Free state shoppers flooding the North!

[T Fearon]

Apparently Victoria Square in Belfast had the best Boxing Day in its history in terms of sales and footfall this year,largely attributable to free state shoppers taking the benefit of favourable exchange rates! Thanks lads, on behalf of Arlene, the tax take will help pay for the RHI c**k up!

[Rossfan]

It's nice to see the decent people of Ireland helping out their poorer less fortunate fellow country people.
However the Rossfan family always shop local.

[Milltown Row2]

I'm sure the brexit man will be on with a logical (quoted) view on why goods are cheaper up north than in the Republic.... even taking into consideration fuel overnight accommodation possibly, to spend their highly taxed earnings in a cluster feck that is Belfast... its practically on its knees!

[armaghniac]

Goods are obviously temporarily cheaper in the North, as these were purchased by the stores when Sterling was worth something. Expect to see price rises early in 2017.

As for spending your Stephen's day in Belfast, it suggests that people need to get a life.

[Take Your Points]

Apparently Victoria Square in Belfast had the best Boxing Day in its history in terms of sales and footfall this year,largely attributable to free state shoppers taking the benefit of favourable exchange rates! Thanks lads, on behalf of Arlene, the tax take will help pay for the RHI c**k up!

Actually, the increased sales will provide additional VAT and corporation tax revenues for the UK government treasury and not a single penny will go to the N.Ireland assembly.  So, our southern cousins are sending part of their money to Mrs May & Co.

We in the North depend on three main sources of income, the block grant from UK treasury, the business and domestic rate system and the tax on plastic bags. So the RHI payments over the next twenty years will be part paid by UK treasury and the remainder from the income that should have been spent on health, education or capital investment in infrastructure.

[Rossfan]

As for spending your Stephen's day in Belfast, it suggests that people need to get a life.

[seafoid]

I'm sure the brexit man will be on with a logical (quoted) view on why goods are cheaper up north than in the Republic.... even taking into consideration fuel overnight accommodation possibly, to spend their highly taxed earnings in a cluster feck that is Belfast... its practically on its knees!

Milltown, with the motorway system down South Belfast is only 3 hours away from Roscommon

The key variable is the £5 bottle of wine. Will the price stay the same or will it be jacked up? Sterling probably has further to fall cos Brexit has not been planned but is backed by a small minority.

[Milltown Row2]

I'm sure the brexit man will be on with a logical (quoted) view on why goods are cheaper up north than in the Republic.... even taking into consideration fuel overnight accommodation possibly, to spend their highly taxed earnings in a cluster feck that is Belfast... its practically on its knees!

Milltown, with the motorway system down South Belfast is only 3 hours away from Roscommon

The key variable is the £5 bottle of wine. Will the price stay the same or will it be jacked up? Sterling probably has further to fall cos Brexit has not been planned but is backed by a small minority.

Actually cheaper again, I managed to get 12 bottles of various wines at  £4.50, is there no end to this madness? My wife's Cork family who spend xmas with us every year said they aren't happy with how things are in the South, said it's getting better, but money wise not and having to work till he's 67 (as we are now up here)

I'd say getting to Fermanagh would be ok from Rossies but three hours to get to Belfast shopping is pushing it, took me 45 minutes just to get parked!!

[Rossfan]

Nobody from Ros would want to go to Belfast.
It even makes Athlone (Leinster side and Connacht side in Westmeath)  look good

As for Tony and his "Free State" and "Boxing Day"......
How absolutely British/Unionist is that?

[Milltown Row2]

Nobody from Ros would want to go to Belfast.
It even makes Athlone (Leinster side and Connacht side in Westmeath)  look good

As for Tony and his "Free State" and "Boxing Day"......
How absolutely British/Unionist is that?

Tbf Ros wouldn't be high on people from Belfast either... strange that

[Dougal Maguire]

Nobody from Ros would want to go to Belfast.
It even makes Athlone (Leinster side and Connacht side in Westmeath)  look good

As for Tony and his "Free State" and "Boxing Day"......
How absolutely British/Unionist is that?

Indeed. He buys a poppy from a local poppy seller because he doesn't want to offend her, yet he's happy to continually offend people from the Republc by referring to is the Free State. A complete idiot.

