McDONALD'S has launched a detailed appeal against Dublin City Council's decision to reject its plans for an outlet in Temple Bar, the Herald has learned.
The company lodged the appeal against the decision on September 29 -- almost a month before the closing date set by An Bord Pleanala.
The appeal -- seen by the Herald -- rejects all of the council's grounds for refusing its application and includes a detailed legal opinion from a member of the Senior Counsel.
The appeal questions whether the application was rejected due to the "perception" of the effect a McDonald's outlet would have on the surrounding area.
It states: "It appears that the principle obstacle to the subject development is perceptions of the proposed end user.
"Would a different result have been achieved if the planning application was silent on the proposed end user?
"We strongly submit that it is the use that should be assessed -- not the end user."
alcohol
And the company also rejects the decision that it would sell alcohol if granted permission to open in Temple Bar.
A number of objections to the original planning application raised concern about the alcohol licence held by the previous occupants Frankie's Steakhouse and Bar.
Temple Bar Cultural Trust stated in their respective objection: "Given that McDonalds sell beer in their outlets in many countries on the continent of Europe, Temple Bar Cultural Trust are concerned that the operator may seek to apply to transfer the restaurant licence currently in place in the existing unit."
However, McDonalds completely ruled out the prospect of serving alcohol in its appeal, stating that it would "extinguish" the alcohol licence that is currently in place if An Bord Pleanala overturns Dublin City Council's decision.
And McDonald's also fired a shot at Temple Bar Cultural Trust, claiming that "any congestion on the Square has resulted from outdoor seating leases issued by Temple Bar Cultural Trust".
Evening Herald
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label temple bar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label temple bar. Show all posts
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Monday, 12 September 2011
McDonald's refused permission for Temple Bar restaurant
DUBLIN CITY Council has denied planning permission for a McDonald’s restaurant in Temple Bar.
The proposed development had met resistance from groups such as An Taisce and the Temple Bar Cultural Trust who argued that its construction would detract from the cultural, artistic and historic character of the area.
The fast-food giant had hoped to locate itself on the site of Frankie’s Steakhouse and Bar at Temple Bar Square.
Dublin City Council said Temple Bar was already adequately served by restaurants, that the building in question was a protected structure and that adding a McDonald’s would add to the congestion in a small public space.
On its website, the council said the introduction of another take-away facility into the area would have a “detrimental impact on the mix of uses within the Temple Bar area which already has an ample supply of restaurants”.
The council also found fault with the proposal to insert automatic doors, which it said, would “negatively detract from the building’s specific historic character”.
An Taisce, invited by the council to comment on the application, said that among other issues a branch of McDonald’s would contribute to the problems caused by alcohol in Temple Bar.
“The permitting of a large global fast-food chain restaurant in this highly visible location in the centre of Temple Bar would contribute to and reinforce the existing negative synergy between the uses of alcohol and fast food in the area, and the perception of Temple Bar as overwhelmingly a drinking and fast-food quarter.”
A spokesman for McDonald’s said it was disappointed by the refusal to grant planning permission and that the company was reviewing the decision before deciding on any follow-up action.
McDonald’s now has four weeks to appeal the decision to Dublin City Council after which it can appeal again to An Bord Pleanála.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The proposed development had met resistance from groups such as An Taisce and the Temple Bar Cultural Trust who argued that its construction would detract from the cultural, artistic and historic character of the area.
The fast-food giant had hoped to locate itself on the site of Frankie’s Steakhouse and Bar at Temple Bar Square.
Dublin City Council said Temple Bar was already adequately served by restaurants, that the building in question was a protected structure and that adding a McDonald’s would add to the congestion in a small public space.
On its website, the council said the introduction of another take-away facility into the area would have a “detrimental impact on the mix of uses within the Temple Bar area which already has an ample supply of restaurants”.
The council also found fault with the proposal to insert automatic doors, which it said, would “negatively detract from the building’s specific historic character”.
An Taisce, invited by the council to comment on the application, said that among other issues a branch of McDonald’s would contribute to the problems caused by alcohol in Temple Bar.
“The permitting of a large global fast-food chain restaurant in this highly visible location in the centre of Temple Bar would contribute to and reinforce the existing negative synergy between the uses of alcohol and fast food in the area, and the perception of Temple Bar as overwhelmingly a drinking and fast-food quarter.”
A spokesman for McDonald’s said it was disappointed by the refusal to grant planning permission and that the company was reviewing the decision before deciding on any follow-up action.
McDonald’s now has four weeks to appeal the decision to Dublin City Council after which it can appeal again to An Bord Pleanála.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
McDonald's refused Temple Bar permit
Dublin City Council has denied planning permission for a McDonald's restaurant in Temple Bar.
The proposed development had met resistance from groups such as An Taisce and the Temple Bar Cultural Trust who argued that its construction would detract from the cultural, artistic and historic character of the area.
The US-based fast food giant had hoped to locate itself on the site of Frankie's Steakhouse and Bar at Temple Bar Square.
Explaining its decision, Dublin City Council said that Temple Bar was already adequately served by restaurants, that the building in question was a protected structure and that adding a McDonald's would add to the space congestion in what is a small public space.
On its website, the council said that the introduction of another take-away facility into the area would have a "detrimental impact on the mix of uses within the Temple Bar area which already has an ample supply of restaurants."
The council also found fault with the proposal to insert automatic doors, which it said, would "negatively detract from the building's specific historic character".
The council further argued that the addition of McDonald's would overcrowd what is already a busy area.
"It is considered that the proposed development which will result in the intensification of the existing restaurant use on a site adjoining this space will have a significant negative impact on this public space by reason of congregation and further congestion on this space which is restricted in size and already oversubscribed at peak trading times," they said.
The council added that to allow planning permission for the building would be "contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".
McDonald's now have four weeks to appeal the decision to Dublin City Council after which they can appeal again to An Bord Pleanála.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The proposed development had met resistance from groups such as An Taisce and the Temple Bar Cultural Trust who argued that its construction would detract from the cultural, artistic and historic character of the area.
The US-based fast food giant had hoped to locate itself on the site of Frankie's Steakhouse and Bar at Temple Bar Square.
Explaining its decision, Dublin City Council said that Temple Bar was already adequately served by restaurants, that the building in question was a protected structure and that adding a McDonald's would add to the space congestion in what is a small public space.
On its website, the council said that the introduction of another take-away facility into the area would have a "detrimental impact on the mix of uses within the Temple Bar area which already has an ample supply of restaurants."
The council also found fault with the proposal to insert automatic doors, which it said, would "negatively detract from the building's specific historic character".
The council further argued that the addition of McDonald's would overcrowd what is already a busy area.
"It is considered that the proposed development which will result in the intensification of the existing restaurant use on a site adjoining this space will have a significant negative impact on this public space by reason of congregation and further congestion on this space which is restricted in size and already oversubscribed at peak trading times," they said.
The council added that to allow planning permission for the building would be "contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".
McDonald's now have four weeks to appeal the decision to Dublin City Council after which they can appeal again to An Bord Pleanála.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 22 August 2011
An Taisce opposes Temple Bar McDonald's
PLANS TO open a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant in Dublin’s Temple Bar would detract from the cultural, artistic and historic character of the area, An Taisce has said.
The heritage body has joined Temple Bar Cultural Trust in opposing the fast-food giant’s plans to open a branch at the site of the former Fitzer’s restaurant and more recently Frankie’s steakhouse and bar at Temple Bar Square.
Several local residents and politicians have also made submissions on the company’s application to Dublin City Council.
An Taisce, invited by the council to comment on the application, said there was an oversupply of fast-food restaurants in the area and a branch of McDonald’s would contribute to the problems caused by alcohol in Temple Bar.
“The permitting of a large global fast-food chain restaurant in this highly visible location in the centre of Temple Bar would contribute to and reinforce the existing negative synergy between the uses of alcohol and fast food in the area, and the perception of Temple Bar as overwhelmingly a drinking and fast-food quarter.”
There were five fast-food restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the site and a further 13 on the perimeter streets bounding Temple Bar, An Taisce said.
McDonald’s would not comment on the opposition to its plans but has said the development would result in 60 jobs.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Maria Parodi said any jobs McDonald’s might generate would displace existing employment in other local restaurants.
