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The Dublin hotel, pictured in 2022, is to undergo a massive increase in room capacity. Alamy Stock Photo

Plans to triple size of former U2 Hotel, The Clarence, to be lodged in the coming days

The application states that it is to increase the number of rooms from the current 58 to 162.

PLANS ARE TO be lodged in the coming days for almost a tripling in the room capacity of the former U2 hotel, The Clarence in Dublin’s Temple Bar.

The new owners of the hotel, Keywell DAC have given notice that it is to lodge plans for the major revamp and extension of the Clarence Hotel with the City Council.

The application by Dean Group subsidiary, Keywell DAC states that it is to increase the number of rooms from the current 58 to 162. The additional 104 bedrooms will include a six storey extension at the site.

The Dean Group is owned by Lifestyle Hospitality Capital (LHC) and a spokeswoman for the Dean Group said on Friday: “The Clarence hotel is set to undergo a thoughtfully designed renovation and expansion starting in 2025, marking an exciting new chapter for Dublin’s most iconic hotel.

She said: “Plans include the addition of new guest bedrooms, along with unique spaces dedicated to entertainment, dining, and events. This ambitious development will further cement The Clarence’s historic legacy as a cultural and social hub in the heart of Dublin City.”

In March of this year, Paddy McKillen Jnr and business partner, Matt Ryan from the Press Up Group sold a majority stake in the Dean Hotel Group, that included the boutique Clarence Hotel, to British property group Lifestyle Hospitality Capital (LHC) and Elliott Investment Management, the New York-headquartered investment giant founded by billionaire Paul Singer.

The deal valued the hotels at about €355m and gave LHC and Elliott a stake of more than 70pc.

The deal came only months after Bono, The Edge and Paddy McKillen Snr sold the Clarence hotel last October to the Dean Hotel Group.

The deal ended Bono and The Edge’s connection with the four-star hotel after more than three decades of ownership.

However, the hotel continues to trade on its U2 association with the hotel website stating that the hotel is “also known as the ‘U2 Hotel’ or ‘Bono Hotel’ in Dublin”.

The hotel refurbishment will comprise 8,544 sq metres when complete and will accommodate the additional 104 rooms.

The applicants intend to add one storey dormer extension to the Clarence and the refurbishment of floors one to six to accommodate 37 additional rooms.

The revamp will include a refurbished Octagon Bar, a stout bar and a contemporary music bar at ground level along with a gym and a live music venue at basement level.

On plans for the adjoining Dollard House, the applicants are to change the use of the upper floors to accommodate 46 hotel rooms and change the ground floor use to ancillary restaurant, retail bakery coffee shop and new event and banqueting space.

Keywell is also seeking to demolish the existing Anne’s Bar and construct a new six storey extension to accommodate 15 new hotel rooms.

The Clarence had previously obtained planning permission in December 2019 for a 56 bedroom extension to the hotel.

However, the planning grant of permission came only three months before the Covid-19 pandemic which shut down the hospitality industry for much of the following two years and the scheme was not proceeded with.

In 2008, the city Council granted planning permission for a €150 million plan, designed by British architect Norman Foster, to transform the Clarence into a 141-bedroom five-star hotel and spa and that project never got off the ground due to the recession at the time.

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    Mute Darren Ahern
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:11 PM

    Did anyone explain the rules of fight club to these people!

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    Mute Joe Phillips
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:13 PM

    @Darren Ahern: Seems they did… hence no one’s talkin’ about it!?

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    Mute Darren Ahern
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:46 PM

    @Joe Phillips: they made a Snapchat group about it sure that’s worse than talking about it!

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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:53 PM

    @Darren Ahern: They are cowards, gangs attacking one or two people, not really a fight club.

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    Mute Joe Phillips
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:49 PM

    @Darren Ahern: Haha! Good point

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    Mute Joe Phillips
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:51 PM

    Although I don’t remember hearin’ Tyler Durden mention snapchat so, technically…

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    Mute Paddy O'Dea
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    Jan 29th 2019, 3:54 PM

    @Darren Ahern: came here for this comment. Was not disappointed

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    Mute Carol Oates
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:34 PM

    People don’t report stuff because Guards do nothing about it the majority of the time. And if they do something, the courts don’t follow through. There is no justice for victims in Ireland.

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    Mute Anthony
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:40 PM

    Can’t do anything if it’s not reported.

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    Mute Carol Oates
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:47 PM

    @Anthony: Can’t do anything when crimes are reported either apparently.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:06 PM

    @Carol Oates: moral of the story: never try

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    Mute John Swan
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:08 PM

    @Carol Oates: “apparently”

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    Mute Etherman
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:16 PM

    @Carol Oates: something tells me you want to see more criminals doing porridge.

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    Mute O Hiongardail Collie
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:18 PM

    @Carol Oates: I didnt know Ireland has a 0% crime detection rate…….. why have you hidden this from us for so long… all wise and powerful one

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:18 PM

    @Carol Oates: It’s sadly true. Someone without a previous conviction would likely be given a suspended sentence for assault in this country, if it can even be proven through the courts. For victims the idea of taking on a gang like this when none of them are taken off the streets is terrifying since the chances of them or one of their comrades coming for revenge is high.

