Dealz announce 28 new jobs for Dundalk

The new Dealz store on Earl Street

Dealz have announced that their new Dundalk store will be bringing 28 new jobs to the town.

The discount retailer, which trades in the UK as Poundland, will shortly open its doors at Earl House, the former National Irish Bank building on Earl Street.

The jobs announcement was made this morning to coincide with the launch of another Dealz store at Merchant’s Quay in Cork, which will provide 22 jobs.

The store opened its doors this morning, with the bulk of positions already filled.

The building has undergone massive renovation in recent months.

Dealz – which sells a range big brand items at discount rates – currently has over 30 stores in Ireland, with their West Street store in Drogheda the closest to Dundalk before now.

You can find out more about Dealz at www.dealz.ie

Dealz store taking shape

The new Dealz store on Earl Street. Pic: Paddy Mac

The new Dealz store in Earl Street is on course to open in the next few weeks after the scaffolding surrounding it was removed yesterday.

Work has been ongoing at Earl House, the former National Irish Bank’s Dundalk branch, for some months but it appears that the bargain retailer are now set to move in, with staff having started working on site since last Monday.

No exact date for the opening has yet been revealed although it is expected to open its doors by the end of the month.

Dealz – which sells a range big brand items at discount rates – currently has over 30 stores in Ireland, with their West Street store in Drogheda the closest to Dundalk.

You can find out more about Dealz at www.dealz.ie

Things are really taking shape on Earl Street

Thanks to Damien Wynne for sharing this picture of things taking shape at Earl House on Earl Street.

Work on the former National Irish Bank and Revenue Commissioners’ building on Dundalk’s main pedestrianised street has been ongoing for several months. Now though, it appears the builders are close to finishing up, with the marble work and naming of the building clearly visible.

Discount retailer Dealz is set to occupy the bottom retail units when the builders vacate it. It had been hoped that they would be open at the end of this month but no exact date has been confirmed as yet.

Former National Irish Bank in Dundalk set for major revamp

Earl House in Earl Street

The former National Irish Bank branch on Earl Street could be set for a new occupier after a planning application to develop the building was granted by Dundalk Town Council last week.

Earl House at 13-14 Earl Street has been idle since the bank closed on December 17^th 2010.

However, Barla Ltd Partnership were last week granted planning permission to develop the 0.136 hectare site, which has frontage and access from the Market Square.

The plans include a new design and façade to the front (east) elevation of the existing building, including a new shopfront and new upper level signage to read “Earl House”.

According to the plans submitted by Van Dijk Architects, “it is in our client’s desire to bring this building back, to breathe new life into this building and onto the street itself.

“It is felt that more than a simple ‘fact lift’ is required to help this building achieve its full potential.

“It is intended here to remove the existing vertical concrete ribs and express more of a horizontal geometry. The ground floor will be opened by removing unnecessary walls/columns and adding as much glass as possible, this will promote more visual interaction with the street.

“The upper floors accommodate a different use and we would like to express this in a rectilinear fashion. The upper façade is broken to have a main vertical element at the circulation core to the northern side. Also we wanted to suggest something of the traditional character of the neighbourhood buildings through the use of a projecting fenestration detail which will break up the zone of glazing on each of the upper floors. Materials being considered are natural stone with contrasting colours or acrylic renders.”

It is not yet known what business, if any, is lined up for the store but a proposed facelift would certainly increase the building’s attractiveness and give Earl Street a much-needed lift.

An architect’s impression of plans for Earl House