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Smooth arrival for IKEA

THE long wait for IKEA is over and despite some pre-opening  scaremongering the first days were trouble free for the thousands of shoppers who descended on Ballymun.

There were queues waiting for the doors to open last Monday week but fears that the day would end in chaos proved to be unfounded. By early afternoon there was only a five minute wait to enter the car park and while the giant store was packed with customers there was plenty of helpful staff to keep them on the move.

One area that was packed was the restaurant, but with meals available from as little as €1.50, that was hardly surprising. The Swedish Food Hall and kids areas were also overflowing but there was nothing to justify publicity  hungry Paddy Power's odds of 2/1 on IKEA
being forced to shut early for health and safety.

Fine Gael Transport Spokesperson, Senator Paschal Donohoe,  had  also issued warnings of potential bottlenecks on the M50 but traffic was moving no slower than its usual sluggish pace during rush hour.

The only hiccup came on IKEA's third day when the store was evacuated after a fire alarm was set off by mistake. The arrival of IKEA promises to deliver much more that cheap flatpack furniture for Ballymun and the  surrounding area. The Ballymun Job Centre has been working closely with IKEA since the middle of 2007 to encourage locals to apply for jobs in the new store. Significant numbers of new IKEA employees also  come from adjoining  Santry and Glasnevin areas and there may be additional part-time jobs that will suit local students looking for part time work and more new jobs are in the pipeline from IKEA's future neighbours at the new Spring Cross Ballymun Town Centre.

Treasury Holdings, owner of the Ballymun Shopping Centre and developer of the €800 million Spring Cross, welcomed the opening of IKEA in Ballymun.

"This is yet another very important step in the regeneration of the Ballymun area, which will see it become a shopping destination not only for the people of Dublin, but for shoppers from all over Ireland," said Niall Kavanagh,  Director of Development responsible  or the Spring  Cross project at Treasury Holdings.  "In attracting up to two million visitors every year, IKEA will anchor retail development in this strategic location.  The Ballymun community is also set to benefit from spin offs in servicing this demand.  "We  are hopeful that the traffic management  plan in place will prove effective and addresses the concerns held by us and others to ensure Ballymun remains an accessible destination."

The Spring Cross development is progressing through the planning system and it is hoped construction will start in 2010.It will take approximately three years, creating 2,000 construction jobs.On completion,  it's expected that Spring Cross will support 8,500 direct and indirect jobs.The new centre will be just a short walk from IKEA and will virtually complete the regeneration of the commercial heart of Ballymun.The Ballymun station on the confirmed Metro North route will exit directly into the development, which comprises 400 apartments, 60,000 sq mt of retail, 35,000 sq mt of offices and 20,000 sq mt of other uses including a substantial  leisure centre  with cinemas, bowling alleys and restaurants.