Cllr Kieran Binchy (FG) said the area was unsuitable for “generic international fast-food restaurants”. Instead small independent businesses should be encouraged.
The Irish Times Environment Editor and Temple Bar resident Frank McDonald has also made a submission opposing the planning application.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The heritage body has joined Temple Bar Cultural Trust in opposing the fast-food giant’s plans to open a branch at the site of the former Fitzer’s restaurant and more recently Frankie’s steakhouse and bar at Temple Bar Square.
Several local residents and politicians have also made submissions on the company’s application to Dublin City Council.
An Taisce, invited by the council to comment on the application, said there was an oversupply of fast-food restaurants in the area and a branch of McDonald’s would contribute to the problems caused by alcohol in Temple Bar.
“The permitting of a large global fast-food chain restaurant in this highly visible location in the centre of Temple Bar would contribute to and reinforce the existing negative synergy between the uses of alcohol and fast food in the area, and the perception of Temple Bar as overwhelmingly a drinking and fast-food quarter.”
There were five fast-food restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the site and a further 13 on the perimeter streets bounding Temple Bar, An Taisce said.
McDonald’s would not comment on the opposition to its plans but has said the development would result in 60 jobs.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Maria Parodi said any jobs McDonald’s might generate would displace existing employment in other local restaurants.
Cllr Kieran Binchy (FG) said the area was unsuitable for “generic international fast-food restaurants”. Instead small independent businesses should be encouraged.
The Irish Times Environment Editor and Temple Bar resident Frank McDonald has also made a submission opposing the planning application.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Temple Bar as place and concept is real success story
TEMPLE BAR in Dublin is 20 years old, based on the passing of the Temple Bar Renewal and Development Act 1991 that got the ball rolling.
The inner south city centre area’s regeneration began when Ireland was in the economic doldrums. Dublin’s designation as European Capital of Culture in 1991 provided the catalyst just as urban regeneration in Glasgow, Bilbao and elsewhere is linked to cultural and artistic ventures.
Temple Bar is a success story, in an Irish and European context, for which successive national and local governments deserve real credit. It is many things to many people: a place and a brand, a cultural quarter, a workplace, a tourism destination and, importantly, somewhere called home.
It can also be used as a metaphor for the positive side of Ireland – its creative people and culture. Similarly, it is a byword for some of the country’s image problems: difficulty in dealing with success, alcohol dependence, failing to resolve problems and lax enforcement.
It is fair to say that many things never happened according to the original plans. However, we should acclaim the many great things in the area today that were never imagined in those plans.
Our company and its predecessor led development here until 2001 through innovative urban renewal, local governance, building design, and arts and cultural development and presentation.
Bringing culture closer to people in Temple Bar has been our focus since 2006. Managing a property portfolio allows us operational independence to organise and support hundreds of events and provide about €1.7 million in subsidises annually to cultural organisations. The exchequer receives €450,000 of our €2 million turnover.
The most recent economic impact assessment, an Amárach Consulting report in 2009, said Temple Bar generates over €680 million annually. If Temple Bar was listed in this year’s Irish Times Top 1,000 Companies List, this figure would rank us 68th. Dairygold, for example, was 66th.
The area is an established, significant residential community of more than 2,500 people. It is also a high-profile tourism destination attracting about 3.5 million visits a year.
Above all, Temple Bar is Dublin’s cultural quarter, home and workplace to hundreds of artists and a myriad of cultural micro-enterprises, nationally important cultural institutions, creative workspaces and countless public opportunities to encounter culture and the arts.
The many stakeholders include our shareholder Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, residents, local businesses, tourism promotion bodies and the vintners-led Temple Bar Traders Association.
How this group manages the area still requires much more collaborative work and improvement.
Frank McDonald’s article in The Irish Times Magazine on July 2nd portrays a negative and dated perspective on Temple Bar. However, it does outline the complex, sometimes conflicting yet always-interdependent relationships that foster Temple Bar’s development. He usefully illustrates how poor enforcement in planning, noise pollution, public order, litter management and liquor licensing have created unacceptable conditions for some residents, issues that are problems for Ireland and not just Temple Bar.
We established the Temple Bar Forum, a mechanism for resolving local problems locally, now managed by Dublin City Council, following the publication of our 2004 Urban Framework Plan. Facilitating solutions using face-to-face contact proved to be an important platform for many stakeholders.
However, unlike Temple Bar’s physical regeneration phase, managing the area is a much more complex and dynamic process where public and private interests and responsibilities must be balanced.
Temple Bar Cultural Trust takes its responsibilities seriously. We have a zero tolerance policy to graffiti, have attended the licensing courts to support residents objecting to a liquor licence renewal and contributed to public policy development and consultation.
The trust operates some of Europe’s most imaginative programmes covering the entire age and interest range from the retired to children, families and niche groups.
We continue to invest in the area and will reopen Meeting House Square and its unique Irish-designed retractable rainscreen later this year. A new Temple Bar Square framework plan will form part of a wider plan for improving people’s experience of the area.
The trust is also formulating a major public domain project to increase accessibility throughout Temple Bar with a target completion date of 2016, our 25th birthday.
Temple Bar is vibrant, dynamic, imaginative and different. It has never stood still and its strong dynamic continues to evolve.
Dermot McLaughlin is chief executive of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The inner south city centre area’s regeneration began when Ireland was in the economic doldrums. Dublin’s designation as European Capital of Culture in 1991 provided the catalyst just as urban regeneration in Glasgow, Bilbao and elsewhere is linked to cultural and artistic ventures.
Temple Bar is a success story, in an Irish and European context, for which successive national and local governments deserve real credit. It is many things to many people: a place and a brand, a cultural quarter, a workplace, a tourism destination and, importantly, somewhere called home.
It can also be used as a metaphor for the positive side of Ireland – its creative people and culture. Similarly, it is a byword for some of the country’s image problems: difficulty in dealing with success, alcohol dependence, failing to resolve problems and lax enforcement.
It is fair to say that many things never happened according to the original plans. However, we should acclaim the many great things in the area today that were never imagined in those plans.
Our company and its predecessor led development here until 2001 through innovative urban renewal, local governance, building design, and arts and cultural development and presentation.
Bringing culture closer to people in Temple Bar has been our focus since 2006. Managing a property portfolio allows us operational independence to organise and support hundreds of events and provide about €1.7 million in subsidises annually to cultural organisations. The exchequer receives €450,000 of our €2 million turnover.
The most recent economic impact assessment, an Amárach Consulting report in 2009, said Temple Bar generates over €680 million annually. If Temple Bar was listed in this year’s Irish Times Top 1,000 Companies List, this figure would rank us 68th. Dairygold, for example, was 66th.
The area is an established, significant residential community of more than 2,500 people. It is also a high-profile tourism destination attracting about 3.5 million visits a year.
Above all, Temple Bar is Dublin’s cultural quarter, home and workplace to hundreds of artists and a myriad of cultural micro-enterprises, nationally important cultural institutions, creative workspaces and countless public opportunities to encounter culture and the arts.
The many stakeholders include our shareholder Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, residents, local businesses, tourism promotion bodies and the vintners-led Temple Bar Traders Association.
How this group manages the area still requires much more collaborative work and improvement.
Frank McDonald’s article in The Irish Times Magazine on July 2nd portrays a negative and dated perspective on Temple Bar. However, it does outline the complex, sometimes conflicting yet always-interdependent relationships that foster Temple Bar’s development. He usefully illustrates how poor enforcement in planning, noise pollution, public order, litter management and liquor licensing have created unacceptable conditions for some residents, issues that are problems for Ireland and not just Temple Bar.
We established the Temple Bar Forum, a mechanism for resolving local problems locally, now managed by Dublin City Council, following the publication of our 2004 Urban Framework Plan. Facilitating solutions using face-to-face contact proved to be an important platform for many stakeholders.
However, unlike Temple Bar’s physical regeneration phase, managing the area is a much more complex and dynamic process where public and private interests and responsibilities must be balanced.
Temple Bar Cultural Trust takes its responsibilities seriously. We have a zero tolerance policy to graffiti, have attended the licensing courts to support residents objecting to a liquor licence renewal and contributed to public policy development and consultation.
The trust operates some of Europe’s most imaginative programmes covering the entire age and interest range from the retired to children, families and niche groups.
We continue to invest in the area and will reopen Meeting House Square and its unique Irish-designed retractable rainscreen later this year. A new Temple Bar Square framework plan will form part of a wider plan for improving people’s experience of the area.
The trust is also formulating a major public domain project to increase accessibility throughout Temple Bar with a target completion date of 2016, our 25th birthday.
Temple Bar is vibrant, dynamic, imaginative and different. It has never stood still and its strong dynamic continues to evolve.
Dermot McLaughlin is chief executive of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Temple Bar uncovered
INNER-CITY LIFE: After 20 years of regeneration, the legacy of Dublin’s “cultural quarter” is street drinking and noise pollution, writes long-term resident FRANK MCDONALD , but tourists and others living and working in Temple Bar tell KITTY HOLLAND the area’s reputational difficulties are far outweighed by its vibrancy and creativity
TEMPLE BAR TODAY is nothing at all like the run-down, laid-back, “left bank” bohemian area it once was. Nor does it, by any yardstick, measure up to the official aspirations of 20 years ago to create a “bustling cultural, residential and small- business precinct that will attract visitors in significant numbers”.
It’s a sham. There’s a branch of Tesco installed in the former ESB showrooms on Fleet Street, the Bad Ass Cafe on Crown Alley – an authentic Temple Bar pit-stop since 1983 – is in danger of being turned into a “traditional Irish bar” and the big burger chains are eyeing Frankie’s in Temple Bar Square. The sell-out is nearly complete.
The huge hole in the middle of Meeting House Square is not just archaeological, it’s a symbol of the hollowness at the heart of Temple Bar. Everything that was said about it when Charles J Haughey inaugurated this grand projet in 1991 has turned out to be untrue. And they are still lying, or deluding themselves, to this day.
During the St Patrick’s Day festivities this year, every alcove, alley and doorway in the area was used as a pissoir. The scenes were disgusting beyond belief. On every street, men with far too many pints on board were urinating in public, and some were also vomiting – although that’s usually done by the vodka spritzer-laden girls.
Throughout the year, and particularly in summer, Temple Bar is trashed on a nightly basis by drunken louts, drug addicts, graffiti vandals and indifferent bands of buskers with portable amplifiers. The primary culture of Dublin’s designated “cultural quarter” is a street-drinking culture, catered for by many of its 30 bars or nightclubs.
Turning the area into the “Temple of Bars”, as former An Taisce chairman Michael Smith once dubbed it, was never part of the official agenda; indeed, the word “pubs” was barely mentioned back in 1991. Neither did the city planners have any hesitation in granting permission for new pubs and extensions to existing licensed premises.
Nearly an acre of extra licensed space was shovelled into the area in the first five years of the Temple Bar project. Small neighbourhood bars were turned into mega-pubs and “hotels” materialised out of nowhere, purely as vehicles to get licences for large public bars at ground-floor level and a “function room” (nightclub) in their basements.
When Group 91 Architects won the 1991 competition for the Temple Bar Architectural Framework Plan, they gathered in Flannery’s pub to celebrate. At that time, it consisted of a single room. Now, as the much-photographed Temple Bar pub, it extends to 929sq m (10,000sq ft) and teems with tourists.
Its massive expansion was facilitated by Temple Bar Properties (TBP), the State agency set up to oversee the development of the area, and approved to benefit from highly-lucrative tax incentives by Temple Bar Renewal (TBR), a separate agency that was supposed to ensure there would be a balanced mix of uses in redeveloping the area.
But the senior Department of the Environment official on TBR’s board, Finian Matthews, insisted that it had no power to control the extent of any use, including pubs – so it became a rubber stamp. It was not until 1998 that the High Court ruled that it was “mandatory” for TBR to refuse approval for uses that would be “detrimental” to the area.
Delusion has been at the core of the Temple Bar project since its inception, when Paddy Teahon – then assistant secretary of the Taoiseach’s Department – was TBP’s first managing director. But hype reached new heights after his hand-picked successor, Laura Magahy, took over in 1992, ably assisted by Patricia Quinn as cultural director.
Dubbed “the linen and lipstick sisters”, this pushy pair were “driven by a vision; we know what we want and we are going to get it”, as Quinn said in 1993. “We make no apologies.” They also played their cards close to the chest. “That’s the dark side of our good qualities. We give the necessary information to the right people at the right time.”
Three years later, before moving on to become director of the Arts Council, Quinn edited a lavishly-illustrated book to celebrate TBP’s achievements – already garlanded by a raft of architectural, planning and urban design awards. Titled Temple Bar: The Power of an Idea, some said it should have been sub-titled The Idea of the Power.
TBP’s role, as Magahy said, was to “make interventions” in the area to secure its objectives. These included developing Fitzsimons Hotel in partnership with its operators, two builder brothers from Cavan. It now bills itself as a “party venue with roof terrace . . . live on five floors . . . seven nights a week . . . live acts/bands and DJs . . . late-night bar and club”.
TBP was directly involved in the creation of three other large new pubs – the Porterhouse, the Front Lounge and the Czech Inn – and in facilitating the extension of three more. So even as wonderful cultural facilities such as The Ark were being planned, TBP was collaborating with the licensed trade in giving it “critical mass”.
A culture of entitlement is pervasive. Pubs, nightclubs and venues feel entitled to blast the neighbourhood with noise from heavily-amplified music or live bands. Only after time-consuming and expensive legal actions by residents – including me – have some had to put limits on this “entertainment noise breakout”; others carry on regardless.
Venues take no responsibility for the behaviour of their patrons after they leave the premises, even for a smoke. As a result, and particularly at weekends, raucous crowds gather outside pubs and nightclubs or maraud around the streets, roaring and shouting until they finally drift off. A couple of hours later, noisy cleansing vehicles pick up after them.
Policing is of the “light touch” variety, like the lack of regulation of the financial sector during the boom. Gardaí on the beat regard it as “normal” that intolerable levels of noise emanate from licensed premises, or from buskers in the streets. “It’s an entertainment zone – what do you expect?” they would say.
Temple Bar has also become the graffiti capital of Dublin. Where I live, we have to paint our front door several times a year and clean it even more often because of persistent “tagging” by teenage vandals. TBP’s successor, Temple Bar Cultural Trust (TBCT), doesn’t bother cleaning the buildings it owns any more, because the problem is so endemic.
Contrast this with the nearly graffiti-free status of both the northside and southside retail cores, which are covered by the Dublin City Business Improvement District (BID). Established in 2008, the BID is funded by a levy on commercial ratepayers in the area that raises €3 million a year to deliver a “cleaner, green and safer city”.
A year later, after employing specialised contractors with power-hoses, BID chief executive Richard Guiney was able to say that graffiti had almost entirely vanished. “We’ve removed more than 5,000sq m to date. It really has been a great success and it’s when you walk outside of the BID area that you really become of aware of it,” he said in 2009.
Most of the publicans in Temple Bar are paid-up members of Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter, known as TASCQ. It has an annual budget of €300,000 – chickenfeed in the context of their aggregate profits – which is spent on marketing, extra street cleaning, environmental initiatives, cultural events and business services.
TBCT campaigned against the BID when it was first mooted in 2007 and then ensured that Temple Bar was excluded from its remit. The trust argued that, by working with its pals in TASCQ, it was already doing the same thing. Sure hadn’t Temple Bar won the Dublin City Neighbourhood of the Year award?
But several of its “flagship” cultural projects didn’t survive. Arthouse, a “multimedia centre for the arts”, was the first to go, followed by the Viking Adventure in the former church of SS Michael and John, which TBP had gutted, and Designyard, a gallery featuring the best of Irish design – it is now TBCT’s headquarters.
The shop windows of the Green Building have been boarded up since Haus moved out some two years ago, while its wind turbines rust away on the roof. There have been rows over rent with high-profile TBCT tenants such as Eden and the Button Factory, and neither it nor FilmBase (formerly Arthouse) have been re-painted since 1996.
TBCT has a policy of “sweating the assets” it owns or controls; that’s why nearly half of the groundplane of Temple Bar Square has been privatised, carved up between the restaurants and cafes around it. Now it’s in the process of installing a rainscreen in Meeting House Square, supported by four pylons, to make more use of this space.
Last August, TBCT staged Funky Seomra in the square. Billed as “an alcohol and drug-free festival nightclub”, it ran over a whole weekend and was one of the noisiest gigs ever in Temple Bar. The company itself estimates that 20 to 30 “commercial hires” per year would be needed to make the €2 million rainscreen project viable.
A public singing and dancing licence (the one that covers nightclubs) has already been obtained for the square, which would allow events to be run there until 2.30am. And even TBCT’s own acoustic consultant admits – not in these words, of course – that heavy bass noise will leak out all over the place, up to a level of 96 decibels.
To put this in context and bearing in mind that the decibel scale is logarithmic, the ambient sound level in Temple Bar (without amplified buskers) has been put at 60db – below the level of other city centre streets, due to the absence of traffic. And the city council’s noise control unit says any increase above 5db constitutes noise pollution.
But TBCT may not be long for this world. The city council, which is now its “parent”, has commissioned an independent review of the organisation focusing on issues such as corporate governance, board representation, the economic model underpinning its activities, and whether the trust is fulfilling its brief as a cultural promoter and enabler.
Laura Magahy – “Ms Temple Bar”, as she was called – has long since re-established herself in the private sector, with a consultancy company (MCO) specialising in sustainable design and project management. She remains a “mover and shaker” as chair of the Crafts Council and past president of the Institute of Directors in Ireland.
After leaving Temple Bar in 2000, she won a lucrative contract to provide executive services for the ill-fated “Bertie Bowl” and Sports Campus Ireland at Abbotstown, then headed by her old friend Paddy Teahon, and a similar contract for the equally ill-fated Digital Hub development in Dublin’s Liberties, which was also overseen by Teahon.
Given that there is so little to show for the sports campus and even less physical evidence of the Digital Hub, the Jekyll and Hyde character of Temple Bar must be regarded as Magahy and Teahon’s lasting legacy to Dublin. Yes, it was saved from being blitzed for a bus station and transportation centre. But at what price?
Owen Hickey, who looked after CIÉ’s low-rent portfolio before becoming TBP’s property director, says: “The ‘mini-bohemia’ everyone recognised as worth saving – colourful, edgy, rough-grained and utterly benign – was destroyed by the initiative because grittiness wasn’t part of the agenda.” As a result, it was a “total failure”.
“We made mistakes with the bars and hotels, but what happened was an accident. A great Dublin version of the English Market in Cork could have been done in Fleet Street, where a multi-storey carpark is today, but the Department of Finance’s insistence on a minimum 5 per cent return on commercial projects was the real killer,” Hickey says.
That’s what turned Temple Bar into the boisterous changeling it is today. Apart from its loss-leader cultural centres, he believes TBP’s ambitious residential programme – which raised the bar for city centre living – was one of the “good things” that happened. “Out of the ashes of our dreams came some sort of redemption,” he says wistfully.
Willie White ddirector of the Project Arts Centre
“I remember Temple Bar back in 1990, when it was pretty run-down and shabby, with a lot of derelict buildings. It was kind of exciting too. Clearly now a lot has changed and for the better mostly.
“There are proper venues and spaces now for artists and performers and that cultural aspect has been the durable, lasting piece of Temple Bar.
“The perception that it is all tourists here is easy and wrong. At least 50 per cent of the people coming into Temple Bar are Dubliners or Irish. People forget there are a lot of venues, like ourselves, the IFI, gigs which bring people into the area. It’s not just full of stag parties. Like anywhere there are nice bars and not nice bars.
“I think there are further opportunities to do interesting, enlightened things in the area, like the Exchange on Essex Street, which is a collective arts centre run by 16 to 23-year-olds. There are opportunities to do interesting things that may not work in other areas and that is down to the cultural infrastructure we have here.” KH
Leo Enright broadcaster and Temple Bar resident
“There have always been people living in Temple Bar of course, but we were among the new colonisers. We’ve been here about 20 years. I never had any misgivings and have always loved it here.
“The thing is if you want peace and quiet you should move to the suburbs or the country.
“The artistic side of Temple Bar has been very successful and there are aspects which are often overlooked – like the Ark children’s theatre which is a wonderful resource, and the other theatres, the IFI, the live music venues, the gallery of photography and other galleries. The markets are wonderful.
“Yes, some of the pubs are ghastly, but there are the lovely Palace and the Ha’penny Bridge Inn. There are also a lot of little treasures, little shops which I think a lot of Dublin people don’t actually realise are there.
“The noise at night is a real issue for residents. That does lead to tensions. You learn more about the physics of noise production living here than you would care to.
“There are other negatives – the constant road works, the fact people wandering through the area tend to walk very slowly, which is maddening if you are in a hurry behind a gang of them.
“And people give out about the drug addicts and the homeless in the area, but I am desperately conscious that these are human beings too and the vast majority of them are harmless souls living desperate lives.”
Michael and Joyce Seabrook from Derbyshire, UK
“We just arrived last night and we wandered down here quite late and well, it’s fantastic. We had a lot of fun in one of the bars. They were playing traditional music. The drinks were a bit expensive though. We’re talking €8 for a couple of drinks.
The shops are lovely and there is a nice Irish feel about the place. We’d definitely tell people from home to come here to Temple Bar.
We’ll probably be back here ourselves tonight.”
Allain Guilherme from Brazil
“I am studying English here and I pass through Temple Bar every day. I haven’t been in Dublin long, about five weeks, but I like Temple Bar yes. It has a good atmosphere.
“I like some of the pubs – the Temple Bar and the Garage – it plays good music and the beer is not too expensive. I like it. I would tell friends to come and spend time here.”
Frank Jacoby from Philadelphia, US. Living in Dublin since 1986
“What do I think of Temple Bar? Not much. Maybe it’s the age bracket I am in that I am not attracted to this area.
“It is nice to see businesses doing well and the cultural and artistic side seems to be doing well, but the common reputation is that it is an area full of hen and stag nights and excessive drinking.
“I think it is probably a nice place for young people to meet up, but it’s not much of a culinary venue. I wouldn’t rate the restaurants. I would bring visitors here but I’d also bring them to lots of other places in Dublin. Places I do like are the more quiet spots – the Palace bar or the Porterhouse.”
Steven Collins from Dun Laoghaire
“I think of it primarily as a tourist destination but I think it has been tarnished a bit by the stag and hen party label. It is making progress on the cultural front and the Saturday market is very good in Meeting House Square – though I think that has been moved to Cow’s Lane for a while.
“I work in a software company in Temple Bar so I walk through every day. I like the vibe of the place and there are great restaurants and coffee shops for lunch.
“I would bring visitors here though I’d probably also tell them to go to other parts of Dublin. It’s good here, not as bad as Disneyland.”
Mary Harkin owner of Rory's Fishing Tackle the area's oldest shop
“Well we have been open for 52 years so I worked here as a child and have been working day-to-day here for four years.
“It was my grandfather who opened it. He used to work in the ESB on Fleet Street and he was mad about fishing. He had worked in every fishing shop in town. He spotted a vacant shop and decided to open one of his own.
“Business is going well, all things considered. It’s an advantage being in an area with a lot of tourists, you’d be surprised. A lot see the shop and come in and want to buy presents for people that are a bit different. We have trout and salmon flies that are different to those used in the States.
“There’s a great community atmosphere among the business owners here too, which I don’t think you’d get as much in other parts of the city. We look out for each other.”
Zvjezdana Drasner from Croatia
“It’s nice here. I came because I read in a book it is a nice place to come and visit, like a place where there are artists and people doing performances.
I like how it looks. I like the architecture and the old buildings. The only thing I don’t like is the pigeons. I don’t like pigeons.”
Joseph Raymond and Tabatha Lynch from Boston, US
“We’ve been in Dublin two days. I just heard from my clients – I’m a hairdresser – that Temple Bar would be an area we would find interesting,” says Lynch. “They said I would be interested in the artists and the atmosphere and the things going on here.”
“It is great here. It’s so quaint and such a change from the Boston area,” adds Raymond
High hopes: what they said then
“The redevelopment of the Temple Bar area will make history in the life of this city. It is a distinctive part of Dublin frequented by young people, attracted by the unique ambience of the area, where art and cultural activities have begun to flourish spontaneously . . . This old and well-loved part of Dublin will be restored to prime condition, which it deserves.”
Charles J Haughey then taoiseach, introducing the Temple Bar Renewal and Development Bill on July 2nd, 1991
“The Taoiseach seems to want to leave some sort of monument to himself when he moves off stage, like Ceausescu in Romania, to leave some kind of city landmarks with the words ‘Charles J Haughey was the man who thought of this, ran this or organised that’.”
Tomás MacGiolla then leader of the Workers’ Party, speaking in the Dáil debate
“The mission we have set ourselves in Temple Bar Properties Ltd is to create Dublin’s Cultural Quarter in Temple Bar, building on what has already taken place spontaneously in the area . . . The result will be a bustling cultural, residential and small business precinct of charm and distinction that will attract visitors in significant numbers.”
Paddy Teahon TBP’s first managing director and then assistant secretary in the Taoiseach’s Department, on October 4th, 1991
“I have personally great hopes for the Temple Bar area. I want it to be a hustling-bustling quarter teeming with bistros and bars, cafes and counters, art and artefacts of every sort. Dublin needs an ambience where young people can identify as their own, whether in terms of music, fashion, art, dancing, food or fun.”
Bertie Ahern then finance minister
“Temple Bar is Dublin’s cultural quarter. One of Europe’s most innovative and successful urban renewal projects, it is a vibrant, living community in which residents, artists, visitors, cultural organisations and small businesses co-exist . . .
“Temple Bar encapsulates all the reasons why people are moving back into the city centre . . . an interesting and congenial environment with shops, restaurants and entertainment close at hand . . . a model for city-living principles.”
TBP’s development programme review, 1996
“Temple Bar is a working model of sustainable development in an urban context . . . a tremendous success ... [and] a key contributor to making Dublin what it is today: one of the most exciting cities in Europe.”
Brendan Howlin then minister for the environment, on July 5th, 1996.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
TEMPLE BAR TODAY is nothing at all like the run-down, laid-back, “left bank” bohemian area it once was. Nor does it, by any yardstick, measure up to the official aspirations of 20 years ago to create a “bustling cultural, residential and small- business precinct that will attract visitors in significant numbers”.
It’s a sham. There’s a branch of Tesco installed in the former ESB showrooms on Fleet Street, the Bad Ass Cafe on Crown Alley – an authentic Temple Bar pit-stop since 1983 – is in danger of being turned into a “traditional Irish bar” and the big burger chains are eyeing Frankie’s in Temple Bar Square. The sell-out is nearly complete.
The huge hole in the middle of Meeting House Square is not just archaeological, it’s a symbol of the hollowness at the heart of Temple Bar. Everything that was said about it when Charles J Haughey inaugurated this grand projet in 1991 has turned out to be untrue. And they are still lying, or deluding themselves, to this day.
During the St Patrick’s Day festivities this year, every alcove, alley and doorway in the area was used as a pissoir. The scenes were disgusting beyond belief. On every street, men with far too many pints on board were urinating in public, and some were also vomiting – although that’s usually done by the vodka spritzer-laden girls.
Throughout the year, and particularly in summer, Temple Bar is trashed on a nightly basis by drunken louts, drug addicts, graffiti vandals and indifferent bands of buskers with portable amplifiers. The primary culture of Dublin’s designated “cultural quarter” is a street-drinking culture, catered for by many of its 30 bars or nightclubs.
Turning the area into the “Temple of Bars”, as former An Taisce chairman Michael Smith once dubbed it, was never part of the official agenda; indeed, the word “pubs” was barely mentioned back in 1991. Neither did the city planners have any hesitation in granting permission for new pubs and extensions to existing licensed premises.
Nearly an acre of extra licensed space was shovelled into the area in the first five years of the Temple Bar project. Small neighbourhood bars were turned into mega-pubs and “hotels” materialised out of nowhere, purely as vehicles to get licences for large public bars at ground-floor level and a “function room” (nightclub) in their basements.
When Group 91 Architects won the 1991 competition for the Temple Bar Architectural Framework Plan, they gathered in Flannery’s pub to celebrate. At that time, it consisted of a single room. Now, as the much-photographed Temple Bar pub, it extends to 929sq m (10,000sq ft) and teems with tourists.
Its massive expansion was facilitated by Temple Bar Properties (TBP), the State agency set up to oversee the development of the area, and approved to benefit from highly-lucrative tax incentives by Temple Bar Renewal (TBR), a separate agency that was supposed to ensure there would be a balanced mix of uses in redeveloping the area.
But the senior Department of the Environment official on TBR’s board, Finian Matthews, insisted that it had no power to control the extent of any use, including pubs – so it became a rubber stamp. It was not until 1998 that the High Court ruled that it was “mandatory” for TBR to refuse approval for uses that would be “detrimental” to the area.
Delusion has been at the core of the Temple Bar project since its inception, when Paddy Teahon – then assistant secretary of the Taoiseach’s Department – was TBP’s first managing director. But hype reached new heights after his hand-picked successor, Laura Magahy, took over in 1992, ably assisted by Patricia Quinn as cultural director.
Dubbed “the linen and lipstick sisters”, this pushy pair were “driven by a vision; we know what we want and we are going to get it”, as Quinn said in 1993. “We make no apologies.” They also played their cards close to the chest. “That’s the dark side of our good qualities. We give the necessary information to the right people at the right time.”
Three years later, before moving on to become director of the Arts Council, Quinn edited a lavishly-illustrated book to celebrate TBP’s achievements – already garlanded by a raft of architectural, planning and urban design awards. Titled Temple Bar: The Power of an Idea, some said it should have been sub-titled The Idea of the Power.
TBP’s role, as Magahy said, was to “make interventions” in the area to secure its objectives. These included developing Fitzsimons Hotel in partnership with its operators, two builder brothers from Cavan. It now bills itself as a “party venue with roof terrace . . . live on five floors . . . seven nights a week . . . live acts/bands and DJs . . . late-night bar and club”.
TBP was directly involved in the creation of three other large new pubs – the Porterhouse, the Front Lounge and the Czech Inn – and in facilitating the extension of three more. So even as wonderful cultural facilities such as The Ark were being planned, TBP was collaborating with the licensed trade in giving it “critical mass”.
A culture of entitlement is pervasive. Pubs, nightclubs and venues feel entitled to blast the neighbourhood with noise from heavily-amplified music or live bands. Only after time-consuming and expensive legal actions by residents – including me – have some had to put limits on this “entertainment noise breakout”; others carry on regardless.
Venues take no responsibility for the behaviour of their patrons after they leave the premises, even for a smoke. As a result, and particularly at weekends, raucous crowds gather outside pubs and nightclubs or maraud around the streets, roaring and shouting until they finally drift off. A couple of hours later, noisy cleansing vehicles pick up after them.
Policing is of the “light touch” variety, like the lack of regulation of the financial sector during the boom. Gardaí on the beat regard it as “normal” that intolerable levels of noise emanate from licensed premises, or from buskers in the streets. “It’s an entertainment zone – what do you expect?” they would say.
Temple Bar has also become the graffiti capital of Dublin. Where I live, we have to paint our front door several times a year and clean it even more often because of persistent “tagging” by teenage vandals. TBP’s successor, Temple Bar Cultural Trust (TBCT), doesn’t bother cleaning the buildings it owns any more, because the problem is so endemic.
Contrast this with the nearly graffiti-free status of both the northside and southside retail cores, which are covered by the Dublin City Business Improvement District (BID). Established in 2008, the BID is funded by a levy on commercial ratepayers in the area that raises €3 million a year to deliver a “cleaner, green and safer city”.
A year later, after employing specialised contractors with power-hoses, BID chief executive Richard Guiney was able to say that graffiti had almost entirely vanished. “We’ve removed more than 5,000sq m to date. It really has been a great success and it’s when you walk outside of the BID area that you really become of aware of it,” he said in 2009.
Most of the publicans in Temple Bar are paid-up members of Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter, known as TASCQ. It has an annual budget of €300,000 – chickenfeed in the context of their aggregate profits – which is spent on marketing, extra street cleaning, environmental initiatives, cultural events and business services.
TBCT campaigned against the BID when it was first mooted in 2007 and then ensured that Temple Bar was excluded from its remit. The trust argued that, by working with its pals in TASCQ, it was already doing the same thing. Sure hadn’t Temple Bar won the Dublin City Neighbourhood of the Year award?
