Fingal’s Outdoor Summer

PCros

Outdoor dining with areas in Swords, Blanchardstown, Skerries and Malahide will be commencing from June 7th. Personally I am looking forward to getting back out there for food and drinks so this will be enjoyable, especially now that things are heading back to normal.

Anyone with any ideas can still submit them to the public consultation that is open until this Friday.

Link below with further details nd maps of seating arrangements in each of the towns.

https://www.fingal.ie/news/council-unveils-plans-fingals-outdoor-summer

shesty

Thanks for that, very useful!

Wishbone Ash

Good to see that there's a litter reduction initiative included. The amount of litter discarded around the harbour/red island area of Skerries is shocking particularly food containers, coffee cups, pizza boxes etc. In fairness, all the bins are full but you'd think the visitors would bring it home rather than simply dropping it beside the bin.

Dizzyblonde

I can't wait - all we need now is half decent weather. Hopefully the Guards will patrol the beaches and open spaces to keep a lid on antisocial behaviour. It only takes a few to ruin it for everyone.

Khannie

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Good to see that there's a litter reduction initiative included. The amount of litter discarded around the harbour/red island area of Skerries is shocking particularly food containers, coffee cups, pizza boxes etc. In fairness, all the bins are full but you'd think the visitors would bring it home rather than simply dropping it beside the bin.

Wrecks my head. Who sees a full bin and decides the best course of action is just to dump whatever they're holding like?

Wishbone Ash

Khannie wrote: »

Wrecks my head. Who sees a full bin and decides the best course of action is just to dump whatever they're holding like?

I know people should be responsible for their own litter but I feel businesses have a big part to play. I'd make it compulsory for all businesses who do take away to have their own logo/branding on all takeaway containers. That would make their litter easily identifiable and subject them to negative publicity. It would also encourage them to send their staff out at closing time to pick up their own stuff. any business which whinges about the extra cost involves can simply stop doing takeaway.

(When I was a youngster in the early 1980's, I worked in a fast food takeaway. Each night after closing, we were sent out with black bags to pick up any discarded litter for about 500m each side of the premises).

selassie

On street parking should be removed permanently on the main street in Swords.

pinkypinky

selassie wrote: »

On street parking should be removed permanently on the main street in Swords.

Have been saying this for years - or at least pedestrianise from Apache Pizza to the turn beside the disused Star.

Really interested to see how this will work in Swords. It'll take away almost all the Fingal controlled cheaper parking from Main St and force people to use the dearer one on Forster Way.

buttercups88

selassie wrote: »

On street parking should be removed permanently on the main street in Swords.

Can you imagine the chaos if all Dublin buses had to turn right at the garda station. Don't know how many times I've been stuck at lights because the green machine buses can't make the turn (usually because some numpty has crossed the white line at the lights next to the garda station)

I do agree that there is too much traffic on the street. Perhaps making it one way similar to new street in malahide (as it was during winter months) and take away the parking on the side from mc donalds down to the star

PCros

pinkypinky wrote: »

Really interested to see how this will work in Swords. It'll take away almost all the Fingal controlled cheaper parking from Main St and force people to use the dearer one on Forster Way.

No need. Fingal open their office car parks beside the courthouse and Seatown on the weekends for free parking so that will alleviate most of it. Forster Way is a rip off.

Besides that I would just use the Pav if you are driving as you get 2 hours free.

Deeec

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I know people should be responsible for their own litter but I feel businesses have a big part to play. I'd make it compulsory for all businesses who do take away to have their own logo/branding on all takeaway containers. That would make their litter easily identifiable and subject them to negative publicity. It would also encourage them to send their staff out at closing time to pick up their own stuff. any business which whinges about the extra cost involves can simply stop doing takeaway.

(When I was a youngster in the early 1980's, I worked in a fast food takeaway. Each night after closing, we were sent out with black bags to pick up any discarded litter for about 500m each side of the premises).

There is no way business's can be responsible for their own litter because it could be discarded miles away from their premises. Branding wouldnt make any difference and could actually be good publicity for the business. What could work is for the council to install more bins and make the business owners responsible for keeping that bin empty.

