December completion for shopping centre
THE date for ‘practical completion’ of the Bray Town Centre shopping centre has been pushed back to December, due to Covid-19.
Cllr Joe Behan asked who the tenants are going to be, and when the centre will open.
District manager Lorraine Gallagher suggested arranging a walk-around for the elected members as the project progresses. Members said that they would welcome a site visit.
Ms Gallagher said that the officials do not know either who the tenants are going to be.
‘We know the developer is in discussions with anchor tenants,’ she said, adding that retail is key to the scheme.
Cllr Behan said he was glad to hear that. ‘It should be just night-time economy,’ he said. ‘If retail isn’t key that’s a failure on our part. ‘ That’s what we wanted to see delivered. ‘I am focussed on finding out who the tenants are. We have to have major anchor tenants.
‘Nobody seems able to tell us, and we don’t know when we will know,’ he said.
Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, who was chairing the meeting, said she is as anxious as Cllr Behan to know who the tenants will be.
Ms Gallagher said that it is unique to have a centre of that quality in the heart of the town.
‘It is going to be amazing,’ she said. ‘It’s fantastic to see work progressing.’
A report prepared by developers Oakmount which was before the members indicated that work is progressing at pace.
Heads of terms have gone out to several new retail and leisure tenants, according to the report.
‘ To date, there is excellent interest from a number of operators for the smaller retail units,’ it read.
‘We note a significant increase in the level of interest and the number potential tenants seeking to view of late.
‘Letting agents, Savills are effectively managing to successfully conduct on site viewings while adhering to HSE standards and safety protocols on site’
According to the report, agents dealing with the letting of units are focused on selecting the most suitable and complementary mix of new tenants.
Due to Covid-19, there has been some impact on the works and programme.
Alterations to the facilities on site have been put in place to accommodate and comply with Covid-19 government guidelines.