This 27,544-square-foot facility will be the group’s first gym in the Republic of Ireland.

The approval follows two years after Mr. Ashley’s Frasers Group acquired the former Debenhams site, which has been vacant since the store closed in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Located at 54-62 Henry Street, the site is considered one of Dublin’s most prominent retail spaces.

As part of the redevelopment, Heatons Ltd., operating as Sports Direct in Ireland, plans to launch a new flagship Sports Direct store spanning from the ground to the second-floor mezzanine, with the gym occupying the third floor.

According to Tom Philips + Associates, the planning consultants representing Sports Direct, the project will “successfully occupy a landmark commercial unit,” enhancing the street’s vibrancy and bringing positive energy to the area. The consultants noted that the revitalized building would generate jobs, increase street activity, and provide more pedestrian appeal along Henry Street and Coles Lane.


The gym facility will feature a wide variety of equipment and include specialized group training areas designed to meet members’ needs.

However, the proposal faced opposition from Anne Reilly of Saks Hair Salon on Sackville Place, who urged the council to preserve nearly 30,000 square feet of prime retail space on Dublin’s main shopping street.