Dundrum Town Centre to split vacant Donnybrook Fair unit, as ‘multimillion’ M&S investment under way

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

The owners of Dundrum Town Centre are set to apply for planning permission to split the unit recently vacated by Donnybrook Fair.

The two-storey unit will be “split horizontally” to make up a retail unit on the ground floor with a separate dining floor unit on the first floor, Hammerson told The Irish Times.

Donnybrook Fair closed its store in the shopping centre on January 24th, with the brand’s owners, Musgrave, saying it was a “difficult decision” to close the 23-staff store.

The ground-floor unit was filled by a food market with a butcher, cheese and juice counters along with wine and coffee areas. There was a restaurant on the upper floor.

A planning application is expected to be submitted in the coming days.

Hammerson described the move as an “exciting repurpose” of the now-vacant unit, noting that with “high occupancy levels at Dundrum at over 98 per cent and continued brand demand, we are excited about the potential of these two new units”.

[ Donnybrook Fair store in Dundrum Town Centre to close this weekend, staff toldOpens in new window ]

Marks & Spencer is set to unveil a “a multimillion-euro investment” to upgrade its presence in Dundrum Town Centre, the centre’s owners have said. The brand has extended its lease in the centre and its upgraded store is due to relaunch in the summer.

Fashion retailer Zara, which is owned by Spanish clothing group Inditex, is due to expand its footprint by 43 per cent from 26,300sq ft to 37,700 sq ft, with a view to completing the works by late autumn.

UK brand Crew Clothing is set to open its first location in Ireland in centre in the first quarter of the year, with a 1,933sq ft unit. Swarovski, a jewellery and accessories brand, will open a new 1,443sq ft store opposite Brown Thomas at the main entrance to the centre.

This adds to skincare brand Pestle & Mortar, which opened in the centre in the past week, and The Fragrance Shop, which opened there in November.

Salad bar Sprout & Co is set to move into a new 1,132sq ft unit in the centre later in February. This adds to Vice Pizza, which opened a restaurant in January, as well as patisserie Ladurée, cafe Nutbutter, Slim Chickens, Wagamama and bakery French Revolution, which were added in 2025.

Claire Macken, Hammerson’s country manager for Ireland, said the new additions and investment showed the confidence Irish and international brands had in the centre.

“We are proud to attract best-in-class occupiers and to continually evolve the experience for our customers,” she said. “With strong demand, ongoing investment and an expanding mix of brands, Dundrum Town Centre is well positioned for continued growth in 2026 and beyond.”

Drundrum Town Centre, which is jointly owned by UK real estate firm Hammerson and German insurer Allianz, has engaged in 27 refits during 2025, its owners said.

Hammerson’s other Irish assets include a 50 per cent share in the Ilac Centre in Dublin city, and the Pavilions retail complex in Swords. Both of those are jointly owned with Irish Life Assurance plc.