Council to discuss Ferrybank Shopping Centre with Dunnes Stores next week

Officials from Kilkenny County Council are set to meet with Dunnes Stores, the owners of Ferrybank Shopping Centre, next week.

"A meeting has been arranged for next week with Dunnes," acting Director of Services at Kilkenny County Council, Ian Gardner, told councillors at the Piltown Municipal District meeting this week but noted that the exact time or date had not been decided on. 

"We have received some feedback from Dunnes [since the last meeting] and it has been quite positive."

The owners of the shopping centre were revealed to be Dunnes Stores last year, following a long-running dispute between Dunnes Stores and the National Asset Management Agency.

The Piltown Municipal District Council heard in early 2023 that the centre was owned by Better Value Unlimited, a company which is part of the Dunnes Stores group. Since its construction in 2008, the shopping centre, which is home to Kilkenny Library, and Kilkenny County Council Municipal offices, has never had a commercial tenant in its expansive space.

The council says they are in active contact with the property section in Dunnes Stores.

"We're still in regular correspondence with management at Ferrybank Shopping Centre through their property section, who are inputting into the development of the local area plan for Ferrybank and the joint retail strategy," Senior Executive Officer for Kilkenny County Council Marie Phelan said to councillors last year.