Palmers Pub (Goldenball) at Kilternan closed?!?

100gSoma

Anyone know why Palmers has closed down. Shocked. It's always packed in the summer thanks to it's huge south facing rear beer garden and ample parking.
I noticed the doors closed last monday, and everyday since including the weekend just passed. The place had big names in every saturday (Aslan, Bagatelle, Rob Strong etc) right up until close.

ollaetta

Looks like it according to this on the Businesses Closing thread:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=78842149&postcount=40

100gSoma

thanks for that link.

larry1

Whilst sorry to see another business go, The Golden Ball was a bit of a kip to be honest over the past number of years.

The Step Inn in Stepaside is a much nicer establishment imho

delta_bravo

Wow that pub has been around for ages.

Grid.

Very surprised to hear that!!:eek:

barneygumble

Any time I've been up there in the last few years, the place has been very quiet and I often wondered how they were able to keep it open.

They seemed to be making an effort recently with beer promotions and live music but it appears to have been too late. The food menu never seemed to change, although it was decent enough grub whenever I ate there.

The Step Inn, as mentioned above, has long been a better option.

100gSoma

Agree with all comments. Step Inn is a superior establishment, but lacks the huge south facing rear garden (with ample free parking for designated driver) which was lovely on sunny days
The clientèle in the Golden Ball had got a bit sketchy a while back though. :P

Ronan|Raven

The Step Inn lacks a dart board.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Ronan|Raven wrote: »

The Step Inn lacks a dart board.

And snooker tables!

Lambo28

BDJW wrote: »

And snooker tables!

and parking

Peadar06

What I heard, is that [snip].

Agent Smith

Walked into the golden ball a few weeks before it closed, Bringing the mother to get something to eat. We went in and Sat down in the Restaurant part. I went up and ordered a pot of Tea and a Pint (she was driving) and Asked if we could order some food.

Still waiting for someone to take my order.

ted1

We were having food and got charged 8 Euro for 4 pints of miwadi, paid my bill and told them I'd never come back. Good to hear no one else tolerated there poor buisness skills.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

ted1 wrote: »

We were having food and got charged 8 Euro for 4 pints of miwadi, paid my bill and told them I'd never come back. Good to hear no one else tolerated there poor buisness skills.

There are plenty of pubs that charge that sort of cash for pints of miwadi unfortunately!

ted1

maybe for one, but not when several are bought and especially with food.

i've never been charged that much before. i especially havn't been charged when getting food.

errlloyd

I was just looking at some old OS maps of the area, it was always marked. That pub is donkeys years old. Sad loss, as others have said it was just doing the wrong business. Even still, it was probably the local for a lot of those new apartments near "the park"?

buster180

Anybody know what is going on in the place at the moment?? Lots of activity around it lights on inside and bar door open. Don’t think the pub is open again would it be up for auction??

the groutch

the upstairs of it is being used as a taxi office

Vstorm

I hard it has been sold to Charlie Chawke and is due to open again......Anyone know when it will open?

Vstorm

anyone hear when it's reopening ?

Mrsbananas

So many rumours, I heard lidl was going in.

the groutch

Mrsbananas wrote: »

So many rumours, I heard lidl was going in.

always a Lidl or a Tesco Express.

manbat

Does anyone know if there is anything in the pipeline for the Golden ball?

manbat

manbat wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is anything in the pipeline for the Golden ball?

Sorry just read the above about Charlie Chawke hope this is true, that beer garden has to be brought back! beautiful.

larry1

I heard from a reliable source that this has been bought recently by Avoca and will open soon as Avoca restaurant and shop.

heebusjeebus

larry1 wrote: »

I heard from a reliable source that this has been bought recently by Avoca and will open soon as Avoca restaurant and shop.

That would be great if it's true but there is already an Avoca in Powerscourt which is only 5 minutes down the road.

larry1

heebusjeebus wrote: »

That would be great if it's true but there is already an Avoca in Powerscourt which is only 5 minutes down the road.

