MLA waits more than seven hours at Dunnes Stores HQ seeking talks over Larne’s long-vacant store

Dunnes Head Office in Dublin.

An East Antrim MLA says he was left waiting in the reception of Dunnes Stores’ headquarters for more than seven hours after travelling to Dublin to discuss the future of the retailer’s long-vacant Larne town centre building — but no one came to meet him.

Danny Donnelly made the journey to the company’s head office on Friday, 24 July, to personally deliver a letter to Dunnes Stores CEO Margaret Heffernan after years of unsuccessful attempts by local representatives to engage with the retailer over its former Main Street premises.

Rather than seeking to dictate what should happen to the site, the Alliance MLA said he simply wanted to begin a conversation about a building which he believes has become a growing problem for Larne town centre.

‘Met with silence’

In the letter, Mr Donnelly said local residents, businesses and elected representatives had spent seven years trying to engage with Dunnes Stores, but those efforts had been “met with silence”.

He said his decision to hand-deliver the letter reflected the community’s growing frustration after years of unanswered emails, letters and requests for meetings.

“For decades, the people of Larne supported Dunnes Stores. Local families shopped there every week and helped make your business a success. I do not think it is unreasonable for those same people to expect the courtesy of a response when they raise serious concerns about a prominent town centre building that you still own.”

The former Dunnes store on Main Street, Larne

Mr Donnelly said the property’s condition had steadily deteriorated since the retailer left Larne seven years ago.

He claimed the building had been broken into on numerous occasions, while the adjoining car park had become a regular location for antisocial behaviour, including public drinking and drug use.

The MLA also said there had been several attempts to start fires at the property and noted that a nursing home occupies the upper floors of the building.

“The potential consequences do not bear thinking about.”

He added that Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Building Control team had previously been required to take enforcement action to ensure the building’s canopy was made safe because of its condition.

According to Mr Donnelly, the vacant premises has become more than an eyesore, arguing it discourages footfall, affects neighbouring businesses and undermines wider efforts to regenerate Larne town centre.

Seven-hour wait

Alliance Party East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly

After delivering the letter, Mr Donnelly remained in the reception area of Dunnes Stores’ headquarters in the hope of speaking to someone responsible for the company’s Northern Ireland property portfolio.

Throughout the day he posted updates on social media as the hours passed without a meeting.

After more than three hours, he wrote:

“I’ve been in the reception at Dunnes HQ in Dublin for more than three hours. The nice receptionist let ‘them upstairs’ know that I am here and hoping to speak to someone about their empty premises in Larne.”

More than two hours later, he posted:

“Update - now more than five hours in Dunnes Stores HQ reception. The only people to speak to me were the receptionist and the head of security who were both very nice.”

By late afternoon, after waiting for more than seven hours, Mr Donnelly said his visit had come to an end without speaking to anyone from the company.

“Update - it’s been 7 hours and no-one in Dunnes Stores HQ in Dublin was available to speak to me (for even five minutes) about the impact their seven-year empty store has had on Larne town centre. I am disappointed but I have personally delivered a letter and I hope for a positive reply.”

Call for dialogue

Dunnes Head Office in Dublin

While acknowledging that the future of the site is ultimately a commercial decision for Dunnes Stores, Mr Donnelly stressed that he is not demanding a particular outcome.

Instead, he called on the retailer to meet local business representatives, elected representatives and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to discuss the site’s future.

In his closing remarks to the company, he wrote:

“Nobody is expecting an overnight solution or demanding a particular outcome. After seven years, the least the people of Larne should expect is a response from a company they supported so loyally for decades.”

He concluded by inviting Dunnes Stores to begin what he described as a constructive dialogue, with his office offering to arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time.

Whether Friday’s visit succeeds in prompting the response local representatives have sought for years remains to be seen, but the personally delivered letter has renewed pressure on Dunnes Stores to engage with the community over one of Larne’s most prominent vacant town centre buildings.

Love Ballymena has approached Dunnes Stores for comment.