My point is that should the airport go looking, there are places where more money could be earned. I agree that retail isn't the ONLY answer, but can contribute more than it does at present. Neither was I saying that Cork could, or should, have food/retail operations on the scale of Manchester, but the execution of the concept at T1 is probably the best I've seen anywhere, the environment is more akin to an upmarket department store rather than a run of the mill duty free stand. The products are attractively merchandised and displayed - they are also keenly priced, versus high street, from what I have seen. although economic times are hard, encouraging people through security as early as possible can only help to encourage spend. There is a science behind store layout,merchandising, advertising and so on, none of which is apparent at ORK.
The food options airside are poor and the sports bar isnt a particularly great place to spend time, I prefer Red's bar landslide. I know it's easy to say but I do feel that the layout at departures is wrong and should be addressed to promote more spend at the airport, like many other airports have done. As has been pointed out SNN may, or may not be aggressive and ORK may, or may not, be willing/able to respond. Every advantage will help and ORK needs to do everything possible to pay its own way, get costs down and revenue up, while offering airlines attractive enticements to Cork. It's a tough ask.