'Further potential to be realised in Blackpool' after €2.5m refurbishment of shopping centre

A €2.5m refurbishment of Blackpool Shopping Centre has been completed, with its owners setting out long-term plans to develop the complex as a retail, food, services, and leisure destination.

Joint venture partners Patron Capital and Lugus Capital backed the upgrade works, which included new flooring, improved lighting, replacement bulkheads and signage, and enhancements to public areas throughout the centre.

The investors said the project marks a new chapter for the shopping centre, which has served Cork's northside community for more than 25 years.

Home to more than 60 businesses and supporting over 1,900 jobs, the centre has recently welcomed new tenants including JYSK, Eason, Kerry Hanaphy, The Pantry, and Box'd Coffee.

Cork South Central TD and European Commissioner Michael McGrath said the investment is a “very positive statement of confidence in Blackpool, in Cork’s northside, and in the future of established retail centres that play such an important role in the communities they serve”.

He added: “For more than 25 years, Blackpool Shopping Centre has been part of the fabric of life in Cork, serving generations of families and providing an important hub for local employment and enterprise.

“Investment on this scale will help ensure that the centre continues to play that role into the future — supporting jobs, creating opportunities for retailers and businesses, and providing a high-quality environment for the thousands of people who visit and use the centre every week.” 

 The investment comes at a time of wider planned development in the area, including the new railway station at Kilbarry, which will enhance public transport connectivity for Blackpool and support future growth.

Roger Dineen, head of asset management at Lugus Capital, said the rationale for this investment “has been to protect the centre’s strengths while improving the environment in which our retailers operate and our customers shop”.

“The refurbishment is the most visible part of that programme, but our ambition goes beyond the physical improvements,” said Mr Dineen.

"We want to continue strengthening the tenant mix, attracting new brands, and creating a destination that can perform strongly for the long term.” 

Stephen Green, senior partner at Patron Capital, said Blackpool has “an established place within the Cork retail market and, importantly, within its local community”.

“Together with Lugus Capital, we saw an opportunity to make an impactful investment in the centre, enhance the quality of the environment, and position it strongly for its next phase of growth,” said Mr Green.

“The work completed to date is a clear demonstration of that strategy in action.

“We believe there is further potential to be realised at Blackpool and remain committed to working with Lugus and the wider team to support the centre’s continued development.”