Green Property Company, owners of the highly successful Blanchardstown Town Centre, are mounting a new campaign to find further tenants for their discount shopping centre in Killarney.

Killarney Outlet Centre, a two-storey covered mall beside the bus station and railway station, first opened for business in 2000 and like other outlet centres has had difficulty attracting a sufficient number of big-name retailers specialising in luxury fashion and homeware goods.

Another discount centre at Rathdowney, Co Laois, closed two years ago because of poor trading. The problems in attracting suitable traders are in stark contrast to Kildare Village, a thriving shopping complex with more than 60 designer boutiques which is planning a €50 million extension later this year.

Fifteen of the 35 shops in the Killarney centre are currently let.

A new promotional campaign by agents CBRE is initially designed to find traders for four ground floor units ranging in size from 232 to 418sq m (2,500 to 4,500sq ft). Base rents average about €161 to €215 per sq m (€15 to €20 per sq ft) plus 9 to 11 per cent top-up from the turnover.

Nike Factory Shop is the anchor tenant in the 8,361sq m (90,000 sq ft) complex with its largest Irish outlet extending to 464 sq m (5,000 sq ft). Leading Labels have also been trading successfully at the centre from the start.

Niamh Sheahan of CBRE says their new letting campaign is initially designed to attract a large-scale food operator and fashion store which will broaden the appeal of the centre among local shoppers and tourists visiting Killarney.

Planning permission
She said the vacant shops would also be available to a wide range of traders subject to planning permission

The present lineup up of traders includes Pavers Shoes, The Works, Paco, Claire’s Accessories, Kerry GAA store, Costa Coffee, Holland & Barrett and O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar.