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'It's out of our hands now': Dublin's Bernard Shaw pub to close at end of October

The owners of the pub said they had “tried really hard” to renew their lease, stay on longer or buy the pub.

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THE POPULAR BERNARD Shaw pub in Dublin, which also hosts the Eatyard food space, is to close in October.

The venue made the announcement on its website today. In a statement, the management said:

It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the end of our Bernard Shaw adventure. At the end of October 2019 we will close the Shaw, Eatyard, all organisational, art, and performance spaces and everything else in the building and years – for good. We’ve tried really hard over the last few months to renew the lease, stay on longer, or buy the place. A lot of things didn’t go our way over the last 12 months either, but it’s out of our hands now unfortunately.

They thanked all who had been involved with the venue for the last 13 years, from staff to customers.

The statement continued:

Dublin is changing, we can all see and feel it but we are going nowhere and we won’t go down without a fight. We’ll start something else, somewhere else [plans are afoot], and keep fighting the good fight. There are so many creative, clever, smart people in Dublin and Ireland at the moment – there’s lots to be optimistic about – but they need the spaces to meet each other, make plans and make them happen!

The building will stay open as normal until the end of October. 

In May of this year, TheJournal.ie reported that the Bernard Shaw had been refused permission by An Bord Pleanála to continue operating its iconic exterior beer garden and dining area.

Locals in that area of Dublin 2 had appealed to An Bord Pleanála against the plan, but at the time Trevor O’Shea – CEO of Bodytonic who runs the pub – told TheJournal.ie that a renewed application would be made to continue operating the outside area.

In objections lodged to the council by nearby residents, the noise levels from the pub were criticised.

In the An Bord Pleanála’s inspector’s report, the inspector noted that the existing use of the site is “clearly a vibrant enterprise with its own unique character within an area notable for the extent of dereliction”.

She also highlighted that for a case to be made to keep using the site, evidence must be demonstrated of detailed noise mitigation measures.

Her recommendation was to request further information from the Bernard Shaw before ruling on the matter.

An Bord Pleanála, however, chose to refuse permission to the bar outright.

Bodytonic also operates Wigwam on Abbey Street, the Back Page in Phibsborough and Jam Park in Swords.  

Additional reporting Sean Murray.

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    Mute Terrence Edwards
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    Sep 9th 2019, 3:43 PM

    Super fishy that these complaints only emerged around the same time that the new weatherspoons hotel across the road was gearing up to open. Surely a coincidence.

    Absolutely devastating news, in any case.

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    Mute Clark Griswold
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    Sep 9th 2019, 4:06 PM

    @Terrence Edwards: very different clientele I would have thought. Chalk and cheese.

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    Mute Terrence Edwards
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    Sep 9th 2019, 5:05 PM

    @Clark Griswold: Nothing to do with the clientele, it’s the hotel not wanting an open air late night bar across the road. Bernard Shaw closes early compared to other nearby bars and clubs and has been operating largely in harmony with neighbours until very recently.

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    Mute Craig Bell
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:02 PM

    @Terrence Edwards: the hotel will be 240m away while the bleeding horse is straight across the road from the hotel…

    29
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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Sep 9th 2019, 8:44 PM

    @Terrence Edwards: there’s no conspiracy. It’s just not a viable business.

    10
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    Mute Mary's Abbey
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    Sep 9th 2019, 10:07 PM

    @Terrence Edwards: If you haven’t read the evidence you are in no position to comment. read the planning files available on the An Bord Pleanála website – Case reference: PL29S.303477

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    Mute Gee
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    Sep 9th 2019, 3:37 PM

    which residents complained? The socials who live behind the pub?

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    Mute Patrick FitzGerald
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    Sep 10th 2019, 1:54 AM

    @Gee: No, a board member of the company who will own the luxury apartments replacing the social ones, apparently.

    9
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    Mute James Hughes
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    Sep 9th 2019, 3:48 PM

    Very sad news…this has been one of my favourites for years. Will be a real loss to the area. No doubt some cookie-cutter Press Up venue will open up several months later :(

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    Mute Barra O Brien
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:01 PM

    @James Hughes: Dublin is fast becoming soulless, great venues going and being replaced hotels or another pressup venue by numbers

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    Mute DJ François
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    Sep 9th 2019, 7:51 PM

    @James Hughes: Another venue gone, Dublin’s nightlife is being strangled

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    Mute Phil Gill
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    Sep 9th 2019, 3:48 PM

    Dreadful news but not surprising. The entire block has been shut down in the past year or so.
    I would guess there is a new shiny glass and metal apartment/office complex about to take over the whole block

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    Mute Cynical
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:57 PM

    @Phil Gill: It’s a looong time coming, B.S. were on a short lease for this very reason.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/developers-compete-for-slice-of-large-d2-site-1.979890

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Sep 9th 2019, 4:02 PM

    There seems to be a stench off these Bord Pleanala decisions lately.

