ShoppingCentres: About two-thirds of the shops in the new Johnston Court shopping mall in Sligo have either been pre-let or are under negotiation.
The €70 million complex - developed by Ray and Eileen Monahan - is due to open for business on August 23rd.
The new facility will provide a much needed boost to shopping in Sligo and re-establish O'Connell Street as the principal shopping area.
Johnston Court is the first commercial development carried out in an area designated by Sligo Borough Council for urban renewal. The mall will have 10,279sq m (110,000sq ft) of shopping on two levels incorporating 28 two-storey shops and a juice bar, coffee shop and restaurant.
The first tenants will include Elverys, Virgin, Pamela Scott, H Samuel, Peter Mark, Costa Coffee, Esprit Black, Sony, Clarkes shoes, Claire's Accessories and a number of enterprising local retailers who operate international franchises.
The Mall will have a glazed roof, six metres high and, together with double height entrances, this will allow for maximum natural light. The natural lighting will be complemented by blue and white internal lighting to create a comfortable shopping ambience. The mall is floored and decorated throughout with Jura limestone.
The centrepiece of the mall is an attractive winding staircase leading to a first and second floor coffee shop which overlooks O'Connell Street. There are over 1,000 car-parking spaces in the adjoining Wine Street car-park.
