In Short

A round-up of other stories in brief

Molesworth Street Georgian sells for over €4 million

Ocean Capital, which provides loans for small businesses, has spent just over €4 million on acquiring a refurbished Georgian office building at 15 Molesworth Street in Dublin 2.

Arthur Ryan of Bannon Commercial had been seeking €4.75 million for the four-storey over basement building which was owned by Taggart Holdings. It has a total floor area of 320sq m (3,440sq ft), including a fine boardroom at first floor level overlooking Molesworth Street. The building also has modern computer cabling throughout.

New tenants at D15 centre

One of the most tasteful neighbourhood shopping complexes in any Dublin housing enclave - The Village Centre at Rathbourne, Ashtown, Dublin 15 - continues to go from strength to strength.

Bombay Pantry, Reba Hair & Beauty and Bambury bookmakers are the latest tenants to move into the Castlethorn development which is anchored by Superquinn.

Agent Bannon Commercial also report that Carry Out off licence and Trinity Barbers have begun fitting out their units which will start trading at the beginning of April. Next to move in will be an estate agency.

The centre adjoins Ashtown railway station and has a consumer base of around 74,000 people within a seven-minute drive.

Topshop for Athlone centre

Topshop is to open at Athlone Town Centre.

The Arcadia group will be paying over €240,000 for 371sq m (4,000sq ft) on level one.

Agent Bannon Commercial is marketing the final three stores at the centre: it is quoting a rent of €150,000 for a unit of 120sq m (1,292sq ft); €110,000 for an external shop of 110sq m (1,184sq ft); and €95,000 for a unit of 80sq m (861sq ft).

The owners are also expected to seek planning permission shortly for a number of kiosks.

Stillorgan retail/office building for 1m or to rent at 40,000

Bogle Estates is seeking either a rent of €40,000 or selling price of €1 million for a commercial premises close to the Stillorgan shopping centre at 59 Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co Dublin. The building has 57sq m (614sq ft) and a two-storey mews building at the rear with a further 41sq m (441sq ft). The premises are suitable for either retail or office use, according to Ben Pearson of Bogle Estates.

Top price for Dundalk office

In spite of all the gloom about the commercial property market in the provinces, Jones Lang LaSalle hit the right note last week when it auctioned a Dundalk office building. The agent quoted a guide of €3m for the cut-stone Distillery Building with 932sq m (10,032sq ft) on two levels. Stephen Murray conducted a lively auction and, with three parties chasing the building, it was declared on the market at €3.5m before being knocked down at €4.05m. The building is in immaculate condition and has 17 car-parking spaces on site.

Halfords for Longford centre

Halfords, the UK multiple specialising in car parts, is the latest tenant at the N4 Axis Centre in Longford where it will trade out of 340sq m (3,660sq ft). Homebase and Argos are the anchors in the park where there are four remaining units from 340-700sq m (3,660-7,535sq ft). Rents run from €160 per sq m (€15 per sq ft) up to €270 per sq m (€25 per sq ft). Johnny O'Connor of DTZ Sherry FitzGerald says they are in negotiations with a number of retailers for the units.

Meanwhile, in Dublin the California-based Robeks Juice Bar chain has opened its first Irish outlet at Lord Edward Street. Robeks' Irish agent, Colliers Jackson-Stops, is on the lookout for kiosk units and shops of 20-50sq m (215-538sq ft) in cities and major towns around the country.