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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Sep 9th 2019, 4:21 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Agree,poor Pat K fell foul of one of these lately.

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    Mute Brianto
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:46 PM

    @Dave Doyle: new amazon hq. Money talks. Disgraceful

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    Mute james burke
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    Sep 9th 2019, 4:58 PM

    Boycott Wetherspoons.

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    Mute Grumpyoldtroll
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    Sep 9th 2019, 5:34 PM

    @james burke: no

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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Sep 9th 2019, 5:47 PM

    Regardless of your opinion of the place, it’s just another example of an independent, locally-owned business being pushed out. No doubt a chain with a late night bar will appear in that location soon. Nothing unique to the locality will be left. Unfortunately it’s happening worldwide.

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    Mute 5hbeZh0I
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    Sep 9th 2019, 9:29 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: it’s not locally owned

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    Mute Jamie
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    Sep 9th 2019, 5:02 PM

    Place smelled like piss

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    Mute Kieran Feely
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    Sep 9th 2019, 7:21 PM

    The coverage this is getting! Pubs close every day of the week in rural Ireland and no one gives a toss!

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    Mute 5hbeZh0I
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    Sep 9th 2019, 7:30 PM

    @Kieran Feely: nobody cares about muck savage pubs

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    Mute Darren Forde
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    Sep 9th 2019, 9:50 PM

    @Kieran Feely: the ppl that complain don’t spend any money in the same pub they give out about closing. Going to tesco for Cheap beer

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    Mute Christy Dolan
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    Sep 10th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Kieran Feely: No one cares about some pee pot hole in rural Ireland

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    Mute Christy Dolan
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    Sep 10th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Kieran Feely: pity the turf munches didn’t die off with them

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    Mute John Blowick
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    Sep 10th 2019, 5:04 PM

    @Darren Forde: What’s wrong with that…friendo ?

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    Mute Honeybee
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    Sep 9th 2019, 3:52 PM

    The exterior of the premises and the adjacent properties look derelict,perhaps if an effort to improve all this and reduce noise levels before applying for permissions,then the application might have a more favourable reaction.Pity to see any business shut down especially since the report highlighted the need in the overall context of the area.

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    Mute D4 Observer
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    Sep 9th 2019, 5:40 PM

    @Honeybee: totally agree. The building and it’s surrounds really bring the area down and make it look shabby.

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    Mute Barra O Brien
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:13 PM

    @D4 Observer: so the Bernard Shaw is responsible for the surrounding buildings? Have a word with yourself.

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    Mute 5hbeZh0I
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    Sep 9th 2019, 9:28 PM

    @Barra O Brien: that’s not what he said, it has to be tackled one building at a time

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    Mute Ian James Burgess
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    Sep 9th 2019, 8:15 PM

    Glad I grew up in the late 70′s early 80′s in Dublin it’s souless now

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Sep 9th 2019, 6:28 PM

    Best way to get on in Ireland is with a franchise, you don’t even have to be interested in what type, just rich enough to get it. You wont be supported as an independent. It’s what they want us to be, employees. been that way for decades.

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    Mute Darren Forde
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    Sep 9th 2019, 9:47 PM

    It reminds me of people complaining about noise and there kids not being able to sleep when I worked in temple bar. Cracks me up. What fool brings up a child in temple bar. Yet the judge still sided with the poor tenant.

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    Mute SEO DUBLIN
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    Sep 9th 2019, 11:21 PM

    Another Dublin pub gone forever, some great times had there, sad to see it go

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    Mute Carla Killeen
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    Sep 9th 2019, 10:34 PM

    Brown envelopes. Why now? It’s been a pub for decades. An bord pleanala only too happy granting permissions for hideous buildings including their own. This reeks of something suspicious.

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    Mute Carla Killeen
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    Sep 9th 2019, 10:40 PM

    @Carla Killeen: correction, it’s been a pub since the 1880s. FFS

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Sep 9th 2019, 9:12 PM

    So pitty, a great place.

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