Bloom Fringe Festival Events.

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Here in Excel Recruitment, we love nothing more than enjoying our city. With a plethora of eateries to choose from, the standard across Dublin and Nationwide continues to evolve when it comes to dining, drinking and event curation. This June bank holiday weekend sees the Bloom festival take place in The Phoenix Park. However, we’ve concentrated on the Bloom Fringe, for pure innovation and also how they are organising free events across the weekend.

Now in its second year the BloomFringe Festival sets to take the magic of Bloom in the Phoneix Park to various locations across the City between May 30th and June 1st. Bloom Fringe is motivated by themes of creativity, community and healthy living and is not-for-profit. Here are our picks across the day that you can enjoy for free in the City Centre.

Saturday May 30th

South Great Georges Street Pop Up : Guerilla Garden Pop Up

About: Bloom will transform the famous “WhyGo Bald” square into a popup garden in the heart of Dublin city for #BloomFringe Fest weekend only – showing it is possible to turn gritty concrete corners into an oasis of green.

Pop-up Performances, Food, Demonstrations & Art installations – all FREE across from the Pop-up Garden at the ‘Why Go Bald” Square!…

See the event here.

Saturday May 30th

A Very Peachy Temple Lane Takeover : Temple Lane South (Beside KC Peaches, Temple Bar)

Temple Lane South will be getting a very Peachy takeover into the spirit of BloomFringe on May 30th .

This very cool corner of Temple bar will be occupied by guerrilla action as it turns into a pop up green space for the day. Lookout for Pop-up munchies by KC peaches and Peachy street art installations to tag yourself with and for all to partake in. Considering the success of the debut Peachy exhibition this one is not to be missed and perfect for kids

Lookout for Tea tasting by Wall & Keogh, juice shots and those much needed healing-massage-ready hands from Melt , all waiting to entice you into this much loved alley for the day…

See the event here.

www.peachydublin.com

Saturday May 30th & Sunday May 31st

Mexican Garden Salsas Demo and Paper Garden : Picado Mexican 44a South Richmond Street, Dublin 2.

Mexican Paper Garden installation in retail space from Paper Garden installation 29th May to 1st June in South Richmond Street, in Dublin 2.

Picado will be showing children how to make the flowers with paper. Paper flower demonstrations take place May 30th & 31st throughout the day – Free!

Enjoy FREE mini cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend showing people how to make a Mexican salsa from scratch with vegetables from the garden. Drop in to ‘Garden Salsa’ demos & tasting May Sat 30th & Sun 31st

Time: 12 noon, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm

Picado
44a South Richmond Street
Dublin 2

Sunday May 31st

Airfield Farm Plant and City

Head to Airfield Farm Dundrum, where they will be doing some seed sowing with visitors, aimed at children. Learn new ways to make homemade flower pots, start sowing sunflower seeds and make your own funky cress heads.

Date: Sun May 31st 2015 | Time: 11:00-16:00

Address: Airfield, Overend Way, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland

Ticket: Drop into Workshops for Free but there is an Admission Price into Airfield | Price of Admission into Airfield: €10 for Adults €5 for Kids.

Tel: 01-9696656
Email: info@airfield.ie
Website: www.airfielddundrum.ie
http://bit.ly/BFAirfieldFarm

See the event here.

http://bloomfringe.com/

Kerrygold to start making alcohol

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Dairy producer Kerrygold has announced that it is branching out and will launch a cream liqueur. Kerrygold has been renowned for their dairy offerings and the new venture is a first venture out of their Food niche.

The Irish cream liqueur is a blend of cream, Irish whisky and chocolate. Kerrygold have stated that what differentiates their offering from competing cream liqueurs is the “distinctive cream from Irish grass-fed cows”. A 1 litre bottle of the liqueur retails for €20 and is available exclusively at Dublin Airport.

Source: http://www.thejournal.ie/kerrygold-irish-cream-liqueur-2182675-Jun2015/

Musgrave to sell its British Business for €57 million

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Musgraves is to sell its British business which operate Budgens and Londis brands to Bookers for €57 million. The move will mean that Musgraves will concentrate on its operation’s in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Spain. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and on a debt free basis.