But several of its “flagship” cultural projects didn’t survive. Arthouse, a “multimedia centre for the arts”, was the first to go, followed by the Viking Adventure in the former church of SS Michael and John, which TBP had gutted, and Designyard, a gallery featuring the best of Irish design – it is now TBCT’s headquarters.
The shop windows of the Green Building have been boarded up since Haus moved out some two years ago, while its wind turbines rust away on the roof. There have been rows over rent with high-profile TBCT tenants such as Eden and the Button Factory, and neither it nor FilmBase (formerly Arthouse) have been re-painted since 1996.
TBCT has a policy of “sweating the assets” it owns or controls; that’s why nearly half of the groundplane of Temple Bar Square has been privatised, carved up between the restaurants and cafes around it. Now it’s in the process of installing a rainscreen in Meeting House Square, supported by four pylons, to make more use of this space.
Last August, TBCT staged Funky Seomra in the square. Billed as “an alcohol and drug-free festival nightclub”, it ran over a whole weekend and was one of the noisiest gigs ever in Temple Bar. The company itself estimates that 20 to 30 “commercial hires” per year would be needed to make the €2 million rainscreen project viable.
A public singing and dancing licence (the one that covers nightclubs) has already been obtained for the square, which would allow events to be run there until 2.30am. And even TBCT’s own acoustic consultant admits – not in these words, of course – that heavy bass noise will leak out all over the place, up to a level of 96 decibels.
To put this in context and bearing in mind that the decibel scale is logarithmic, the ambient sound level in Temple Bar (without amplified buskers) has been put at 60db – below the level of other city centre streets, due to the absence of traffic. And the city council’s noise control unit says any increase above 5db constitutes noise pollution.
But TBCT may not be long for this world. The city council, which is now its “parent”, has commissioned an independent review of the organisation focusing on issues such as corporate governance, board representation, the economic model underpinning its activities, and whether the trust is fulfilling its brief as a cultural promoter and enabler.
Laura Magahy – “Ms Temple Bar”, as she was called – has long since re-established herself in the private sector, with a consultancy company (MCO) specialising in sustainable design and project management. She remains a “mover and shaker” as chair of the Crafts Council and past president of the Institute of Directors in Ireland.
After leaving Temple Bar in 2000, she won a lucrative contract to provide executive services for the ill-fated “Bertie Bowl” and Sports Campus Ireland at Abbotstown, then headed by her old friend Paddy Teahon, and a similar contract for the equally ill-fated Digital Hub development in Dublin’s Liberties, which was also overseen by Teahon.
Given that there is so little to show for the sports campus and even less physical evidence of the Digital Hub, the Jekyll and Hyde character of Temple Bar must be regarded as Magahy and Teahon’s lasting legacy to Dublin. Yes, it was saved from being blitzed for a bus station and transportation centre. But at what price?
Owen Hickey, who looked after CIÉ’s low-rent portfolio before becoming TBP’s property director, says: “The ‘mini-bohemia’ everyone recognised as worth saving – colourful, edgy, rough-grained and utterly benign – was destroyed by the initiative because grittiness wasn’t part of the agenda.” As a result, it was a “total failure”.
“We made mistakes with the bars and hotels, but what happened was an accident. A great Dublin version of the English Market in Cork could have been done in Fleet Street, where a multi-storey carpark is today, but the Department of Finance’s insistence on a minimum 5 per cent return on commercial projects was the real killer,” Hickey says.
That’s what turned Temple Bar into the boisterous changeling it is today. Apart from its loss-leader cultural centres, he believes TBP’s ambitious residential programme – which raised the bar for city centre living – was one of the “good things” that happened. “Out of the ashes of our dreams came some sort of redemption,” he says wistfully.
Willie White ddirector of the Project Arts Centre
“I remember Temple Bar back in 1990, when it was pretty run-down and shabby, with a lot of derelict buildings. It was kind of exciting too. Clearly now a lot has changed and for the better mostly.
“There are proper venues and spaces now for artists and performers and that cultural aspect has been the durable, lasting piece of Temple Bar.
“The perception that it is all tourists here is easy and wrong. At least 50 per cent of the people coming into Temple Bar are Dubliners or Irish. People forget there are a lot of venues, like ourselves, the IFI, gigs which bring people into the area. It’s not just full of stag parties. Like anywhere there are nice bars and not nice bars.
“I think there are further opportunities to do interesting, enlightened things in the area, like the Exchange on Essex Street, which is a collective arts centre run by 16 to 23-year-olds. There are opportunities to do interesting things that may not work in other areas and that is down to the cultural infrastructure we have here.” KH
Leo Enright broadcaster and Temple Bar resident
“There have always been people living in Temple Bar of course, but we were among the new colonisers. We’ve been here about 20 years. I never had any misgivings and have always loved it here.
“The thing is if you want peace and quiet you should move to the suburbs or the country.
“The artistic side of Temple Bar has been very successful and there are aspects which are often overlooked – like the Ark children’s theatre which is a wonderful resource, and the other theatres, the IFI, the live music venues, the gallery of photography and other galleries. The markets are wonderful.
“Yes, some of the pubs are ghastly, but there are the lovely Palace and the Ha’penny Bridge Inn. There are also a lot of little treasures, little shops which I think a lot of Dublin people don’t actually realise are there.
“The noise at night is a real issue for residents. That does lead to tensions. You learn more about the physics of noise production living here than you would care to.
“There are other negatives – the constant road works, the fact people wandering through the area tend to walk very slowly, which is maddening if you are in a hurry behind a gang of them.
“And people give out about the drug addicts and the homeless in the area, but I am desperately conscious that these are human beings too and the vast majority of them are harmless souls living desperate lives.”
Michael and Joyce Seabrook from Derbyshire, UK
“We just arrived last night and we wandered down here quite late and well, it’s fantastic. We had a lot of fun in one of the bars. They were playing traditional music. The drinks were a bit expensive though. We’re talking €8 for a couple of drinks.
The shops are lovely and there is a nice Irish feel about the place. We’d definitely tell people from home to come here to Temple Bar.
We’ll probably be back here ourselves tonight.”
Allain Guilherme from Brazil
“I am studying English here and I pass through Temple Bar every day. I haven’t been in Dublin long, about five weeks, but I like Temple Bar yes. It has a good atmosphere.
“I like some of the pubs – the Temple Bar and the Garage – it plays good music and the beer is not too expensive. I like it. I would tell friends to come and spend time here.”
Frank Jacoby from Philadelphia, US. Living in Dublin since 1986
“What do I think of Temple Bar? Not much. Maybe it’s the age bracket I am in that I am not attracted to this area.
“It is nice to see businesses doing well and the cultural and artistic side seems to be doing well, but the common reputation is that it is an area full of hen and stag nights and excessive drinking.
“I think it is probably a nice place for young people to meet up, but it’s not much of a culinary venue. I wouldn’t rate the restaurants. I would bring visitors here but I’d also bring them to lots of other places in Dublin. Places I do like are the more quiet spots – the Palace bar or the Porterhouse.”
Steven Collins from Dun Laoghaire
“I think of it primarily as a tourist destination but I think it has been tarnished a bit by the stag and hen party label. It is making progress on the cultural front and the Saturday market is very good in Meeting House Square – though I think that has been moved to Cow’s Lane for a while.
“I work in a software company in Temple Bar so I walk through every day. I like the vibe of the place and there are great restaurants and coffee shops for lunch.
“I would bring visitors here though I’d probably also tell them to go to other parts of Dublin. It’s good here, not as bad as Disneyland.”
Mary Harkin owner of Rory's Fishing Tackle the area's oldest shop
“Well we have been open for 52 years so I worked here as a child and have been working day-to-day here for four years.
“It was my grandfather who opened it. He used to work in the ESB on Fleet Street and he was mad about fishing. He had worked in every fishing shop in town. He spotted a vacant shop and decided to open one of his own.
“Business is going well, all things considered. It’s an advantage being in an area with a lot of tourists, you’d be surprised. A lot see the shop and come in and want to buy presents for people that are a bit different. We have trout and salmon flies that are different to those used in the States.
“There’s a great community atmosphere among the business owners here too, which I don’t think you’d get as much in other parts of the city. We look out for each other.”