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    Mute Jake
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:41 PM

    @Carol Oates: all the gardai do is issue speeding fines

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    Mute Carol Oates
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    Jan 29th 2019, 3:14 PM

    @Rochelle: Exactly right.

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    Mute Bob Earner
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:15 PM

    I’m in no way condoning any of the behaviour described here but I cannot imagine what my childhood would have been like if all the fights that went on when I was young had been filmed.

    Two opposing schools fighting down the park….. fights after school….

    Can’t say I can think of strangers ever being randomly attacked but there was a lot of fights when I was young that I’m very glad there is no evidence of today.

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    Mute Kian
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:19 PM

    @Bob Earner: I always get a chuckle out of the “kids these days”’comments from older generations. The same stuff and worse went on back the. Just there wasn’t cameras everywhere to record it or social media to share it

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    Mute Bob Earner
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:22 PM

    @Kian: It’s the weirdest form of amnesia!!

    Can you imagine if every fight resulted in a criminal assault charge!? 60% of my school would have been up in front of the Childrens Panel!

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    Mute Damo.f
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:34 PM

    @Bob Earner: There has always been fights after school. But these youths seem to be recording random vicious assaults just for the fun of it. A big difference.

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    Mute Mark
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:39 PM

    @Kian: ha exactly. If there’s a gun attack : jaysus the worst I ever saw was a knife.
    If there’s a knife attack : why can’t they just use their God given fists the cowards!
    Use fists : what is wrong with these monsters bring back the rope

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    Mute James Harney
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    Jan 29th 2019, 5:16 PM

    @Bob Earner: War of the Buttons is a classic Irish children’s film about two rival schools baiting lumps out if each other.

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    Mute Eon Cocker
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:36 PM

    any shyte bag who randomly attacks someone should be tarred, feathered and forced into the wilderness to fend for themselves

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    Mute Seriously stunned
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    Jan 29th 2019, 6:23 PM

    @Eon Cocker: and blow we go live to the 1700s

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    Mute Seriously stunned
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    Jan 29th 2019, 6:24 PM

    @Seriously stunned: and now we go live to the 1700s.

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    Mute Yzo Sirrius
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:53 PM

    Gardai are only getting involved and making a statement in the media because it’s in the public eye and they have to be seen to be doing something. Especially after the recent stats on young offenders getting away with a slew of crimes. They couldn’t care less about teenagers fighting, in reality.

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    Mute Tom Sawyer
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:45 PM

    Don’t bother reporting it to the guards they are useless. I witnessed a car being broken into at the weekend rang the guards to report it & they never came, an hour later my wife rang back & reported it again, they never came and now the car is just sitting there wrecked. The scrotes sat in it for an hour trying to get it started and then just walked away.

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    Mute Pius Flynn
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    Jan 29th 2019, 3:34 PM

    @Tom Sawyer: no money in responding to that.

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    Mute John Swan
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    Jan 29th 2019, 3:59 PM

    @Pius Flynn: we get it you don’t like the Gardaí…yawn

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    Mute Pius Flynn
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:09 PM

    We effectively have no police force in this country now as all their time is taken up gathering revenue for the Government by harassing hard working people going about their business.
    No other European people would put up with this lunacy

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    Mute David Irwin
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:16 PM

    @Pius Flynn: 10 people dead in 7 days on Irish roads! I think enforcing road traffic legislation is a worthwhile endeavour

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    Mute Love Your League
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:23 PM

    Why do people insist on sh*tting on the Gardai when the article clearly states that they are pro-actively trying to sort the problem out?

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jan 29th 2019, 2:50 PM

    @Pius Flynn: What exactly are you getting at? Hard-working people speeding; not paying tax; insurance; unsafe vehicles? And if you think that no other Europeans would put up with this, I invite you to try any of the above in France, the Uk, Spain or Germany. You might be surprised to find yourself walking home.

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    Mute Pius Flynn
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    Jan 29th 2019, 3:29 PM

    @David Irwin: it depends on what legislation you are talking about.
    And anyway we have enough laws, we need training for young drivers, and roads that are safe to drive on.

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    Mute Pius Flynn
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    Jan 29th 2019, 5:14 PM

    @George Salter: In other country’s they have technology called number plate recognition, you were probably too busy shining the local superintendents shoes to hear about it.
    In other country’s if the police tried to set up checkpoints like they do here, they would be driven across, and rightfully so.
    If you pay your tax and insurance and you have a valid drivers license you should be able to go about your business unhindered.
    The police have far too much power in this country, it’s a police state really.

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    Mute Paul
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    Jan 29th 2019, 6:50 PM

    @Pius Flynn: been stopped at checkpoints in Germany and Slovenia. Anymore “facts” you want to make up?

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    Mute Rodger 5
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    Jan 29th 2019, 1:38 PM

    Make the statements before someone dies.

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    Mute mondoburley80
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    Jan 29th 2019, 4:15 PM

    His name is Robert Paulson…

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    Mute Alan Currie
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    Jan 29th 2019, 10:15 PM

    Could we not just get some undercover Gardai to join the group and go beat the bejaysus out of them?

    6
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