Appointment of receivers to Bray Central shopping centre site both concerning and disappointing for Bray
– John Brady TD
Wicklow Sinn Fein TD John Brady has expressed his concern and disappointment at the revelation that a British based loan servicing group has appointed receivers to the company part-owned by Paddy McKillen Jnr which controls the Bray Central shopping and town centre site. He said that there was a saga going back 30 years associated with the site, and finally when the people of Bray looked forward to an exciting new development, the news that receivers had been appointed to McKillen’s company was a blow. He added that it was imperative that any actions taken by receivers placed the interests of the people of Bray to the forefront.
Brady said:
“Like so many people in Bray, I am gutted to hear of the latest developments in relation to the Florentine Centre in the town. After a 30-year saga associated with what was the Florentine site, we finally thought that there was a resolution that the people of Bray could welcome, and that a badly needed cinema would be returning to the town.
And now we hear that the company which controls the Bray Central shopping centre is in receivership. And while at this point, we are given to understand that tenants are unaffected by the appointment of the receivers. I would ask that the receivers give public voice to this fact.
We also need clarification of the status of the Elephant and Castle, and Wowburger restaurants, which are also situated in the centre, which were the subject of a separate receivership affected Paddy McKillen Jnr. earlier this year.
The potential of the Bray Central shopping centre was clear to all of us in the town. We looked forward to the opening of a new 5 screen cinema, and leisure complex, which would have attracted significant additional footfall to the town centre, which would have benefited all businesses.
And while the importance of anchor tenants such as Penney’s cannot be overstated, the importance of the development of a 5-screen cinema on the site cannot be overstated. It needs to be a priority to ensure that it is completed.”
Brady concluded:
“While we await to see what the outcome of developments will be, I want to repeat my call for the receivers to publicly commit that existing tenants in the Centre will be unaffected, and to give a commitment to ensure that existing plans will be followed through with.” ENDs