Wishbone Ash

Deeec wrote: »

There is no way business's can be responsible for their own litter because it could be discarded miles away from their premises.

I realise that but a lot of the discarded containers I see are from businesses in the immediate vicinity. People head for the nearest bench/wall to eat and leave their litter there when finished.

...And I was thinking of a moral/ethical responsibility - not a legal one.

Deeec

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I realise that but a lot of the discarded containers I see are from businesses in the immediate vicinity. People head for the nearest bench/wall to eat and leave their litter there when finished.

...And I was thinking of a moral/ethical responsibility - not a legal one.

I know what you are saying but this could put more expense on business's who have suffered greatly over the last year and still cant fill their premises with people to capacity. If they are to be made responsible for their litter this could mean they may have to hire an extra person ( at an extra cost )to be a litter collector at busy times. Believe me this wouldnt be feasible for lots of restaurants who are already struggling.

buttercups88

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I realise that but a lot of the discarded containers I see are from businesses in the immediate vicinity. People head for the nearest bench/wall to eat and leave their litter there when finished.

...And I was thinking of a moral/ethical responsibility - not a legal one.

If fingal county council spent half as much time chasing litter bugs as they did targeting dog owners fingal would be a lot cleaner.

PWEI

Deeec wrote: »

I know what you are saying but this could put more expense on business's who have suffered greatly over the last year and still cant fill their premises with people to capacity. If they are to be made responsible for their litter this could mean they may have to hire an extra person ( at an extra cost )to be a litter collector at busy times. Believe me this wouldnt be feasible for lots of restaurants who are already struggling.

It wouldn't be too much of an expense on a business to get one of their staff to go outside near their premises once in a while and clean up their take away boxes.

For EG. There's a pizza take away in Applewood Village and their boxes are always scattered all over the village, usually from teenagers who eat their pizza's outside the take away.

One evening I picked up a load of the boxes and brought them in to the take away and the staff didnt want to know and told me to leave them outside.

Yes it's not their fault but they should take a certain amount of responsibility for keeping the area clean. There would be no expense involved for a place like that to send one of their staff outside a couple a times a night to pick up the boxes.

Deeec

PWEI wrote: »

It wouldn't be too much of an expense on a business to get one of their staff to go outside near their premises once in a while and clean up their take away boxes.

For EG. There's a pizza take away in Applewood Village and their boxes are always scattered all over the village, usually from teenagers who eat their pizza's outside the take away.

One evening I picked up a load of the boxes and brought them in to the take away and the staff didnt want to know and told me to leave them outside.

Yes it's not their fault but they should take a certain amount of responsibility for keeping the area clean. There would be no expense involved for a place like that to send one of their staff outside a couple a times a night to pick up the boxes.

Everyone that works in a busy restaurant is busy busy busy - most would be short staffed always. It is not practical to let someone go outside even for a few minutes. You also have hygiene issues with people handling rubbish one minute and food thereafter. The only thing that would work is a rubbish collection by staff after close of business.

Wishbone Ash

buttercups88 wrote: »

Can you imagine the chaos if all Dublin buses had to turn right at the garda station. Don't know how many times I've been stuck at lights because the green machine buses can't make the turn (usually because some numpty has crossed the white line at the lights next to the garda station).....

Part of the problems there are the two poles at the edge of the footpath outside Apache Pizza. Due to their location and the camber of the road, a tall vehicle such as a bus or truck can barely fit through without rubbing against the poles even when other vehicles don't cross the white line. The poles themselves have multiple gouges on them where vehicles have made contact over the years.

cbreeze

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Good to see that there's a litter reduction initiative included. The amount of litter discarded around the harbour/red island area of Skerries is shocking particularly food containers, coffee cups, pizza boxes etc. In fairness, all the bins are full but you'd think the visitors would bring it home rather than simply dropping it beside the bin.

This weekend past has seen a colossal amount of litter in this area. Troops of (mostly) young people converging on the area with their own supplies of drink and food. They are arriving in taxis and on foot. One or two of businesses are providing large bins outside their premises but these get taken in at closing time, around 8ish but the crowds still remain. Damage also caused to the flower displays and these have been used as bins too.

