Renards goes into liquidation

LiamD

The party at Renards is over just as good times fizz away
He was the king of clubs, but recession has forced Robbie Fox to call the liquidators and last orders, writes Niamh Horan

By Niamh Horan

Sunday May 31 2009

DOWN but not out. That was the defiant message from legendary nightclub owner Robbie Fox as he confirmed that his nightclub empire has gone into liquidation.

The flamboyant owner of Dublin hotspot Renards -- which has boasted the likes of Bono, Colin Farrell and The Corrs as regulars -- has vowed to come back bigger and better than ever before.

The nightclub supremo was speaking only hours after confirming that the Renards Group had become insolvent.

Renards, located in Dublin's city centre, Brown's Barn in CityWest, the Barracuda Steak & Seafood Restaurant in Bray, and Tante Zoe's in Dublin's Temple Bar, will be put up for sale while Robbie will continue working with the businesses in the interim.

Speaking about the demise of his business, Robbie said he is staying positive about his future and is already looking for fresh opportunities to start again.

"There is an opportunity here where I can start fresh with a blank canvas. And hopefully design that club that I think people want. Recession is the mother of invention. In these times there are people who will do very well because they will be innovative."

Robbie, who has attributed the fall of the business to a mixture of factors -- including the downturn in the economy, the introduction of new licensing laws and the lack of a smoking section in his main club Renards -- described how the past few months have been "hell" as he watched his business fold.

In a candid interview with the Sunday Independent only hours after sending word to his creditors, Robbie described his sleepless nights as he fought hard to keep his company afloat.

"Since Christmas, especially in the last two months, I've gone through hell as have my family. I haven't slept since God knows how long. I sit up at night watching TV hoping that the morning won't come because then I wouldn't have to deal with the problems."

Describing the exhausting struggle, he said: "Over the past year my days have been spent trying to find money, trying to plug holes, trying to pay people and trying to keep the business alive.''

"So there is a little bit of relief too," he explained. "I can almost step off the treadmill now. But at the same time there is an awful lot of pain and grief coming down the line. On Monday week we will be holding the creditors' meeting."

The popular entrepreneur explained how Friday was his lowest point as he had to tell his suppliers, many of whom he has known for 20 years, about his situation.

"Unfortunately there are quite a few creditors and suppliers who are owed substantial amounts of money. And some of them are small guys who can't afford to take the hit and I do feel for them.

"I made a point of being in the office to take all the calls. I didn't want to hide behind anything. I tried to take a human approach to it and say I'm sorry.

"I would hate to be the cause of putting anyone else in the same position as I've just been through, but unfortunately I can't do anything about it. There are people out there who think Robbie Fox is sitting on a wad of money but I can assure you I certainly am not. Anything I've had over the last couple of years, I've put into the business. I've re-mortgaged the house, I've thrown everything in. I've got to think of myself and my family now -- they have to come first."

Speaking about his emotional attachment to the clubs he became famous for on Dublin's nightlife scene, he said, "That's probably been the hardest part because it's not good to have sentiment and you certainly shouldn't be romantically attached to anywhere you own. But I am.

"Renards, I have had 16 great years there. We opened The Pink Elephant in that same premises in 1980, so next year I'm 30 years there. I know every nook and cranny in the place so it's very hard to leave that. In the same way Tante Zoe's is 20 years open this year. I'm 20 years married this year. The first year it opened I proposed to my wife. So there is a great history there." For 30 years Robbie has become the face of Dublin's nightlife as he presided over some of the hottest spots in town. Having opened the iconic Lillie's Bordello, The Pink Elephant and Renards, Robbie became synonymous with celebrity partying as he attracted a string of global superstars through his doors.

Robbie said his favourite memory was of U2 flying hundreds of miles to party in his club. "Back in the 1980s, before The Joshua Tree, they were doing a gig in Switzerland and they came off the stage and rang me to ask me if I'd be still open. I said of course. Those days you had to close at 2am sharp and the four limousines pulled up outside the door at about twenty to two, straight from the airport. And it was just such a buzz because these guys were becoming huge worldwide and the only place they wanted to come was my club. And it was picked up by all the papers the next day and the New York Times said 'U2 flew home to party in their favourite club in the world'. You couldn't buy that."

Now the nightclub owner is maintaining an optimistic outlook on the future.

But he added: "Of course I'm worried and of course I'm afraid and yes I'm having probably the worst day of my life but I still have to look beyond that. I have always been a great believer in not looking back. If I was to do that now I would probably shoot myself because there's so much money that I have lost and things have gone wrong on me.

"But I keep asking myself how bad will this be this time next year? And it can't be that bad. A year from now this will simply be a bad memory."

- Niamh Horan

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-party-at-renards-is-over-just-as-good-times-fizz-away-1756643.html

zAbbo

That's a shame, I like Tante Zoe's

RebelButtMunch

I hated browns barn

Degsy

This is what happens when you think people will pay ridiculous prices for crappy drink forever.

We dont need dumps like this,especially if they're trading off such exalted names as Colin Farrell,Bono and The Corrs....not regulars i would imagine as none of them live in the country.

RebelButtMunch

Is that sh1te hole on Dawson St. still there and overcharging? Im glad Ive forgotten the name but I bet someone will remind me

holidayhere

Degsy wrote: »

This is what happens when you think people will pay ridiculous prices for crappy drink forever.

We dont need dumps like this,especially if they're trading off such exalted names as Colin Farrell,Bono and The Corrs....not regulars i would imagine as none of them live in the country.

It will close.
Someone else will buy, maybe change name and do business as usual.
That too in time will close.
Life goes on.....
In the meantime, we find somewhere else to go.
Any ideas anyone......

humberklog

Indeed Holidayhere it will. It was The Pink Elephant back in its day. Stocked full of Spandau, Frankie... and Def Leppard twats. They were tax exiles too but in a kinda vice-versa situation.

admiralofthefleet

sad to see browns barn closing. it used to be great dropping in there after the races in the curragh

Jay D

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Is that sh1te hole on Dawson St. still there and overcharging? Im glad Ive forgotten the name but I bet someone will remind me

Café EnSeine?

I would like to blow that place up and hang the management.

Also am delighted to see pretty much any publican go out of business. Ok, delighted might be a slight exageration but I have absolutely no symphaty whasoever.

stovelid

One thing that pest control teaches us is that when the habitat of vermin is destroyed, they will invariably seek a new habitat.

We must all be vigilant.

Perhaps Cafe-En-Seine will absorb the knob-jockey overflow before it hits the decent pubs further afield.

RebelButtMunch

stovelid wrote: »

One thing that pest control teaches us is that when the habitat of vermin is destroyed, they will invariably seek a new habitat.

We must all be vigilant.

Perhaps Cafe-En-Seine will absorb the knob-jockey overflow before it hits the decent pubs further afield.

+1 heh...

craiginireland

Jay D wrote: »

Café EnSeine?

I would like to blow that place up and hang the management.

Also am delighted to see pretty much any publican go out of business. Ok, delighted might be a slight exageration but I have absolutely no symphaty whasoever.

I'm sure the now unemployed staff will be heartened by your thoughts at this time.
The fact they are now on the dole means you are paying (provided your working of course) for them. But hey, at least your paying with a smile on your face!

arybvtcw0eolkf

craiginireland wrote: »

I'm sure the now unemployed staff will be heartened by your thoughts at this time.
The fact they are now on the dole means you are paying (provided your working of course) for them. But hey, at least your paying with a smile on your face!

I chose to ignore his ignorance, maybe you should have done the same.

But kudos for pointing out the unemployed staff issues..