Ikea is considering opening its first Irish store in Northern Ireland despite legislative changes made by the southern Irish Government to attract the store to Dublin.
Axa’s joint venture retail development at the Hollywood Exchange near Belfast City Airport is hoping to sign up Ikea for its site but the company has indicated that it may also be considering other sites.
The Swedish furniture giant has already successfully played the Northern Ireland authorities off against the Irish Government when it threatened to open its Irish store in Belfast unless the Irish Government changed its laws which had limited the size of retail stores permitted in the south.
The Irish Government acquiesced.
This Friday Ikea representatives are expected in Belfast to meet the city council’s planning committee to discuss its plans.
The Hollywood Exchange site at Knocknagoney was developed by Anglia and General, a Belfast private company, and Aquis Estates, a subsidiary of insurance company AXA.
Its existing anchors include Sainsburys which has a 65,000 sq ft food store and B&Q which operates a 100,000 sq ft DIY store.
Ikea entered the UK market in 1987 with its first store in north London.
It now has 14 large scale outlets, including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle.
References: EGi News 25/01/06
