut its excessive production costs
(and even more excessive retail prices) and thus start to compete
internationally again. 'One could argue that it is our patriotic duty to do
what we can to bring that about, including travelling North for our shopping
until that has happened,' was his provocative conclusion. (7)
I'm no economist or business leader, but here's my two ha'apence worth.
Maybe we need to be moving towards a new kind of all-island patriotism which
transcends the narrow domains of traditional Irish nationalism or British
unionism. This should be based on the conviction that what we are striving
for 'in the common name of Irishmen' (and Irishwomen) is what brings the
greatest benefits to the people of the whole island. We don't want to get
into a situation like that in the 1920s, when the Irish Free State broke
away from Britain only to see its 'independent' standard of living fall
significantly. In the new post Belfast and St Andrews Agreement Ireland, the
best political and business leaders are those who can ensure the maximum
benefits for all the people of the island, nationalist and unionist and
other, North and South, whatever the colour of the governments in Dublin and
Belfast. I suggest that should be the new pragmatic, patriotic maxim for the
early 21st century.
1 Belfast Telegraph, 27 November 2008
[http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1376]
2 Business World, 28 November 2008
[http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1413]
3 Belfast Telegraph, 27 November 2008
[http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1376]
4 Today with Pat Kenny, RTE, Radio 1, 22 December 2008
5 Irish Times, 25 November 2008
[http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1370] 6 Ibid.
http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1370]
7 Irish Times, 12 December 2008
http://borderireland.info/info/mdetail.php?mref=1400]
Discuss this Note now on the BorderIreland Discussion Forum.
[http://borderireland.info/discuss/?p=105]


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## theoneill

This government is unpopular; this gives them real power to do what is necessary. Think about it, they cut public sector pay, eliminate stupid outdated work practices, reward work, and punish laziness creating a fine tuned efficient organisation. The unions will strike, let them, public sympathy will soon turn against them and even if it doesn’t they will run out of money. This is a chance for the government to break their backs. The Brian and Mary show have absolutely nothing to loose at this point and everything to gain. If they play this right they could been seen as the people who pulled us back from the abyss.


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## bamboozle

theoneill said:


> This government is unpopular; this gives them real power to do what is necessary. Think about it, they cut public sector pay, eliminate stupid outdated work practices, reward work, and punish laziness creating a fine tuned efficient organisation. The unions will strike, let them, public sympathy will soon turn against them and even if it doesn’t they will run out of money. This is a chance for the government to break their backs. The Brian and Mary show have absolutely nothing to loose at this point and everything to gain. If they play this right they could been seen as the people who pulled us back from the abyss.


 

i just worry if anyone in Fianna Fail is willing to be that unpopular, one things for sure, public sector budget allocation has risen from 4 billion in 2000 to 19 billion in 2007, that's where the bulk of the financial problem lies, the political problem is finding politicians who are brave enough to make the necessary changes.
What really annoys me is that the writing was on the wall and despite all their highly paid consultants & civil servants nobody stood forward and suggested the good times may not last forever and urged a bit of restraint!


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## bond-007

They will be punished in the local elections in June.


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## theoneill

I suspect they have already written off the local elections.
They will never have a better opportunity to shake up the public sector. They should take it.


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## bamboozle

theoneill said:


> I suspect they have already written off the local elections.
> They will never have a better opportunity to shake up the public sector. They should take it.


 
i wonder, you have a FF Lord Mayor of Dublin who'll be looking to reclaim her seat in local elections yet she still went ahead with the 350k Christmas tree from France rather than a freebie from Norway for O'Connell Street...then she tells us to be patriotic when shopping!!!!

just worry FF are very detached from reality!


----------

