Iconic St Patrick’s Street premises up for rent as major brands eye Cork city centre

Once part of the iconic Woodford Bourne & Co grocers and wine merchants store at the junction of St Patrick’s St and Daunt’s Square – with the same, striking egg-and-dart motif around its shopfront - it’s up for rent via Philip Horgan of commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. Ready-to-go internally after an extensive refit by the landlords, the agent says he is already fielding enquiries from a couple of interested retailers.

“It’s located between McDonalds and a Spar shop in a proven retail area, so I would expect a lot of enquiries,” Mr Horgan said.

"The building itself is an attractive bow-fronted building, with excellent frontage. The space is rectangular, with good depth," he added.

The premises is next to McDonalds, who took over from another fast food retailer, Mandy's, who began trading there in the late '80s. 

Prior to that, No 64 had been operated by Woodford Bourne and still bears its distinctive raised lettering advertising its imported spirts, wines, coffees, teas and spices. 

This early-year activity on St Patrick’s St sets the tone for what is predicted to be a busy 12 months on main street. Retail giant Penneys is expected to kick off its long-awaited expansion plan by April. The move will deliver a near 50% expansion of its flagship St Patrick’s St store on a block that Penneys has spent 10 years assembling, with the help of O’Flynn Construction.

Meanwhile all eyes are on the former Debenhams’ store where a good deal of work has been taking place behind the scenes. The flagship premises at Nos 12-17 St Patrick’s St has been closed since April 2020 and was bought in May 2023 for €12m by investors connected to the Intersports/Elvery Sports retail chain. 

Cushman & Wakefield, who handled the sale, are currently working with the owners to secure tenants. It’s been rumoured that a well-known Spanish brand is interested in taking 40,000 sq ft of the 150,000 sq ft store. 

The speculation is that it may be fashion chain Zara who currently run a busy outlet in the suburbs, at Mahon Point Shopping Centre. If Zara does set up in Debenhams, it will be directly across the road from another Spanish fashion giant, Mango. 

Mango returned to Cork city centre at the end of 2023, having quit the city five years earlier. Their return saw the return to use of the former Quills store, next to The Savoy, which had been vacant since 2014.

Managing director of Cushman & Wakefield, Peter O’Flynn, would not be drawn on possible future retailers at the former Debenhams, but did say that progress is being made.

“Unfortunately, no white smoke yet, but I believe we are making progress towards a solution,” he said.

His assessment of city centre activity in general was upbeat.

“There has thankfully been plenty of action on Patrick Street and the city centre in general, which is very positive, and when Penneys commence their redevelopment and the new occupiers come to Debenhams, it will enhance things further.

“We see this as a very important message for Cork city: the busier the city gets, the safer it becomes, and this should also attract more residential development, which is equally important,” Mr O’Flynn said.

Among the new arrivals brought in by Cushman & Wakefield are two new occupiers in Opera Lane - Victoria Secrets (formerly clothes store GAP) and Bath & Body Works (formerly clothes store Only) - “which have greatly added to the street and we have seen footfall increase there significantly this Christmas”, Mr O’Flynn said.

“Equally there have been a number of new occupiers on Patrick Street and a few more close to opening, so all in all things are looking up,” he added.

One of the newest arrivals is fashion jewellers Lovisa at the former Game Stop shop, at the corner of Princes St/St Patrick's St, signed by Savills, who were also responsible for securing new tenants for the former Topshop unit on Opera Lane. Outdoor pursuits company Mountain Warehouse is due to open shortly at the ex-Topshop premises, returning the shopping street to full occupancy for the first time in five years.

Back on St Patrick’s St, Savills are also looking after a unit vacated by French Connection, where Cornwall-based fashion retailer SeaSalt is expected to open early this year, while a US retailer is set to open at the former Dorothy Perkins/Evans store, which has been vacant at No 101 St Patrick’s St since 2019. French sports retail giant Decathlon is also in the market for a Cork city premises.

Other city centre arrivals in the past three years include UK fashion brand Flannels, at the former Eason premises; JD Sport at the former A-Wear store; UK footwear retailers Dune; outdoor-wear retailers North Face, Carrolls Irish gifts souvenir shop (former Oasis store), Krispy Kreme doughnuts (formerly Porter newsagents, and more recently, jewellery sellers Neve/Diamond Direct, at No 22, the former Cudmore's, under the banner of Austen & Blake.

There’s activity too on the busy Winthrop St/Patrick St nexus, where popular Irish restaurant Sprout & Co is set to open after being granted planning to redevelop the former Ulster Bank unit in no 16/17, Winthrop St. 

Signed by Cushman & Wakefield, Mr O'Flynn said the chain "is a super food user and will add greatly to the street. Meanwhile on Castle St, near Daunt’s Square, popular Italian vegetarian restaurant Sonflour will see its premises expand after receiving planning approval to expand into a neighbouring unit.

Details for No 65: philip.horgan@cushwake.ie T: 0879691018 or killian.spillane@cushwake.ie T: 0873157836.