Re: Re: Smithfield, Dublin

@StephenC wrote:

Doesnt look like Smithfield is included in this list http://www.dublincity.ie/RecreationandCulture/CasualTradingLicence/Pages/default.aspx but there is already a small market on Smithfield and its not as if there are no vacant shop units that need filling. I’m not really sure stalls will help. I think stalls need anchor shops to attract footfall.

Well I’d certainly agree with that – anchor shops are certainly more attractive than stalls to people but given the overall slump in fortunes experienced by Dublin and Ireland it’s not likely that we’ll see too many of them, therefore we’re left with the likes of stalls to generate business. It might be a good idea also to put in a couple more Dublin Bikes stands when the next round of expansion starts with that. Incidentally, I remember reading that fastfood places and phone shops are really footfall-leeches rather than footfall generators in themselves.

Smithfield Fruit Market…would you call it that. I always think of the Markets area as separate from Smithfield. Preliminary works have already begun on the Market Hall. Interesting collection of images here http://www.dublincityarchitects.ie/?p=98#more-98

Public realm is a key to the success of the Markets I would think. Its is uniformly awful in this part of the city. Perhaps this might help http://dubcitybeta.wordpress.com/

Well the place it’s in is called Smithfield on ratemyarea.com so there’s some argument for it being called that! However, I feel the main thing is for the place to be developed, regardless of what it’s called. I’m delighted to hear that preliminary works have (finally) commenced. Hopefully they’ll be ready to go for Christmas this year. It would be another driver of business in around that part of Dublin 1.

Thanks for the link to the blog with the photos of it being built in the first place. Often with these older buildings you think of them as being a permanent feature on the landscape and forget that once, they too, were new constructions. I wonder did they have to deal with an Bord Pleanála back in their day? 🙂