Courtyard Shopping Centre

"Eat for Less, Dress for Less - Go on have a Courtyard day"
The rear entrance of the Courtyard as viewed from the Government Offices on Oliver Plunkett Street.
Location Lower Main Street,
Letterkenny,
County Donegal,
Ireland
Opening date 21 October 1993
No. of stores and services 40
No. of anchor tenants 3
No. of floors 3
Parking Multi-storey
(400 spaces)
Website Official website
The rear of the Courtyard Shopping Centre as viewed from beneath the arch. The complex's multi-storey car park, which is built on a slope descending onto Pearse Street, is partially visible in the background.

The Courtyard Shopping Centre is a retail complex in County Donegal, Ireland. Located in central Letterkenny, close to the Library and Arts Centre on the Lower Main Street side and the Bank of Ireland on the Upper Main Street side, it also overlooks Pearse Street and Oliver Plunkett Street. The structure is built spirally on a slope so, if approached from the Main Street entrance, the visitor, when making their way through the complex, descends into the ground via a series of escalators.

Letterkenny's oldest Eason's bookstore and Heatons, the department store in which billionaire retail entrepreneur and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has a 50% stake, are among the outlets to be found inside. Both Eason and Heatons are situated on multiple storeys.

History

The Centre opened on 21 October 1993 and became the heart of shopping in Letterkenny. Coronation Street stars Kevin Kennedy and Ken Morley officially opened the centre. The visits of notable people such as these are each commemorated throughout the complex with their own tiles, featuring a golden sketch of the person's outline. Among these are tiles dedicated to such Donegal personalities as Packie Bonner and Daniel O'Donnell.

Facilities

The Shopping Centre originally had 40 outlets, however as of 2016 there is now only 20 stores, with the anchor tenants being Eason and Heatons.[1] The Courtyard Cafe was the main food court however by 2016 this cafe had closed, while the north-west's premier chippy, the 4 Lanterns,[2] also has an outlet overlooking the Main Street entrance.

The shopping centre was seriously affected by the recent recession and economic problems in Ireland in the late 2000s. Many stores closed, some businesses failed, and many stores decided to move to the Letterkenny Shopping Centre in Port Road of the town. The Letterkenny Shopping Centre has seen a rise in the numbers shopping there, but the Courtyard has seen their numbers drop.

The supermarket chain Iceland used to have a branch here but it has since shut down.

The complex also contains its own multi-storey car park. The Shopping Centre provides toilets, a baby changing room, lift and Schindler escalators ascend and descend to all floors.

Expansion

Paul Reynolds & Company Ltd. applied for planning permission to build another floor of retail space at the centre in mid-2007.[3] The application was approved and resulted in an extra 980 square metres of retail area. The centre went through changes in respect to the locations of its anchor tenants in 2008. Heatons expanded over three floors of the centre, occupying the former location of Costcutter and another floor was constructed to house the sports department.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.courtyardletterkenny.com/index.php/widgetkit
  2. ↑ http://www.courtyardletterkenny.com/index.php/directory/35-four-lanterns
  3. ↑ Planning Application: 0780087

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