In addition to Athlone Towncentre welcoming four new stores this month, it has also been granted planning permission by Westmeath County Council to accommodate a new anchor tenant.
The four new stores include the Calendar Club; Off the Rails, a ladies and gents fashion store; Shoe Lace, specialising in shoes and bags; and Papolion, a shop selling everything from teddies to gifts, and handbags to accessories. The additional new stores have also created employment, with over 10 new full and part-time staff being hired between the four stores.
These additional stores have helped the town to become a firm favourite for shoppers across the Midlands and have created valuable employment in the town.
Along with these new stores planning permission has been granted by Westmeath County Council to allow the shopping centre redevelop shop units.
Permission was granted late last week for developers to amalgamate five units on Levels 00 and 01 at the Gleeson Street entrance to accommodate a new retail anchor unit. This new shop will take up 2,048 sqm floor space over two floors - 1,003 sqm at Level 00 and 1,045 sqm at Level 01.
The development will also see the amalgamation of three further units on Level 01 at the Mardyke Street entrance to accommodate the re-location of an existing retail tenant (438 sqm gross floor area ); minor elevation changes, and ancillary works. No additional retail floor area is proposed as part of this application.
Also included in the planning permission were four conditions which referred to keeping the new construction in line with the original planning permission, the type of shutters to be used and their colour, as well as the types of lighting and signage that could be used.
Planning permission was granted to Paul McCann and Stephen Tennant, receivers of the development.
A spokesperson for Athlone Towncentre said that the name of the new tenant would not be released until all contracts were signed.
