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Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie

Plan for €5m Dublin food hall to go ahead after company overturns 10pm curfew

Michael Wright’s plan to redevelop St Andrew’s Church in central Dublin was approved last year.

PLANS FOR A multimillion-euro food hall in central Dublin are back on track after the company behind it overturned a planning restriction that could have derailed the project.

In November of last year, Mink Fusion, a company connected to hospitality supremo Michael Wright, was given conditional approval to convert St Andrew’s Church on Suffolk Street into a licensed food court, banqueting hall and cultural centre.

The vacant property was once used as a tourist information centre and is owned by Fáilte Ireland. The Molly Malone statue is located in front of the church and it is a popular busking and meeting point. The redevelopment is expected to cost €5 million.

Manahan Planners, on behalf of Mink Fusion, lodged an appeal last December against a condition imposed by Dublin City Council that would have restricted the opening hours of an outdoor dining area attached to the project.

The council had said that the area – to be used for “dining purposes” only – should close between 10pm and 8am every day, which the developer complained was an “overly restrictive” measure.

In its appeal to the national planning board, Wright’s company said there was “no basis” for imposing the 10pm curfew and that the restriction had “the potential to derail the entire project”.

90283323_90283323 Michael Wright Mark Stedman / Rollingnews.ie Mark Stedman / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

Ruling

An Bord Pleanála decided to reverse the condition attached to the city council’s approval. The outdoor area is now permitted to operate until 11.30pm daily, which is in line with the opening hours of other food and drink venues in the area.

Taking into consideration a development plan for the capital, the agency ruled that the development “would not seriously (harm) the … amenities of residential properties in the vicinity or the amenities of public realm and would be in accordance with the proper planning”.

Wright told Fora that he is “happy with the outcome”.

He is a member of the well-known Howth family that owns several restaurants, a seafood business and the Marquette food hall at Dublin Airport.

The Michael JF Wright Hospitality Group earlier this year shut the famous Wright Venue nightclub in Swords after 10 years so it could focus on its food businesses.

St Andrews Food Hall on Suffolk Street is due to open its doors later this year. It is described as the first large-scale operation of its kind in Dublin and promises to “be a showcase for local authentic Irish foods, as well as presenting a diverse range of ethic foods”.

Wright’s group has suggested that such European-style food halls have the potential to drive footfall for surrounding businesses.

Get our NEW Daily Briefing with the morning’s most important headlines for innovative Irish businesses.

Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute John Considine
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:03 AM

    Guys like this are what Ireland needs, reopening a disused building and doing something useful and productive with it. This is a good news story.

    483
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    Mute Leeroy Browne
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    Apr 20th 2019, 9:05 AM

    Michael wright & mick wallace could be the new damo & ivor

    158
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    Mute bings
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:32 AM

    @Leeroy Browne: The only thing is Damo & Ivor are the same guy.

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    Mute Stevie B
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    Apr 20th 2019, 6:05 PM

    @bings: Have you ever seen Mick Wallace and Wright in the same room ???

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    Mute Stevie B
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    Apr 20th 2019, 6:05 PM

    @bings: Have you ever seen Mick Wallace and Wright in the same room ???

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    Mute Stevie B
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    Apr 20th 2019, 6:05 PM

    @bings: Have you ever seen Mick Wallace and Wright in the same room ???

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    Mute Stevie B
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    Apr 20th 2019, 6:06 PM

    @bings: Have you ever seen Mick Wallace and Wright in the same room ???

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    Mute El Psy Kongaroo
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    Apr 20th 2019, 8:45 PM

    @Stevie B: Dose of the repetitions

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    Mute Grumpyoldtroll
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:15 AM

    The first? Did the Epicurean Foodhall on Liffey Street not do the same thing?

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    Mute Atlas' burden
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    Apr 20th 2019, 12:31 PM

    @Grumpyoldtroll: that’s closed now and now it’s dealz

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    Mute Grumpyoldtroll
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    Apr 20th 2019, 1:19 PM

    @Atlas’ burden: I know that. It was still the first

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    Mute Snotser Galligan
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:09 AM

    Michael Wright has phenomenal hair

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    Mute RMcCawley
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:44 AM

    @Snotser Galligan: embracing his inner Jon Bon Jovi

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    Mute Snotser Galligan
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:46 AM

    @RMcCawley: Jon Bon Jovi wears Michael Wright pyjamas

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:42 AM

    Hardly that many ‘residential properties’ in that vicinity – and those that are must be well used to a bit of late bussle ….. and worse!

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    Mute steve white
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    Apr 20th 2019, 1:35 PM

    @Michael Kavanagh: did they just not want the place to turn into a super pub

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:22 PM

    @Michael Kavanagh: Is it another PPP bull…

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    Mute Dan Linehan
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:18 AM

    He looks like a Targaryen.with those locks.

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    Mute kevin mc cormack
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    Apr 20th 2019, 11:26 AM

    Always the same in Ireland,yes yes you can do it (BUT),always trying to put you in your place.

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    Apr 20th 2019, 4:02 PM

    Thank god it’s not going to be another press up burger hole

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    Mute Lesley McCarthy
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    Apr 20th 2019, 6:21 PM

    I used to work in there and it’s a beautiful building. I’m glad it’s going to be reopened.

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    Mute Honey Badger
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:42 AM

    Fair play micka

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    Mute James Pea
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    Apr 20th 2019, 10:31 AM

    A pity these stupid yet inevitable restrictions by DCC mean it won’t be open in time for Summer.

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    Mute steve white
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    Apr 20th 2019, 12:52 PM

    @James Pea: they didn’t want it to turn into a pub?

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    Mute Neil Ferriter
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    Apr 20th 2019, 1:13 PM

    @steve white: do other restuarants close at 10? Or turn into pubs, ridiculous condition.

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