Chris Martin, Chief Executive of the Musgraves Group said the decision was taken after careful evaluation of options. The UK wing of Musgraves has been loss making, they furthered. Mr Martin said ‘Having received a proposal from Booker, we concluded that a sale to Booker is the right thing for the group and would be the most advantageous outcome for our retailers, colleagues and suppliers in Great Britain,”

Musgrave will develop a strategic partnership with Booker, which could see the companies collaborate on digital innovation and buying opportunities, sharing of best practice and to achieve cost savings and efficiencies for the business.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/musgrave-to-sell-british-business-to-booker-for-57m-1.2220873

Musgrave to sell its British Business for €57 million

Posted on | by pointblank_admin

Musgraves is to sell its British business which operate Budgens and Londis brands to Bookers for €57 million. The move will mean that Musgraves will concentrate on its operation’s in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Spain. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and on a debt free basis.

Chris Martin, Chief Executive of the Musgraves Group said the decision was taken after careful evaluation of options. The UK wing of Musgraves has been loss making, they furthered. Mr Martin said ‘Having received a proposal from Booker, we concluded that a sale to Booker is the right thing for the group and would be the most advantageous outcome for our retailers, colleagues and suppliers in Great Britain,”

Musgrave will develop a strategic partnership with Booker, which could see the companies collaborate on digital innovation and buying opportunities, sharing of best practice and to achieve cost savings and efficiencies for the business.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/musgrave-to-sell-british-business-to-booker-for-57m-1.2220873

NAMA appoint Wells Fargo Bank to handle Dundrum town centre sale

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Nama have appointed Eastdil Secured, a subsidiary of the Wells Fargo Bank to handle the sale of the most expensive real asset asset in Ireland, Dundrum Town Centre. The €1 billion loan sale will also cover a number of other properties, with 50% stakes in the successful Pavillions Shopping Centre in Swords and The Ilac Centre on Dublins Henry Street.

Confidence continues to increase that Dundrum, seen as the crown jewel in the Nama portfolio, will attract interest from several sovereign wealth funds as well as some of the largest institutional investors. The loans are due to go on the market towards the end of next month, with first bids due in early August.

Dundrum Town Centre opened in 2005 and covers about 1.34 million sq ft with more than 100 shops, 40-plus restaurants, cinemas, a theatre, and 3,400 car park spaces

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/nama-appoints-wells-fargo-subsidiary-to-handle-dundrum-sale-1.2220191

Marks and Spencer’s announce profit rise for the first time in four years

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Retailer Marks and Spencer’s have posted their first annual profit rise in four years. They stated it would be return excess cash dividends to shareholders. Marks and Spencer’s is Britain’s largest clothing retailer and has expansive homewares and successful food departments. Pre-tax profits show £661.2 million in the year to March 28th.

Chairman Robert Swannell said that “We are a more capable business following a sustained period of investment in our infrastructure and in our people’. Shares in M&S, one of Britain’s best known high street shopping chains, have risen by a third over the last nine months, hitting an eight-year high on Tuesday.

These reignited profits are a result of major store and product redesign as well as the supply chain and website. Billions of pounds were spent on a resurgence by Chief Executive Marc Boland. Mr Bolland, in the job since 2010, has focused on boosting profit margins. He delivered a rise in the 2014-15 gross margin for general merchandise – spanning clothing, footwear and homewares – of 190 basis points. M&S said it expected further progress in the 2015-16 year.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/marks-spencer-profit-rises-for-first-time-in-four-years-1.2219271

Ballymun to get new shopping centre

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15 years after a shopping complex was planned for Ballymun, the North Dublin suburb is finally set to receive a retail boost as the much delayed plans look set to materialise. Today City counsellors are due to vote on a €1.8 milion offer from development company Alanis Capital. Ballymun Main Street would be the site for the proposed development.

