The Quays Newry
A retail and leisure centre in Newry, Northern Ireland, anchored by major department-store and supermarket tenants.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Quays Newry, also known as The Quays Shopping Centre, is a retail and leisure destination in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. The centre was developed on the former coal yards serving Newry’s Albert Basin, linking a contemporary shopping complex with an industrial waterfront site that had played a role in the town’s commercial history. An existing warehouse from the coal-yard period was retained and incorporated into the development, where it has subsequently accommodated office and retail uses. The first major element of the scheme opened in October 1998, when the Sainsbury’s supermarket began trading. The wider shopping centre opened in 1999. Its principal retail anchors have included Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, while the tenant mix has also incorporated fashion, food, services, entertainment and leisure operators. The centre has offered a ten-screen Omniplex cinema, a 24-hour PureGym facility and more than 1,000 car-parking spaces. These amenities have positioned The Quays as more than a conventional enclosed shopping centre, serving both planned retail trips and wider leisure visits. The centre has experienced several important changes in its retail offer. Roches Stores opened its first Northern Ireland branch at The Quays in 1999, but the store closed in February 2003. Its space was subsequently used in the expansion of the centre and for a Debenhams store, which opened in October 2004. Debenhams later closed in 2021 as the department-store chain withdrew from the United Kingdom market. In February 2018, Marks & Spencer moved from Newry’s Buttercrane Centre to a newly built store at The Quays. The approximately 30,000-square-foot store was developed on the site of the former Sainsbury’s filling station and became a major anchor for the centre. The Quays also participates in Newry’s cross-border retail economy. Its location close to the border with the Republic of Ireland has attracted shoppers whose purchasing decisions are influenced by exchange-rate movements and differences in retail pricing. Cross-border shopping in Newry became sufficiently notable to contribute to the expression “Newry effect,” used to describe the commercial impact of currency and price differences on the local economy. The centre’s more recent history has been shaped by changing shopping habits, the COVID-19 pandemic and declining footfall in parts of the property. Many tenants left during the 2020s, increasing pressure on the centre’s enclosed retail areas. The property entered receivership in 2022. Parker Green International, identified as an owner before the subsequent transaction, sold the centre in 2018. In January 2024, Urban Green Private was reported to have agreed to acquire The Quays and Drumalane Mill for less than £17 million. Later reporting described continued vacancy, financial pressure and difficulty attracting major retailers under the new ownership. Despite the challenges affecting the main mall, the external area has reportedly remained comparatively active. Plans and announcements have included a Domino’s restaurant for the newer part of the centre and proposals for a renewed central food court and other improvements. The centre’s current long-term status, ownership structure and financial position require verification against up-to-date company, property and insolvency records.
History
The Quays Shopping Centre was developed on the former coal yards associated with Newry’s Albert Basin. The redevelopment retained an old warehouse from the industrial site and incorporated it into the shopping complex for office and retail use. This approach gave the centre a direct physical connection to the area’s earlier commercial and transport activity. The first major retail component, a Sainsbury’s supermarket, opened in October 1998. The rest of the centre opened in 1999. From the outset, The Quays was planned as a regional shopping and leisure destination rather than solely as a supermarket-led scheme. Its facilities have included more than 1,000 parking spaces, a ten-screen cinema operated by Omniplex Cinemas and a 24-hour gym operated by PureGym. Roches Stores opened its first Northern Ireland shop at The Quays in 1999. The store closed in February 2003, after which the space was reorganised as part of a wider retail expansion. A Debenhams store opened beside the former Roches location in October 2004. Debenhams subsequently closed in 2021, following the collapse and restructuring of the chain’s United Kingdom retail business, leaving additional pressure on the centre’s tenant mix. A significant competitive and tenant change occurred in February 2018, when Marks & Spencer relocated from the Buttercrane Centre to The Quays. A new store of approximately 30,000 square feet was built on the former Sainsbury’s filling-station site. The move strengthened The Quays’ anchor offer and reflected the importance of Newry’s retail market, which draws customers from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Cross-border trade has been a recurring feature of the centre’s commercial environment. Shoppers from the Republic of Ireland have visited Newry when currency movements and price differences made purchases more attractive across the border. This pattern became associated with the wider term “Newry effect,” describing the effect of exchange rates and cross-border consumer behaviour on local retail activity. During the 2020s, The Quays faced declining footfall, tenant departures and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The centre entered receivership in 2022. Ownership changed during this period: Parker Green International sold the centre in 2018, and Urban Green Private was reported in January 2024 to have agreed to acquire The Quays and Drumalane Mill for less than £17 million. Subsequent reporting described continuing difficulties in retaining tenants and attracting large new retailers. The property has not been uniformly unsuccessful. The external part of the development has reportedly remained more active than sections of the main mall. Announcements have included a planned Domino’s restaurant in the newer area and proposals for a new central food court and other improvements. Because ownership, insolvency and valuation information may have changed after the cited reference material, the centre’s present corporate and financial status should be checked against current official records.
