Nostalgia: Looking back on more than 30 years of Douglas Court Shopping Centre

DOUGLAS Court Shopping Centre hit the headlines this week after it was announced that the 10-acre retail outlet has been acquired under a multimillion-euro deal.

The acquisition by the O’Leary family of O’Leary Insurances, who have pledged to invest in and revitalise the centre, was welcomed locally as a “vote of confidence in retail in the Douglas area”.

The partnership behind the takeover is made up of Anthony, Peter, Nicholas, and Robert O’Leary.

Given the news, this week’s Nostalgia takes a look back at the history of the centre which opened more than 30 years ago.

Perhaps the most distinctive element of the shopping centre when it opened in 1990 was the landmark blue clock tower.

An article in the then-titled Evening Echo from January 3 that year said residents were planning to hold a “mass meeting” to discuss the structure.

“Due for opening in March, the multi-million pound Douglas Court shopping complex has been at the centre of a blistering row with local residents since the erection of its ‘hideously garish’ clock tower which dominates the sky line,” the article said.

Ahead of the meeting, organised by the Rochestown Tidy District Association Ltd, the group said: “As a group very interested in the environment, we are completely at a loss to understand how a hideous, garish tower could be erected in a picturesque wildlife estuary without any consideration for the traditional buildings of Douglas village.

“The issue of the clock tower is of such concern to the residents of Rochestown that a special meeting relating to the clock has been arranged for January 11.”

The shopping centre officially opened two months later to much fanfare on March 12, with an article on March 14 reporting that the venue had been “thronged” in the first few days.

“The developers were very keen to point out that this newest and largest shopping centre in Cork was not targeted at the immediate areas, but a much wider region around Cork, and they hope it will become the premier shopping centre in Munster.

“Traders believe this is also because there were 400 applicants for the 60 units for letting in the centre, and Dunnes Stores, anchor tenants in Douglas Court, have the largest floor space of any retail outlet in the country, with 60,000 sq ft for its food hall, textiles, house care and drapery sections,” it added.

In April, 1998, this publication reported that the 25m high clock tower was to be removed from outside the shopping centre.

With the recent purchase of the shopping centre, a new chapter in Douglas Court’s history has commenced, and the shopping centre looks set to be revitalised.

“Our family has deep business roots in Cork, and we see this as an opportunity to contribute to the community we hold dear,” one of the new owners, Anthony O’Leary, said.

“Our vision is to make Douglas Court Shopping Centre a destination that not only meets the needs of contemporary shoppers, but also serves as a catalyst for local business growth.

“We are committed to enhancing the shopping experience, attracting new businesses, and ultimately creating a dynamic and thriving local retail destination.”