THE ECONOMIC REGENERATION of Limerick city continues apace with the news that the city is set to get itself a brand new ‘superpub’ for a cost in the region of €750,000 according to sources.
The new establishment will be based on the former site of the ‘Sin Bin’, the pub run by former Irish rugby international Peter Clohessy, on Howley’s Quay on the city’s waterfront.
The pub is set to be an extension of House, a high-end hotel and restaurant (and cinema) on Dublin’s Leeson Street owned (among others) by publican Alan Clancy.
The Sin Bin closed its doors some 18 months ago.
“It’s a prime location on the waterfront, an area that has been developed to a great extent in recent times, and we’re looking to really animate the area with new vibrant businesses,” Nigel Dugdale of the Limerick 2020 bid told TheJournal.ie.
Planning permission for the new establishment was reportedly lodged last week, while the location’s bar licence was renewed by receivers KPMG also. All signs point to an imminent refit.
The news of the new pub’s arrival is just the tip of the iceberg for Limerick at present. In recent times pharmaceutical company Regeneron announced it is to create a further 200 jobs at its facility in the city via a $350 million expansion investment, while trip-sourcing giant Uber recently made the city the base for its European and Asian operations.
Belief
At the moment you’re seeing significant FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in Limerick,” says Dugdale.
And now the hospitality industry is seeing a rejuvenation. There are a lot of young, trendy companies setting up stall here.
My personal feeling is that there’s been a huge shift in how we believe in ourselves, and now that’s being seen by those outside the city.
It’s understood that the refit of the former Sin Bin will involve a “substantial fit-out” with a cost of between €700,000 and €750,000.
The timeline for an opening would seem to be more likely to be early next year given the scale of what’s involved.
“It’s just another good news story for the city,” councillor and city mayor Jerry O’Dea told TheJournal.ie.
I’m delighted to see someone has the confidence to invest that amount of money in an entertainment establishment in the city.
“I’m sure the other publicans in the locality will be only too delighted to see another well-run, well-managed property in the area,” he added.
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