Big boost for town as Boots moves into the old Dunnes
THE HEART of Wexford is due to get a huge boost when Boots opens its new store in the formerly empty Dunnes premises on South Main Street tomorrow (Wednesday).
Wexford Chamber said it was delighted to see the old Dunne’s building, which has been a blight on the town for years, finally occupied.
‘It will bring great vitality to a part of the town that has been so discommoded by this unsightly building in their midst, for what I think is heading for 15 years. I am delighted for all of their neighbours,’ said chamber chief executive Madeleine Quirke.
She said she hoped the O’Connor building vacated by Boots will soon welcome a new tenant.
‘It would be an awful pity to see the problems with one vacant premises transfer to another. However, O’Connor’s building is a beautiful and well located building and I am confident that it will not be empty for long.’
Business sources said discussions were taking place between representatives of James O’Connor, who owns the former bakery premises, and Boots over the status of the shop on which it still has a lease.
Back in 2004, Boots negotiated a long lease with Greenaces for the former Frank O’Connor’s bakery building after plans to open at South Main Street fell through, the shop opening in the autumn of that year creating a dozen jobs. In 2016, Dunnes was hit with a €60,000 rates bill on its vacant stores in Wexford and Enniscorthy in a bid to encourage the group to either sell or lease the buildings.
Located at Unit 9, South Main Street, the new Boots’ store, which will be managed by Eileen O’Leary, will employ a total of 15 people. The new store at 380m2, offers almost 130m2 of extra space compared with the previous Wexford store, which is due to close today (Tuesday). The new store has a wide range of beauty products including the No7 range and will also provide a wider choice of innovative products including cosmetics, toiletries, fragrances and skincare. Store manager Eileen O’Leary, said the newly-relocated Boots will provide the local residents in Wexford with even more access to our wide range of pharmacy services and health and beauty products.