- 2024
Urban Green Private reported as buyer
[1]Urban Green Private is reported to have agreed to buy The Quays and Drumalane Mill for less than £17 million.
- 2023
Domino’s announces a planned opening
[1]Domino’s announces plans for a restaurant in the newer section of the centre.
- 2022
The centre enters receivership
[1]The Quays enters receivership amid tenant departures, weaker footfall and pandemic-related disruption.
- 2021
Debenhams closes
[1]The Debenhams store closes as the chain exits its former United Kingdom store estate.
- 2018
Marks & Spencer relocates to The Quays
[1]Marks & Spencer opens a new approximately 30,000-square-foot store after moving from the Buttercrane Centre.
- 2004
Debenhams opens
[1]A Debenhams department store opens in October as part of the centre’s expansion.
- 2003
Roches Stores closes
[1]The Roches Stores location closes in February ahead of the site’s subsequent retail redevelopment.
- 1999
The wider shopping centre opens
[1]The Quays opens as a retail and leisure centre on the former Albert Basin coal-yard site.
- 1999
Roches Stores opens its first Northern Ireland branch
[1]Roches Stores establishes its first Northern Ireland store at The Quays.
- 1998
Sainsbury’s opens at the development
[1]The Sainsbury’s supermarket, the first major component of the project, begins trading in October.
Products and positioning
A regional shopping and leisure destination serving Newry, surrounding County Down and cross-border customers from the Republic of Ireland. Its positioning combines anchor retail, everyday shopping, entertainment, fitness, dining and accessible car parking.
Shopping centre retail · 1999
Retail shopping
The centre provides a multi-category retail environment with anchor tenants, smaller shops and service businesses. The offer has historically included department-store merchandise, fashion, groceries, household goods and everyday services. The exact tenant roster changes over time and should be confirmed through the centre’s current directory.
Entertainment
Omniplex Cinemas
A ten-screen cinema operated by Omniplex Cinemas forms part of The Quays’ leisure offer. It supports evening and weekend visits and broadens the centre’s role beyond daytime shopping.
Fitness
PureGym
PureGym operates a 24-hour fitness facility at the centre, providing an all-day leisure service for local customers and helping diversify the property’s tenant base.
Food service · 1999
Food and dining area
Food and casual-dining units form part of The Quays’ retail and leisure mix. The food offer has been subject to changes in layout and occupancy, including reported plans for a renewed central food court.
Brand decisions
2023
Planned Domino’s restaurantProduct launchBackground
The centre sought to add food and convenience services in its newer external area.
Action taken
Domino’s announced plans to open a restaurant, with the proposed opening discussed for 2024.
Aftermath
The available reference material does not confirm the final opening date or the restaurant’s continuing status.
2018
Marks & Spencer relocation and anchor redevelopmentStrategyBackground
Marks & Spencer moved from the Buttercrane Centre, creating an opportunity for The Quays to strengthen its anchor-tenancy position.
Action taken
A new approximately 30,000-square-foot Marks & Spencer store was built on the former Sainsbury’s filling-station site.
Aftermath
The relocation added a major anchor to The Quays, although later changes in footfall and tenant occupancy created renewed challenges for the centre.
Sources2 sources
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