In Short

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

New names at Swords Central

The Penneys-anchored retail development of Swords Central has announced the opening of Ecco Shoes and 3G. The hair and beauty chain Free Spirit is due to open in the coming weeks. Joint agents, Jones Lang LaSalle and CBRE, are marketing the mixed-use scheme which includes 14 retail units. The development is to be serviced by an underground car-park.

Over 1.1m for Newbridge office

Joint agents Savills HOK and Nolan Brophy expect to secure over €1.1 million for a two-storey office building formerly occupied by a legal practice in the centre of Newbridge, Co Kildare. It is due to go to auction on July 23rd. The building has a floor area of 371sq m (4,000sq ft), including 14 offices, reception area, conference room, file room and kitchen. The agents say that it could be converted for retail use.

Tommy Hilfiger for Pavilions

The new owners of The Pavilions shopping centre in Swords, Co Dublin, are continuing to strengthen its appeal with the announcement that Tommy Hilfiger is to open there from next September. The large multiple will trade out of a store of 297sq m (3,197sq ft) on the ground floor of the recently opened phase two mall, offering the full range of womenswear, menswear, denim and accessories.

Tommy Hilfiger is also opening later this year in a new city centre store being developed by Marks Spencer at the former Grafton Street Arcade on Grafton Street.

Ian Hunter, centre director at The Pavilions, said their footfall had increased by 30 per cent since the opening of the second phase which provided a much extended fashion offer. James Quinlan of Bannon acted for the landlords, Chartered Land and IPUT/Irish Life.

Insurance firm off to Dundrum

Royal and SunAlliance has begun relocating staff from Dawson Street in Dublin to newly built offices at Dundrum Town Centre. All 550 staff will be in their new location this week. The company's spokesman Pat Nally said that the building in Dawson Street had served them well over many years but, as a company with significant growth ambitions, it was important that their physical base directly supports their current and future business objectives.