Dunnes closes Westport outlet

Dunnes Stores has closed a small food store in Westport, Co Mayo, where it has been trading for about 15 years.

The company apparently planned to replace the 464sq m (5,000sq ft) unit with a full-scale shop but ran into difficulties when the Bank of Ireland dragged its heels on selling part of a rear garden to the multiple.

Tesco operates a full-scale supermarket in excess of 4,180sq m (45,000sq ft) at Westpoint, alongside about six other retail outlets. SuperValu and Lidl also trade locally and Aldi is reported to be on the look out for a suitable location in the town which has a population of about 5,500 and more than double that figure within a few miles.