The site lies adjacent to Ballymun Town Centre, a dilapidated 50 years old centre that is scheduled to be demolished. In May 2014 the council which owned 47 per cent of the old shopping centre reached agreement with Nama and its receivers to acquire the remaining 53 per cent.

The development of the Alanis centre will go ahead independently of the old complex initially, but is likely to become part of a larger retail development once the old centre is demolished.

Local councillors Paul McAuliffe (FF), Noel Rock (FG) and Noeleen Reilly (SF) have all signalled they will vote in favour of the proposal, but all are likely to seek amendments to include a residential element and guarantee local employment from the project.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/new-shopping-centre-for-ballymun-after-15-year-wait-1.2217529

Penneys pulls out of Naas and plan to sell site

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International Retailer Penney’s have dropped plans to develop a planned new store in Naas, Co. Kildare. They will also sell their recently vacated site in Co, Kildare town. The nearest Penney’s store will now be located a 20 minute drive away in neighbouring town Newbridge.

Six years ago development of a partially built shopping centre was abandoned and the loans were acquired by NAMA. Business in the town has since deteriorated since a decision allowed Tesco to build one of the largest Irish supermarkets on the outskirts of Naas.

Discounter Aldi have opened a second Naas store, close to Tesco off the Monread Road. Aldi’s other store is also on the outskirts of the town on the Newbridge Road. Estate agents Bannon are seeking €3 million for the 1.31-acre town centre site with planning for a large retail building, and €800,000 for the recently closed Penneys store a short distance away.

Penney’s had originally paid €27 million for the prime complex in Naas town, which at the time included a Superquinn and 60 space car park.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/penneys-drops-entirely-out-of-naas-1.2209652

Tesco draw level with SuperValu in Store Wars

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Tesco have drawn back in the stores war and are on par with their closest rivals SuperValu. The figures were released from the Kantar Worldpanel showing the 12 week period up till the end of April have shown that Tesco commanded the same market share as SuperValu.

Also notable in the figures was German rival discounters Aldi and Lidl slowing their seemingly unperturbed growth. For the first time in five years bot only registered single digit growth. The growth rate of both Aldi and Lidl has slowed significantly. Aldi posted growth of 8.8 per cent while Lidl’s rate of growth was 7.8 per cent. This is the first time since 2010 that both Aldi and Lidl have grown their sales by less than 10 per cent.

Tesco and Supervalu, when amalgamated, represent over 50% of total market share. Tesco are fighting hard to regain top spot after SuperValu inched ahead of them last month. A representative from Kantar said ‘Intense competition between the supermarkets has resulted in more choice and better value for shoppers, highlighted by the low level of inflation and prices increasing by just 0.2 per cent’.

Dunnes registered the strongest sales growth of 3.6% bringing them from 21.5% to 22% overall. While Tesco’s market share is lower year-on-year it has improved its position versus last month. Its improvement lifted its market share to 25 per cent and places it on the same footing as SuperValu.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/tesco-draws-level-with-supervalu-in-ireland-s-store-wars-1.2208024

Just Eat to extend to Australia

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Just Eat have expressed plans to buy Australian online takeaway market Menulog. The sale would be financed by the issue of new equity in a deal that would be worth about €601 million. Menulog is currently Australia and New Zealand’s leading online takeaway marketplace.

The company has a selection of over 5,500 restaurants and 1.4 million active users. In the 12 months up until March 2015 it had 6.3 million orders and revenues of £13.5 million. Menulog continue to grow at an exponential rate with Jan – March orders up by 96% year on year.

CEO of menulog is Dan Katz. He said of the proposed venture “I am very excited about the prospect of Menulog becoming part of Just Eat, which has been a real inspiration for us as we have grown in the Australian and New Zealand markets.This proposed acquisition will allow Menulog to benefit from Just Eat’s experience and know-how, particularly in digital marketing, and enhance our customer service model to drive further growth and efficiencies across the business.”

Source: http://www.businessandleadership.com/business/item/50569-just-eat-to-buy-australias/