The Quays Shopping Centre

The Quays Shopping Centre
The Quays Shopping Centre logo
The Quays exterior
LocationNewry, County Down,
Northern Ireland
OpenedOctober 1998
DeveloperParker Green International
OwnerUrban Green Private
Belfast Commercial Funding
Stores40
3
Websitewww.thequays.co.uk

The Quays Shopping Centre (or The Quays Newry) is a retail and leisure centre situated in Newry, County Down, its main anchor tenants are Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer. The centre contains a 10 screen cinema operated by Omniplex Cinemas, a 24 hour gym operated by PureGym and over 1,000 car parking spaces.

History

The Sainsbury's store opened in October 1998, while the rest of the centre opened in 1999.[1] The Quays was constructed on the site of the old coal yards which served the Albert Basin. An old warehouse, which was part of these yards, was incorporated into the centre and is now used as office and retail space.

Roches Stores opened their first store in Northern Ireland in the centre in 1999, but this store was closed in February 2003 to make way for a new Debenhams store next to it which opened in October 2004, and later closed in 2021. The former Roches space became more shops.[2]

In February 2018, Marks & Spencer relocated from the Buttercrane Centre to The Quays where a new 30,000 sq ft store was built on the site of the old Sainsbury's filling station. In the same year, owner Parker Green International sold off the centre.[3][4]

During the 2020s, The Quays lost most of its tenants due to declining footfall and the COVID-19 pandemic, it went into receivership in 2022.

In September 2023, Domino's announced that they are planning to open a restaurant in the new part of the shopping centre in 2024.[5]

In January 2024, it was announced that Urban Green Private would buy the shopping centre and Drumalane Mill for under £17m, Urban Green also owns the Marina Market and the former Our Lady's Hospital in Cork, among other properties.[6][7]

In August 2025, it was reported that Urban Green could either put the centre back up for sale or put it into receivership again, the centre struggled further under Urban Green's ownership with the centre losing more tenants and struggling to attract major names. The outside area of the centre remains successful.[8]

In March 2026, EY were appointed as administrators to UGP Newry Limited, the holding company of The Quays, the company fully collapsed into administration a month after.[9][10] Urban Green later brought back the centre under the holding company UGP Newry Shopping Centre Limited on 22 April 2026.[11]

In May 2026, UGP Newry Limited was saved from administration by Urban Green, meaning that The Quays would be placed back under the holding company. It was also shown that the centre and Urban Green were debt-ridden and has significantly downsized in the value in the centre since they brought it in 2024, going from under £17m to just £6.2m.[12]

In June 2026, it was announced that Belfast Commercial Funding (BCF), founded by Belfast businessman Gareth Graham, would be giving a cash loan to UGP Newry Limited so support The Quays. The loan was estimated to be around £8 million. This will support a new central food court and other developments to "add to The Quays' offerings".[13][14][15]

Cross-border shopping

The centre has experienced shoppers from the Republic of Ireland, who cross the border to Newry to buy cheaper goods due to difference in currency. This remarkable increase in cross-border trade has become so widespread that it has lent its name to a general phenomenon known as the Newry effect.[16]

Tenants

Main area (opened in 1999, expanded in 2004)

Outside area (opened in 1999, expanded in 2017)

Food court (opened in 1999, moved in 2025)

  • Zambrero
  • La Dolce Vita
  • Church Lane Coffee
  • MKT Burger
  • Gilamore Gelato
  • The Wing Shack

Former tenants

Main area (opened in 1999, expanded in 2004)

References

  1. ↑ "North meets South over the shop counters at the Quays". The Irish Times. 24 March 1999.
  2. ↑ "Debenhams' proposed Newry branch will create 230 jobs". 4ni.co.uk. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "M&S opens new Newry store". The Irish News. 2 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "End of an era as developer O'Hare sells Quays Shopping centre". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 13 March 2018. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  5. ↑ McKenna, Micheal (16 September 2023). "Domino's cooking up plans for new restaurant at Newry shopping centre". Armagh I. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Buyer found for Belfast's £7m ETAP Hotel, with deals close for Bloomfield and The Quays shopping centres". The Irish News. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Quays Shopping Centre, Newry bought for under £17m by Cork businessman". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 5 February 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  8. ↑ McDonald, Gary (19 August 2025). "Could Quays centre be put up for sale again?". The Irish News. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "UGP NEWRY LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  10. ↑ McAleer, Ryan (16 April 2026). "Company behind The Quays Shopping Centre in Newry collapses into administration". The Irish News. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "UGP NEWRY SHOPPING CENTRE LTD persons with significant control - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  12. ↑ McAleer, Ryan (26 May 2026). "Cork businessman Tom Coughlan back in control of The Quays Shopping Centre". The Irish News. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  13. ↑ O'Halloran, Barry (3 June 2026). "BCF Lending backs expansion of The Quays shopping centre with €9m loan". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  14. ↑ McAleer, Ryan (26 May 2026). "Belfast businessman's lending vehicle steps in to help Cork developer rescue ownership of Newry retail complex". The Irish News. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Quays Shopping Centre in Newry exits administration after Belfast lender steps in". Belfast Telegraph. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Cross-border shopping can keep the euro in your pocket". Irish Independent. 30 November 2008.
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