Blackpool is a long established and dominant suburban Shopping Centre and Retail Park north of Cork City, offering a high concentration of internationally and nationally recognised retailers including Dunnes Stores, New Look, Sports Direct, Aldi, Woodies and JD Sports.
- 55+shops and services
- 1,800free parking spaces
- <1.5kmfrom Cork city centre
- 26years open, since 2000
Introduction
There are also a number of community services in the district, including the council library, the post office and state health services.
Location
Blackpool is centrally located within the north suburbs of Cork City. The N20 main Cork to Limerick road is part of the local infrastructure leading to Blackpool, which is one of Cork City’s most populous residential areas. Blackpool Shopping Centre and Retail Park are prominently situated at the junction of the N20 and the North Ring Road, just under 1.5km from the city centre. This, together with the local road infrastructure, provides high accessibility for shoppers and business people.
The immediate area is predominantly higher density residential in nature with some light industry along the N20. The neighbourhood is dominated by the Shopping Centre and Retail Park, which is also a strong local employer as well as a convenience, fashion and business destination for the suburb and the wider area. Blackpool is the only shopping district located north of the city, and is long established as the dominant retail location for the entire population of Cork City’s north side. Blackpool Retail Park has the added advantage of being the only largely open use retail park in the region.
The Shopping Centre
Blackpool Shopping Centre was developed in 2000. It has a total area of 18,268 sq. m divided into 8,413 sq. m of mall retail and ancillary space, a 6,665 sq. m anchor store and office space of 3,192 sq. m. It is a Dunnes Stores anchored centre with 36 mall units, together with three car parks providing 1,800 free public spaces between them.
The Shopping Centre is laid out as a traditional single linear mall, book-ended to the south by Dunnes Stores with a large drapery, household and supermarket offer. There are two main mall entrances, one from the car park mid mall and the other at the northern end. Two self-contained buildings, Bowler House and Blackpool House, are located outside the north mall entrance and contain further retail space with offices and the library on the upper floors. A first-floor mezzanine unit of 816 sq. m at the north mall entrance accommodates Soundstore, with access via an escalator, lift and stairway. The north mall entrance also forms the natural pedestrian link between the Shopping Centre and the adjoining Retail Park.
The buildings
Ten buildings across the Shopping Centre and the Retail Park. Open one to see it.
Blackpool HouseBank of Ireland, McDonald’s and Starbucks, with offices above
Blackpool House is adjacent to the northern mall entrance, a three-storey building of 2,755 sq. m. It contains three ground floor retail units occupied by Bank of Ireland, McDonald’s and Starbucks, together with 1,985 sq. m of offices above. Surface car parking is provided around its periphery.
Bowler HouseBlackpool Library, BoyleSports and PTSB
Bowler House is a smaller external block of 1,725 sq. m which also adjoins the north mall entrance. The ground floor retail is occupied by BoyleSports and PTSB. The upper floors of 1,209 sq. m are entirely occupied by the local Blackpool Library.
Blackpool Retail ParkThe park as a whole — shops, offices, cinema and apartments
Blackpool Retail Park is located immediately adjacent to the Shopping Centre. The development is a modern mixed use commercial centre containing 14,601 sq. m of retail accommodation and 6,891 sq. m of self-contained modern office space, mostly over retail, along with a six-screen cinema multiplex, a block of 28 self-contained apartments, and a substantial multi-storey car park with surface parking fronting the retail units.
The Retail Park was developed from 2004 onwards and is Cork City’s only open-use retail park.
The multi-storey car parkWoodies and Aldi below, 804 parking spaces above
The multi-storey building contains a 4,535 sq. m unit occupied by Woodies DIY and garden centre and a 1,142 sq. m unit occupied by Aldi. The upper floors hold 804 car parking spaces, some of which are reserved for the offices. The building has two trolley-friendly lifts serving all floors.
The cinema buildingThe Reel Picture, with JYSK and Dealz at street level
The ground floor of this building contains two retail units occupied by JYSK and Dealz. There is also a ground floor corner entrance to the cinema, which occupies most of the upper floors.
Heron HouseBoots, JD Sports and Maxi Zoo, with three floors of offices
Heron House comprises 2,008 sq. m of retail space at ground and mezzanine levels with three upper floors of modern offices. The ground floor is split into three retail units, occupied by Boots, JD Sports and Maxi Zoo.
The AtriumSports Direct, and five floors of offices around the atrium
The Atrium comprises 2,554 sq. m of retail and 5,685 sq. m of modern office space on the upper floors, with Sports Direct at street level. This is a prominent building within the overall development.
The office accommodation is split over five upper levels with a feature atrium running through the centre of the building. Each floor is subdivided into a range of office suites and accessed via a central core with two lifts serving all floors.
River HouseFine Wines, AIB, Soba and DNG Condon, with offices over
River House is a mixed use building with ground floor retail units and offices over four floors above. The retail units include Fine Wines, AIB, Soba and DNG Condon.
Heron GateRoosters Piri Piri, the Costa pod, and 28 apartments
Heron Gate has a ground floor retail unit occupied by Roosters Piri Piri and 28 self-contained apartments above. The free-standing Costa Coffee pod in the surface car park has 122.5 sq. m, with an outside seating area in addition.
Park HouseTeamwork.com upstairs, Dennehy’s Gym at ground level
Park House is a stand-alone four-storey office building on the periphery of the Retail Park, to the rear of the cinema, with a total of 2,457 sq. m. The office element is occupied by Teamwork.com, while the ground floor is occupied by Dennehy’s Gym, an established local business.
Send us a message
It goes straight to the information desk.