Another Bray Central Business Burgered

Bray Central’s Saturday rush

aving struggled to get up on its feet for so many years, Bray Central’s run of bad luck continues as one of its more famous occupants leaves town.

July 2020

Wowburger’s Wicklow adventure has now come to an end, following its equally popular neighbour Elephant & Castle having shut up shop in Bray in September 2024.

Both still have four outlets in the city centre.

Both are also part of the hospitality group Eclective, the new name for The Press Up Group after a rebranding in February last year that also came with a restructuring of the business. The group had big plans for Bray Central (the shopping centre formerly known as Florentine finally opening in June 2023), with much of Wicklow excited by the prospect of a retro Stella Cinema coming to Bray. The lease on the long-awaited cinema ended up doubt when receivers were appointed to the centre as a whole in November 2024, and in March last year, Eclective returned the Stella lease to the receivers.

The centre did get its anchor store, Penneys, in July 2024, followed by Sports Direct in the summer of 2025 alongside Australian discount pharmacy giant Chemist Warehouse.

In the site vacated by Elephant & Castle, Cork franchise The Pantry set up its kitchens in May 2025, serving up more traditional restaurant food, including all-day breakfasts. If you can’t get a table, The Pantry is also in Kilcoole and Arklow. Holland & Barrett, Butler’s and The Grafton Barber are among the other businesses in the centre.

With no word yet on who may take the Wowbuger spot, we’ve reached out to Eclective for comment.