Zvjezdana Drasner from Croatia
“It’s nice here. I came because I read in a book it is a nice place to come and visit, like a place where there are artists and people doing performances.
I like how it looks. I like the architecture and the old buildings. The only thing I don’t like is the pigeons. I don’t like pigeons.”
Joseph Raymond and Tabatha Lynch from Boston, US
“We’ve been in Dublin two days. I just heard from my clients – I’m a hairdresser – that Temple Bar would be an area we would find interesting,” says Lynch. “They said I would be interested in the artists and the atmosphere and the things going on here.”
“It is great here. It’s so quaint and such a change from the Boston area,” adds Raymond
High hopes: what they said then
“The redevelopment of the Temple Bar area will make history in the life of this city. It is a distinctive part of Dublin frequented by young people, attracted by the unique ambience of the area, where art and cultural activities have begun to flourish spontaneously . . . This old and well-loved part of Dublin will be restored to prime condition, which it deserves.”
Charles J Haughey then taoiseach, introducing the Temple Bar Renewal and Development Bill on July 2nd, 1991
“The Taoiseach seems to want to leave some sort of monument to himself when he moves off stage, like Ceausescu in Romania, to leave some kind of city landmarks with the words ‘Charles J Haughey was the man who thought of this, ran this or organised that’.”
Tomás MacGiolla then leader of the Workers’ Party, speaking in the Dáil debate
“The mission we have set ourselves in Temple Bar Properties Ltd is to create Dublin’s Cultural Quarter in Temple Bar, building on what has already taken place spontaneously in the area . . . The result will be a bustling cultural, residential and small business precinct of charm and distinction that will attract visitors in significant numbers.”
Paddy Teahon TBP’s first managing director and then assistant secretary in the Taoiseach’s Department, on October 4th, 1991
“I have personally great hopes for the Temple Bar area. I want it to be a hustling-bustling quarter teeming with bistros and bars, cafes and counters, art and artefacts of every sort. Dublin needs an ambience where young people can identify as their own, whether in terms of music, fashion, art, dancing, food or fun.”
Bertie Ahern then finance minister
“Temple Bar is Dublin’s cultural quarter. One of Europe’s most innovative and successful urban renewal projects, it is a vibrant, living community in which residents, artists, visitors, cultural organisations and small businesses co-exist . . .
“Temple Bar encapsulates all the reasons why people are moving back into the city centre . . . an interesting and congenial environment with shops, restaurants and entertainment close at hand . . . a model for city-living principles.”
TBP’s development programme review, 1996
“Temple Bar is a working model of sustainable development in an urban context . . . a tremendous success ... [and] a key contributor to making Dublin what it is today: one of the most exciting cities in Europe.”
Brendan Howlin then minister for the environment, on July 5th, 1996.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Tesco gets permission for Temple Bar off-licence after successful appeal
TESCO HAS got the go-ahead for a controversial new off-licence in Dublin’s Temple Bar after successfully appealing a judicial ruling that it lacked the character to run such a premises.
Earlier this month, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected Tesco’s application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar and called into question its character.
She also criticised the manner in which planning and off-licence applications had been made by it or on its behalf at a number of locations, including Thomas Street in Dublin and University Road in Galway.
The ruling could have made it difficult for Tesco Ireland to make applications for new licences and could have even placed existing ones in jeopardy. The retailer took the issue seriously and retained two of the State’s leading senior counsel – Dermot Gleeson and Constance Cassidy – to represent it in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday.
Opening the hearing, Mr Gleeson said the refusal to grant the company a licence had been made on the grounds of character, which was, he continued, “a very serious matter” for the company, particularly given its size. He pointed out that there were few contemporary examples of an applicant being denied an off-licence on such grounds. “It is not as if they were running a shebeen or hired some sort of lunatic as a manager or had a string of convictions,” Mr Gleeson said.
He said all of the concerns in the District Court had been raised on planning permission grounds and were not, in his view, sustainable. He said there was a clear distinction to be made between planning applications and off-licence applications. “There are different regimes dealing with different social matters,” he said, adding that there had never been a suggestion that one regime could be used as an instrument of the other.
He told the court that if planning matters could be used to determine the outcome of off-licence applications it would be “a radical revision of 150 years of law” which could be “breathtaking in its scope” and lead to “limitless inquiries” into the planning practices of every company making an application for an off-licence.
He also said full planning permission had been granted by both the local planning authority and, on appeal, by An Bord Pleanála
Dermot Breen, Tesco Ireland’s corporate affairs director, said it took its responsibilities with regard to the sale of alcohol very seriously. He said it had a “think 25 policy” which mandated that if staff thought a person attempting to buy alcohol was under that age, they had to ask them for ID. He also pointed out that over the course of the last decade the company had had close to 100 million transactions involving alcohol across its 130 licensed premises and only one conviction for selling drink to a minor. The objectors, the Griffin Retail Group, Griffin Central Ltd and traders supporting the Cultural Quarter Ltd, trading as Temple Bar Traders, were represented by Dorothy Collins SC and solicitor Ursula Courtney.
Ms Collins said doubts had been cast over the bona fides of Tesco Ireland by Judge Collins. She said Tesco had not properly applied for planning permission for the specific purpose of selling alcohol in a number of cases – a charge the store denied – and said it had also made multiple applications for planning in some stores that meant some potential objectors did not have the opportunity to have their concerns heard.
Judge Alison Lindsay said the objectors had missed their opportunity to object to the licence on ground of planning issues at the initial stages and could not do so now. She said Tesco Ireland had complied with all planning laws and the legal proofs necessary to obtain its certificate for a licence.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Earlier this month, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected Tesco’s application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar and called into question its character.
She also criticised the manner in which planning and off-licence applications had been made by it or on its behalf at a number of locations, including Thomas Street in Dublin and University Road in Galway.
The ruling could have made it difficult for Tesco Ireland to make applications for new licences and could have even placed existing ones in jeopardy. The retailer took the issue seriously and retained two of the State’s leading senior counsel – Dermot Gleeson and Constance Cassidy – to represent it in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday.
Opening the hearing, Mr Gleeson said the refusal to grant the company a licence had been made on the grounds of character, which was, he continued, “a very serious matter” for the company, particularly given its size. He pointed out that there were few contemporary examples of an applicant being denied an off-licence on such grounds. “It is not as if they were running a shebeen or hired some sort of lunatic as a manager or had a string of convictions,” Mr Gleeson said.
He said all of the concerns in the District Court had been raised on planning permission grounds and were not, in his view, sustainable. He said there was a clear distinction to be made between planning applications and off-licence applications. “There are different regimes dealing with different social matters,” he said, adding that there had never been a suggestion that one regime could be used as an instrument of the other.
He told the court that if planning matters could be used to determine the outcome of off-licence applications it would be “a radical revision of 150 years of law” which could be “breathtaking in its scope” and lead to “limitless inquiries” into the planning practices of every company making an application for an off-licence.
He also said full planning permission had been granted by both the local planning authority and, on appeal, by An Bord Pleanála
Dermot Breen, Tesco Ireland’s corporate affairs director, said it took its responsibilities with regard to the sale of alcohol very seriously. He said it had a “think 25 policy” which mandated that if staff thought a person attempting to buy alcohol was under that age, they had to ask them for ID. He also pointed out that over the course of the last decade the company had had close to 100 million transactions involving alcohol across its 130 licensed premises and only one conviction for selling drink to a minor. The objectors, the Griffin Retail Group, Griffin Central Ltd and traders supporting the Cultural Quarter Ltd, trading as Temple Bar Traders, were represented by Dorothy Collins SC and solicitor Ursula Courtney.
Ms Collins said doubts had been cast over the bona fides of Tesco Ireland by Judge Collins. She said Tesco had not properly applied for planning permission for the specific purpose of selling alcohol in a number of cases – a charge the store denied – and said it had also made multiple applications for planning in some stores that meant some potential objectors did not have the opportunity to have their concerns heard.
Judge Alison Lindsay said the objectors had missed their opportunity to object to the licence on ground of planning issues at the initial stages and could not do so now. She said Tesco Ireland had complied with all planning laws and the legal proofs necessary to obtain its certificate for a licence.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Temple Bar chief backs U2 plan for Clarence
THE architect at the centre of the 1990s regeneration of Temple Bar yesterday said if ambitious plans like those for U2's Clarence Hotel were on the table back then he would have backed them.
