New ‘retail village’ planned for Athlone town centre

Ambitious plans for a major development aimed at increasing the tourist offering in Athlone have been outlined by the owners of Burgess Department store.

The development, consisting of nine separate units, and named the ‘Burgess Village,’ is due to open at the end of June and will be located at the Lloyd’s Lane entrance to the department store.

Among the tenants who have been confirmed for the landmark development so far are a coffee shop with an outdoor dining space; a picture framing service; a local craft goldsmith; an independent bookshop and a beautician.

Speaking of the development, Rosie Boles, Managing Director of Burgess Department Store, said it took “a lot of blood, sweat, tears and hard work” over the last few months to bring the project together. “The lockdown has given us the time and the space to become involved in projects we never could have considered otherwise, and this is one such project” she said, adding that it is aimed at “increasing the tourist offering” in Athlone.

The nine retail units which will be located in the space previously occupied by the homewares section of the Burgess Department Store on Lloyd’s Lane will give customers direct access to the shop itself, and Rose Boles is hoping that it will result in many new customers visiting the flagship store over the summer months.

“Athlone is a very accessible town with a wealth of attractions for locals and visitors alike, and last year we got the chance to showcase the town to people from all over Ireland who were on staycations, and hopefully we can do the same again this year,” she said.

Ms Boles added that she expects to have all tenants on site in the new ‘Burgess Village’ by the end of June and she is eagerly looking forward to unveiling the new development in time for the busy summer tourist season.