English Market, Cork

The English Market in Cork is one of the few indoor Market Halls in Ireland and is a cultural gem. It occupies the space between the shopping streets of this historic City and (despite a disastrous fire in the 1980’s) has developed into an eclectic mixture of architectural styles and retail offer with an amazing range of produce. It offers probably the widest and freshest range of seafood anywhere in Europe and the market is worth a visit for that alone. A meal in the balcony-level restaurant serving seasonal food is a must. If you fancy fresh local oysters the waitress will fetch them from the stall and open them in front of you - and you must try the local Cork speciality, boiled salt beef with local vegetables. Historically, Irish government policy has supported independent retailers by restricting supermarkets’ ability to dominate the food sector. However, with the recent repeal of the so-called Groceries Order, Irish traders are facing the same challenges as UK traders so the Cork Traders Association were keen to learn from that experience. They invited Quarterbridge to illustrate emerging retail trends in the UK and suggest strategies to attract capital investment into the market. Investment in the ‘three P’s’ - Premises, Promotion and Product - applies whichever side of the Irish Sea you happen to trade.