Two years on from devastating fire, Douglas SC celebrates its vitality

Douglas Shopping Centre celebrated the vitality of the complex, two years on from the fire that closed the premises for 14 months.

Speaking to The Echo, the Shopping Centre manager Bartosz Mieszala said things are getting closer and closer to normal everyday.

“We are obviously delighted given that two years ago a fire devastated and ripped through the heart of the village and despite the global pandemic, we welcomed everyone back to the shopping centre last year and we are growing stronger together day by day.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have all the businesses that we have back and that things like the pandemic is coming to an end as well, which is a big thing for all the businesses. Things are getting a little bit more normal.” 

The complex has 32 businesses at the moment along with the Cork Craft Exhibition and the Farmers Market outside the centre on the weekends, down from 46 shops in its heyday.

 Mr Mieszala said the centre actually lost business from the pandemic, not the fire. “We’ve lost some businesses, most of them as a result of the pandemic, not the fire, because they are either liquidated or went online or just gave up. That is the very sad fact for us, that as a result of the fire we didn’t really lose a lot of business, but most of the businesses we lost were as a result of the pandemic.” 

The centre manager said the complex has a lot to offer the locals and visitors alike.

“Ultimately we have 32 shops, there is a good variety, between coffee, fashion, gifts, the butchers, gym, bank and library.” 

Looking back at the day two years ago that saw the centre go up in flames, Bartosz said his main memory was disbelief at the extent of the devastation that was done.

“My main memory was complete shock of how badly things can turn in such a short space of time, a couple of minutes. Fire is such a dangerous thing, you don’t know what to expect and that is the scary thing.” 

Now, two years on, Mr Mieszala said he and the business of the complex are delighted to still be in the Douglas Shopping Centre which will celebrate 50 years of business in November.

“We have always felt and still feel we are at the heart of the village, and we are coming up to our 50 years anniversary, the second oldest shopping centre in Ireland, and through all those years we have been through a lot of hard times; flood, fire, pandemic, recession, but because of the love of the people and the support from our customers we are here.

“So we are going to be here for them and I would like to take the opportunity to say to our customers, it is your Douglas, we are here for you and together we are Douglas.”