InShort

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Benetton to open store at WestEnd

Benetton, the Italian fashion retailer, has become the newest branded fashion tenant to move in to WestEnd, the fashion and lifestyle-led shopping park at Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Benetton is renting a new 464sq m (5,000sq ft) store close to Next on a 25-year lease with five yearly rent reviews. Rents in the park are running at €484 per sq m (€45 per sq ft). The 14-unit WestEnd park features a wide range of fashion and other brand retailers headed by Next which trades out of 3,716sq m (40,000sq ft). Adjoining traders include Burtons, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Laura Ashley, Jean Scene and Pavers Shoes. Also there is Borders Superstore, Costa Coffee, Classic Furniture, Heatons and Argos Extra. Savills Hamilton Osborne King is the letting agent for WestEnd which is owned by the Cosgrave Group.

€1.5m for D6 investment

Brian Berg of Savills Hamilton Osborne King is quoting a guide price of €1.5 million for a commercial building in a busy location at 92 Terenure Road East, Dublin 6. The ground floor retail unit of 91sq m (980sq ft) is unoccupied while the overhead space of 41sq m (441sq ft) is let to a clothing alterations company on a 25-year lease at €10,393 per annum. Alternatively, the agent will offer the ground floor for letting. The premises is located close to the junction of the Rathfarnham Road and Terenure Road North in the centre of an affluent catchment area.

Costa Coffee joins tenant mix at The Park in Carrickmines

Costa Coffee has joined the interesting line-up of traders at The Park in Carrickmines. Other traders include PC World, Home Focus at Hickeys, Smyths Toys, Currys and Halfords.

Park Developments, which completed the retail warehousing element, has now embarked on the construction of a business quarter. The first element of this, a 7,500sq m (80,729sq ft) office block, is due to be completed early this year. The next building to be completed will be the Herbert Building which will have a convenience store, restaurant and a second coffee shop. Savills Hamilton Osborne King report strong interest in these facilities from traders.

Firm pays around €9.5m for distribution unit at Ballycoolin

Noyeks Newmans has paid around €9.5 million for a new 7,886sq m (84,884sq ft) high bay central distribution unit at Northwest Business Park in Ballycoolin, Dublin 15. The facility is expected to underpin the planned expansion of Noyeks Newmans business which concentrates on the wholesale and retail distribution of kitchen doors, worktops, carcasses, timber floorings and panel products.

The company currently operates from three branches - Ballymount Cross Industrial Estate, North Road in Finglas and Tralee, Co Kerry. There is also a retail showroom in Ennis. As a result of the central distribution, the company will be letting 1,858sq m (20,000sq ft) at Ballymount and 2,509sq m (27,007sq ft) at Finglas. As part of its expansion plan, Noyeks Newmans plan to open high quality showrooms around the country. It has acquired newly-built premises in Kilkenny, Waterford, Ennis and Limerick, and is seeking further outlets.

Phibsboro bar makes €4.25m

The landmark John Doyle bar in Phibsboro, Dublin 7, has become one of the first licensed premises to change hands in the city this year. Morrisseys has just sold the business to Alan Toal from Cavan for a price of €4.25 million.

Superquinn pays region €6m for anchor store at D15 village centre

Superquinn is understood to have paid region €6 million for the anchor store in the newly developed Village Centre at Rathborne in Ashtown, Dublin 15. The unit will have a ground floor of 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft) and separate storage. The centre was developed as part of a residential scheme by Castlethorn Developments and adjoins Ashtown railway station, off the Navan Road. Letting agent Bannon Commercial has confirmed that a pharmacy multiple, a café/restaurant, an off-licence and a bookmaker will also be opening outlets. Opportunities remain for a variety of uses, including a DVD rental, hair and beauty shop, florist, restaurants and a pub.

D24 industrial makes over €12m

Shelbourne Developments has paid over €12 million for the 2.83-acre Cable & Wireless facility at Airton Road in Tallaght, Dublin 24. The 1980s property includes a two-storey office building and a separate warehouse which are to be leased back to the vendor for up to three years. Robert Murphy of CBRE acted for Shelbourne.