Carraig donn enters uk retail market

CARRAIG Donn, the Mayo-owned retailer of fashion, jewellery and giftware, has announced its entry into the UK retail market. 

Carraig Donn, which currently has 38 stores across the Republic of Ireland, has opened its first UK store in Newcastle, with a second to follow next month in Sheffield.

The €1 million investment in the company’s UK strategy will create 30 new jobs across the two new stores in addition to key management roles at the company’s headquarters in Westport. 

Commenting in relation to Carraig Donn’s expansion plans in the UK, managing director Pat Hughes said the company had conducted extensive market research in both locations, and found a market niche for the brand.  

“The intu MetroCentre and Meadowhall in Sheffield are in the top five shopping centres in the UK. We believe that the Carraig Donn brand is a good demographic fit, and that there is a demand for our unique product set and our ‘boutique department store’ approach.

“We view this expansion as a learning curve in a new market, and it is our ambition to open further UK stores in the coming years.”

The business expects to see double digit growth for the current financial year in the Irish market, having recently opened two new stores in south Dublin at Dundrum and Nutgrove Shopping Centres. Turnover for the group in 2014 was €35 million.