James Howley, who oversaw much of the regeneration of the cultural centre of Dublin, told a hearing of An Bord Pleanala into plans to transform the Clarence site: "It is important to understand the meaning and essence of the term conservation, which is often mistakenly confused with those of preservation."
Mr Howley came out strongly in favour of the project and said: "None of the six buildings on the site is of high architectural merit, neither in external appearance nor interior design."
The conservation of the hotel was the main focus of discussions at the third day of the hearing, when final oral submissions were heard. Meanwhile opponents argued that the plans amount to the demolition of the listed hotel.
Proponents of the plan said four of the six buildings were not listed in the original Temple Bar regeneration plans of 1985 and were only added as protected structures in the plan of 1999-2000.
The proposed development by the Clarence Partnership, whose members include U2's Bono and The Edge and renowned hoteliers David Quinlan and Paddy McKinley, would see the hotel expand from 44 rooms to a 141-room, eight-storey hotel at a cost of €150m.
Rooftop
The ambitious plan includes a rooftop garden and innovative sky-catcher light well, housed in an ellipse, which will see the height of the hotel rise over two metres above its current height.
Mr Andrew Bowe, representing the designer, world renowned architect Norman Foster, said the increase in height would soften the views of the Liffey skyline, where at present only certain buildings are visible, such as the Central Bank and the Four Courts.
Mr Bowe's presentation stated that cities constantly change and there is heritage value in the Clarence Hotel proposal. He said it would be the most sustainable hotel in Europe due to its design, which means it will be naturally ventilated, lit and heated.
He added that because of its owners and its location, it would create its own heritage in the future. Opponents of the plans were adamant that the structure of the building should remain, and argued what they see as the demolition of the buildings should only happen in exceptional circumstances.
Colin Bartley
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
James Howley, who oversaw much of the regeneration of the cultural centre of Dublin, told a hearing of An Bord Pleanala into plans to transform the Clarence site: "It is important to understand the meaning and essence of the term conservation, which is often mistakenly confused with those of preservation."
Mr Howley came out strongly in favour of the project and said: "None of the six buildings on the site is of high architectural merit, neither in external appearance nor interior design."
The conservation of the hotel was the main focus of discussions at the third day of the hearing, when final oral submissions were heard. Meanwhile opponents argued that the plans amount to the demolition of the listed hotel.
Proponents of the plan said four of the six buildings were not listed in the original Temple Bar regeneration plans of 1985 and were only added as protected structures in the plan of 1999-2000.
The proposed development by the Clarence Partnership, whose members include U2's Bono and The Edge and renowned hoteliers David Quinlan and Paddy McKinley, would see the hotel expand from 44 rooms to a 141-room, eight-storey hotel at a cost of €150m.
Rooftop
The ambitious plan includes a rooftop garden and innovative sky-catcher light well, housed in an ellipse, which will see the height of the hotel rise over two metres above its current height.
Mr Andrew Bowe, representing the designer, world renowned architect Norman Foster, said the increase in height would soften the views of the Liffey skyline, where at present only certain buildings are visible, such as the Central Bank and the Four Courts.
Mr Bowe's presentation stated that cities constantly change and there is heritage value in the Clarence Hotel proposal. He said it would be the most sustainable hotel in Europe due to its design, which means it will be naturally ventilated, lit and heated.
He added that because of its owners and its location, it would create its own heritage in the future. Opponents of the plans were adamant that the structure of the building should remain, and argued what they see as the demolition of the buildings should only happen in exceptional circumstances.
Colin Bartley
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Locals are real Temple Bar bane
It has been stereotyped as a haven for rowdy, drunken, brawling stag parties from the UK.
But new figures show that when it comes to troublemakers in Temple Bar, we have only ourselves to blame and not weekend visitors.
For, it is the Fightin' Irish who are responsible for most of the problems, statistics reveal.
And, in fact, British nationals on boozy lads' weekends are rarely ever arrested for being drunk and disorderly, or being involved in fights on the cobbled streets of Dublin's famous party zone, according to security sources.
Irish nationals made up almost 80 per cent of arrests for public order offences, according to crime figures for the area for last year.
Statistics on Public Order offences from the Pearse Street district -- which covers the Temple Bar area -- show that, of 1,011 arrests for public order offences made last year, 793 of them -- 78 per cent -- were Irish nationals and 218 (22 per cent) were listed as non-Irish.
The figures were obtained by the Garda Press Office and though there is no breakdown of the non-Irish category, security sources say British stag party revellers are rarely -- if ever -- arrested.
They say the image of brawling British stags rolling into Temple Bar and causing havoc is now a completely inaccurate one.
One said: "It is hard to recall even one arrest of a UK national over the past number of years in Temple Bar. Irish people make up the majority of arrests for public order offences."
The numbers tally with surveys on the area that show stag party numbers have dropped significantly.
Martin Harte, managing director of TASCQ -- an organisation representing Temple Bar traders -- said it is the final nail in the coffin for the Cultural Quarter's perception as UK stag party central.
He said that the stag trade has tapered off in recent years, with at least 15 parties of 10 arriving per day in the area in the late Nineties, but perhaps only two or three small parties arriving now.
TASCQ's efforts and campaigns to reclaim the good name of the area are working, he believes.
Said Mr Harte: "At one point, not only was the perception of Temple Bar bad, the reality was bad too. But we have been working hard over the past five years to address that and there have been significant changes.
"I think these figures should shatter any remaining myths of Temple Bar as some kind of place for boozy English boys on tour."
Mr Harte emphasised that TASCQ did not want to lose the spirit of Temple Bar in its endeavours to make it less rowdy and more cultural.
"Yes it is the cultural quarter of Dublin, with theatres and music venues and art galleries, but it is about contemporary culture too, bars and pubs and restaurants," he said.
"But you won't be greeted by an orchestra, it is supposed to be fun, a mini-Ireland in Dublin."
Larissa Nolan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
But new figures show that when it comes to troublemakers in Temple Bar, we have only ourselves to blame and not weekend visitors.
For, it is the Fightin' Irish who are responsible for most of the problems, statistics reveal.
And, in fact, British nationals on boozy lads' weekends are rarely ever arrested for being drunk and disorderly, or being involved in fights on the cobbled streets of Dublin's famous party zone, according to security sources.
Irish nationals made up almost 80 per cent of arrests for public order offences, according to crime figures for the area for last year.
Statistics on Public Order offences from the Pearse Street district -- which covers the Temple Bar area -- show that, of 1,011 arrests for public order offences made last year, 793 of them -- 78 per cent -- were Irish nationals and 218 (22 per cent) were listed as non-Irish.
The figures were obtained by the Garda Press Office and though there is no breakdown of the non-Irish category, security sources say British stag party revellers are rarely -- if ever -- arrested.
They say the image of brawling British stags rolling into Temple Bar and causing havoc is now a completely inaccurate one.
One said: "It is hard to recall even one arrest of a UK national over the past number of years in Temple Bar. Irish people make up the majority of arrests for public order offences."
The numbers tally with surveys on the area that show stag party numbers have dropped significantly.
Martin Harte, managing director of TASCQ -- an organisation representing Temple Bar traders -- said it is the final nail in the coffin for the Cultural Quarter's perception as UK stag party central.
He said that the stag trade has tapered off in recent years, with at least 15 parties of 10 arriving per day in the area in the late Nineties, but perhaps only two or three small parties arriving now.
TASCQ's efforts and campaigns to reclaim the good name of the area are working, he believes.
Said Mr Harte: "At one point, not only was the perception of Temple Bar bad, the reality was bad too. But we have been working hard over the past five years to address that and there have been significant changes.
"I think these figures should shatter any remaining myths of Temple Bar as some kind of place for boozy English boys on tour."
Mr Harte emphasised that TASCQ did not want to lose the spirit of Temple Bar in its endeavours to make it less rowdy and more cultural.
"Yes it is the cultural quarter of Dublin, with theatres and music venues and art galleries, but it is about contemporary culture too, bars and pubs and restaurants," he said.
"But you won't be greeted by an orchestra, it is supposed to be fun, a mini-Ireland in Dublin."
Larissa Nolan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
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