[brokencrossbar1]

Whatever about Belfast newry has been mental this week. I saw at least 3 Corduff footballers up spending Banty's money in the Quays!!!  15 minutes it took me to get a parking space in a car park that was supposed to have spaces!!! It was wild full of the freestaters!!!

[seafoid]

Goods are obviously temporarily cheaper in the North, as these were purchased by the stores when Sterling was worth something. Expect to see price rises early in 2017.

As for spending your Stephen's day in Belfast, it suggests that people need to get a life.

Brexit with the fall in Sterling  means a drop in living standards. NI doesnt have the manufacturing capacity to take serious advantage of the cheaper pound.  Another fall in sterling could see products withheld from shops in NI. Marmite was a warning. Opposition to Brexit will come via the currency.

[Milltown Row2]

Goods are obviously temporarily cheaper in the North, as these were purchased by the stores when Sterling was worth something. Expect to see price rises early in 2017.

As for spending your Stephen's day in Belfast, it suggests that people need to get a life.

Brexit with the fall in Sterling  means a drop in living standards. NI doesnt have the manufacturing capacity to take serious advantage of the cheaper pound.  Another fall in sterling could see products withheld from shops in NI. Marmite was a warning. Opposition to Brexit will come via the currency.

Apparently living standards have been poor since the fall of the banks, with no one having a pay rise (according to some), that's nearly ten years now (and the smart consummers from the south have been coming up during that whole time), also anyone i know has not moved on to the street, it did affect my mum and dad but i believe that was more bad judgement by them than the fall of the banks, it also affected people who invested in property, but most working class people would not have been in a position to buy houses (buy to lent)

Brexit is an unknown reality, not one poster here knows whats going to happen, pure prediction based on nothing, has it hasn't happened before... even the experts can't agree on this. The only thing that they can agree on is that there will be an initial drop in the sterling until confidence is gained with new trade agreements, plenty of small to med size manufacturing jobs here, they'll adopt, aerospace industry is worth 1.16 billion, plus all the other support service jobs in IT have been doing well

What i have noticed is Belfast hotels have never been busier, with new ones opening or expanding, shops over Xmas bunged and doing a roaring trade (considering a lot of internet shopping being done)

Not on the beans and toast yet (i love that though) and i doubt very much we'll end up like the 70's or on 4 day weeks (like we did when the banks fecked up) so keep up with what you want to happen to your northern cousins, why anyone would wish ill on people is beyond me

[seafoid]

Goods are obviously temporarily cheaper in the North, as these were purchased by the stores when Sterling was worth something. Expect to see price rises early in 2017.

As for spending your Stephen's day in Belfast, it suggests that people need to get a life.

Brexit with the fall in Sterling  means a drop in living standards. NI doesnt have the manufacturing capacity to take serious advantage of the cheaper pound.  Another fall in sterling could see products withheld from shops in NI. Marmite was a warning. Opposition to Brexit will come via the currency.

Apparently living standards have been poor since the fall of the banks, with no one having a pay rise (according to some), that's nearly ten years now (and the smart consummers from the south have been coming up during that whole time), also anyone i know has not moved on to the street, it did affect my mum and dad but i believe that was more bad judgement by them than the fall of the banks, it also affected people who invested in property, but most working class people would not have been in a position to buy houses (buy to lent)

Brexit is an unknown reality, not one poster here knows whats going to happen, pure prediction based on nothing, has it hasn't happened before... even the experts can't agree on this. The only thing that they can agree on is that there will be an initial drop in the sterling until confidence is gained with new trade agreements, plenty of small to med size manufacturing jobs here, they'll adopt, aerospace industry is worth 1.16 billion, plus all the other support service jobs in IT have been doing well

What i have noticed is Belfast hotels have never been busier, with new ones opening or expanding, shops over Xmas bunged and doing a roaring trade (considering a lot of internet shopping being done)

Not on the beans and toast yet (i love that though) and i doubt very much we'll end up like the 70's or on 4 day weeks (like we did when the banks fecked up) so keep up with what you want to happen to your northern cousins, why anyone would wish ill on people is beyond me

The UK deficit is 6% of GDP so the UK is living beyond its means. There is an easy solution called taxing the super rich but they will resist.
2017 is going to be very interesting.