Inquitus

cbreeze wrote: »

This weekend past has seen a colossal amount of litter in this area. Troops of (mostly) young people converging on the area with their own supplies of drink and food. They are arriving in taxis and on foot. One or two of businesses are providing large bins outside their premises but these get taken in at closing time, around 8ish but the crowds still remain. Damage also caused to the flower displays and these have been used as bins too.

There are insufficient bins in quite a lot of Swords, the Castle Park now only has 2 or so, and they are perpetually full, we need more bins!

chosen1

Anyone know what's happening with this in Swords?

Was meant to be done from the 7th but I was on the main street a few days ago and looks like there is very little progress.

Was it abandoned altogether or is it still a plan?

Wishbone Ash

Deeec wrote: »

...You also have hygiene issues with people handling rubbish one minute and food thereafter..

So are you saying that currently restaurants employ specific staff just to clean their toilets, handle their 'inside' refuse etc? Somehow I doubt it so your point is invalid.

pinkypinky

chosen1 wrote: »

Anyone know what's happening with this in Swords?

Was meant to be done from the 7th but I was on the main street a few days ago and looks like there is very little progress.

Was it abandoned altogether or is it still a plan?

Several Main St venues have tables out (some only in the evening). I've noted:

Cock Tavern
Pomodorino
Shaker & Vine

Wine Room says they have a back space, which I haven't seen yet.
Old SchoolHouse
Old Borough
Grill House

Lots of the cafes have a few tables including:
The Cottage
The Green juice place
Seventh Heaven (replacement for Cafe Tara)
Coffee works
Tartan Larder

On North St, Gourmet Food Parlour have tables outside and looks like the Carnegie Court Hotel has done something at the side.

PCros

pinkypinky wrote: »

Several Main St venues have tables out (some only in the evening). I've noted:

I think we were lead to believe that there was going to be some purpose built areas for this and not just a few tables and chairs. A lot of those places would have done that regardless each summer.

The only places that have purpose built eating areas are The Cock and also Greenstraw.

Dizzyblonde

I thought it would be better organised - what's going to happen on the rainy days?

Stheno

Wrights have tables outside the front and outside the small bar at the back, they are a bit close together outside the back though

Still a nice enough set up

I'd love to see from the castle to the garda station pedestrianised

feelings

Passed through Malahide yesterday and they seemed to have done a great job. Lots of people sitting out, a few queues waiting to be seated. Generally a good buzz around.

pinkypinky

Unless they take away more parking spaces (see how unhappy people are in Malahide about that), I can't see where they would build additional stuff.

The takeaway which has taken over the old Mastersons space beside the BOI has a huge path in front of it. Prime spot to put something in.

chosen1

pinkypinky wrote: »

Several Main St venues have tables out (some only in the evening). I've noted:

Cock Tavern
Pomodorino
Shaker & Vine

Wine Room says they have a back space, which I haven't seen yet.
Old SchoolHouse
Old Borough
Grill House

Lots of the cafes have a few tables including:
The Cottage
The Green juice place
Seventh Heaven (replacement for Cafe Tara)
Coffee works
Tartan Larder

On North St, Gourmet Food Parlour have tables outside and looks like the Carnegie Court Hotel has done something at the side.

I've seen all those but they are a fraction of what was proposed in the first place where most on street parking was gone and instead the council offices car park would be used at weekends. You'll see it on the link in the OP.

They sent the proposals around to every house and all so must have got serious objections. There isn't a mention of its cancellation on any of Fingals social media accounts and the original proposals are still up.

pinkypinky

Not sure what objections would have made them stop though. People in Malahide are quite vocally unhappy about various aspects and it hasn't stopped the Council from going ahead.

I do understand that businesses had to apply for one of these (what are we calling them?) parklets?

expectationlost

https://twitter.com/NewStreetForAll/status/1405263199084109832 what does it say on that plaque by the door?

Stheno

expectationlost wrote: »

https://twitter.com/NewStreetForAll/status/1405263199084109832 what does it say on that plaque by the door?

I was there today for lunch at three and it was nice tbh, thought it was well run.

Then went for a walk and cane back at five and there were long queues outside Fowler Gibneys and Gilbert and Wrights