Positive development on huge shopping centre in County Kilkenny

A representative from Dunnes Stores will soon be liaising with councillors in South Kilkenny on the company's plans for Ferrybank Shopping Centre.

That was the message issued to councillors at this month's meeting of Piltown Municipal District Council, following an enquiry made by Cllr Ger Frisby.

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"That's a positive development and I'm happy to hear that," Cllr Frisby said. 

The development was also welcomed by Cllr Fidelis Doherty, who stated that the shopping centre has the potential now to become a source of positivity in the area after many years of being seen in a negative light.

It was only last month that Dunnes Stores, under the moniker Better Value Unlimited, were officially confirmed as the owners of the shopping centre.

Cllr Frisby previously told Kilkenny Live that 'it has been in everyone's interest to know the identity of the owners so that engagement can commence with the local authority in a bid to get the centre up and running as smoothly and quickly as possible'.

"I'm hoping that we will be able to nail down a timeline for opening soon," he added.

Ferrybank Shopping Centre, which is 30,000m2, was built in 2008 and currently houses Kilkenny County Council's municipal offices and the Ferrybank Library.

The massive outlet has remained almost entirely vacant since its construction and this has been an ongoing source of irritation for local councillors, residents and the local authorities of both Kilkenny and Waterford.

It had been rumoured that a late 2023 reopening is planned for the centre, although this has not yet been confirmed.