The death of the Arcade!
- This topic has 14 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
-
Despite many apparent advantages, in our wet and windy climate, closed arcades of shops never seem to have been very successful here. Of the two arcades off Grafton Street, Creation Arcade has been only useful as a shortcut on a wet day for a very long time.
In recent years more and more of the Grafton Arcade has been vacant and now the strategically important Conns Cameras, which gave an air of life to the middle of the arcade is relocating, leaving almost all the centre space vacant.
Is the level of occupancy here a prelude to redevelopment?
The only arcade I know in Dublin that seems to have got a lease of life is the City Markets Arcade and it , curiously, runs off a street that has been depressed for years.
-
-
I think the GPO arcade is working okay. There always seems to be plenty of people passing through it.
To be honest have never been in either of the arcades you mention. They both look a little too claustrophobic. The are probably seen as taking up too much valuable retail space. Most of the big UK/ US chains that are currently looking to get into the Irish market frequentlyu complain about the poor size of available units…particularly on Grafton Street.
-
Is City Markets Arcade the same as Georges Arcade, which is now loosing its charm. Moore St. is going to get a roof and will then be very arcade like. I have a feeling that Georges is going to get a revamp when Dunnes do up the other side of the street. By the way, the exterior of Georges is one of Dublins most fantastic buildings. Have a good look next time you stumble out of Hogans.
-
…when Dunnes do up the other side of the street….when indeed?
Georges Arcade would make a great food market. There is a good retail mix at the moment but I think they would make a lot more of the building if they specialised.
I was recently in Milan – a fab city with some stunning architecture. Top of the list has to be The Galleries just off the piazza del Duomo. Huge vaulting ceilngs and monumental architecture….. the ultimate arcade!
-
-
-
They also have a tower crane erected behind the buildings so looks like something is happening!!
Did anyone ever take a closer look at the side entrances to the Georges arcade, mostly closed up now and used for storage. It would be great if the whole place was opened up. (Hope that a make over wouldn’t affect the atmosphere that’s there at the moment though!!!) -
-
-
-
About the GPO Arcade, does it strike anyone as utterly bizarre the location of the arcade, or rather how/why it opens onto Princes St, which is little more than a back alley.
Did the Metropole or Capital cinemas use to have an entrance onto the st, as this would probably explain it. Even then, there seems little point to to locating its entrance there, unless Princes St led somewhere when the arcade was built in the late 20s/30s.
It’s a wonderful place though, I love all that sophisticated Edwardianish styling, the roof lights, cornicing etc.
-
-
-
“About the GPO Arcade, does it strike anyone as utterly bizarre the location of the arcade, or rather how/why it opens onto Princes St, which is little more than a back alley.
Did the Metropole or Capital cinemas use to have an entrance onto the st, as this would probably explain it. Even then, there seems little point to to locating its entrance there, unless Princes St led somewhere when the arcade was built in the late 20s/30s.”
Good point indeed.
The answer is no.
The arcade was developed after 1916 fires changed the ground plan forever here and it runs out to Princes St there for no, apparently, good reason I can fathom. Was the arcade developed by the Post Office, certainly the Government had much space on the GPO side until fairly recently?Woolworths were the big tenant on the other side, giving an alternative route into the arcade through their front door further down Henry Street.
The La Scala Theatre (cinema really), later called Capitol was built with the facade slightly closer to O’Connell St than opposite the arcade exit and it made no reference to it, if I recall correctly. The Metropole Cinema came somewhat later but neither ever had direct access to the arcade, – the street was always in the way. It was a rat run for vans and bikes going up and down to Independent newspapers printing works further down the street and crossing over was a tricky thing to do, even if you had not been in the Princes Bar.
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
