[Article] Dublin Airport plans revamp after rating warning

Victor

http://www.thepost.ie/web/DocumentView/did-41048153-pageUrl--2FThe-Newspaper-2FSundays-Paper-2FNews-2FIreland.asp

Airport plans revamp after rating warning
14/11/04 00:00
By Niamh Connolly

Dublin Airport is embarking on a €6 million revamp, including a new rooftop restaurant and an expansion of its duty-free shop, The Sunday Business Post has learned.

Amid warnings that the airport could lose its coveted A plus credit rating, the board of the new Dublin Airport Authority has sanctioned a €3 million project that will link the duty free shop in the Pier B section of the airport to the main shopping thoroughfare.

"We want to restructure the pier to integrate with the 'street' and create an atrium effect at the junction where Butler's Café is located," said Frank O'Connor, the airport's director of retail.

"The old duty-free shop will be remodelled and we're going to change the floor so it comes up to the same level."

Pier B caters for US-bound passengers and the duty-free shop will reflect this market with a wider range of merchandise, including alcohol sales. The area will also feature a new wine bar.

The airport authority, chaired by Smurfit executive Gary McGann, has plans for a new mezzanine restaurant which will cost €3.2 million, and will feature a sweeping staircase and lift.

The 250-seater food hall will offer a range of cuisine to passengers once they have passed through the baggage checks.

"One of the things that's missing from the airport airside is a really good food offering. Butlers Caféis a highly-successful enterprise which is working at full capacity all the time," said O'Connor.

"There is only one hot food facility airside and we need to address that, particularly with increasing passenger throughput."

Work on the new shop will start early next year and will be completed in phases to minimise disruption to passengers, O'Connor said. The work is scheduled to be completed by next summer.

The 400 square metre rooftop restaurant is due to open at the end of next year. Its construction will have minimal impact on passengers as work will take place on the roof, the authority said.

dmeehan

michael o'leary is gonna love this!

seamus

Victor wrote:

"One of the things that's missing from the airport airside is a really good food offering. Butlers Caféis a highly-successful enterprise which is working at full capacity all the time," said O'Connor.

Yeah, that's one thing you miss in the Airport. I prefer to get checked in and through the security gate once I arrive at the airport, but most of the time I head upstairs first and get some lunch or breakfast before going through security because there's feck where else to eat.