Well aware of that and so was my source

manbat

Any more news on this place?

skibum

It was recently bought by these guys: http://www.kennedywilson.com/


(2011 - Kennedy Wilson acquires Bank of Ireland Real Estate Investment Management (BOI REIM), establishing Kennedy Wilson Europe.)

Vstorm

A to let sign has just gone up

Larbre34

Vstorm wrote: »

A to let sign has just gone up

Missing an 'i' to be sure....

buster180

Just noticed on the way home from work today a big “Opening Soon Watch this Space” sign on the front of the pub.
Anybody know who or what is opening in the place??

MarkyP

Any truth to the rumour that the Golden Ball has been taken over by Witherspoons - the British pub chain that recently bought Tonic in Blackrock?

ted1

MarkyP wrote: »

Any truth to the rumour that the Golden Ball has been taken over by Witherspoons - the British pub chain that recently bought Tonic in Blackrock?

I doubt it. They have made no secret that the next pub that they are opening is the 40 ft in dun laoighre and I reckon that they would have mentioned that too. Particularly as they appear close to opening.

Larbre34

Golden Ball wouldnt be Wetherspoons style. Limited catchment.

100gSoma

Looks like the building renovation is well underway. I noticed the interior did seem to be laid out like a bar rather than a restaurant or shop. (the front doors were open as I was stopped at he lights and you could see inside).
It may be a limited catchment area, but Palmers was always busy. Especially in the summer time. I think many people from Ballyogan area used to head up Glenamuck road to play snooker there.
Will be interesting to see what opens. Great south facing beer garden in the back.

RebelButtMunch

If they are opening a bar you'd have to wonder about that. Is there still money to be made in bars that need private transport to get to around Dublin?

Edit: In before it is serviced by a bus. It's not very handy is the point.

100gSoma

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

If they are opening a bar you'd have to wonder about that. Is there still money to be made in bars that need private transport to get to around Dublin?

Edit: In before it is serviced by a bus. It's not very handy is the point.

It's not exactly remote like Johnny Foxes or the Blue Light? It's walking distance from Stepaside housing estates (Cruagh etc), and Kilternan, and Ballyogan etc. However, I'd agree with you about opening a pub anywhere in times like these regardless of location or access. It's a tough game.

JoeyJJ

Big crew working on it on Saturday, anyone any ideas when its opening etc..

the groutch

anyone know who bought it?

ted1

There's photos on their facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/goldenballkilternan

100gSoma

So its a pub anyway. Currently recruiting bar staff. Will be interesting to see how they get on.

heyho

It opened last night.
Food service will be starting this day next week, as far as I know.

SBarrett

The new Golden Ball has "craft beers" and "gastropub" on the sign on the front.

All of the draft beers are the usual suspects, Heineken, Carlsberg etc. it has bottles of Paulaner but that's it as far as I can tell on the craft beer front.

As for the gastropub, it is anything but. The menu is the same as every other pub; a carvery, burger & chips, fish & chips, steak & chips, curry etc.

It's great to have the Ball open again and
looking better for the refurbishment but it is still miles away in quality on The Step Inn and Boars Nest in Stepaside.

heyho

Assume you mean the Wild Boar?

SBarrett

heyho wrote: »

Assume you mean the Wild Boar?

That's the one!

The Boars Nest is the name of the bar in the Dukes of Hazzard!!


Good food in the wild boar though and they have Sam Adams on draught

RainyDay

Perhaps a mod would rename the thread to say that it has reopened?

Ranjo

Just had a longer post with some details about my recent trip there on but accidentally deleted it.

Short version: went there for food and was impressed with the place. Food was good, not gastro but good effort in presentation. Refurbishment is pretty nice. Well spaced out for diners, sport watching/bar and lounge.

I'll go back again.

spyderski

Lovely job done on the place alright. The rest leaves a little to be desired.

Many of the staff, while friendly and enthusiastic, are very poorly trained. Some seem to have no previous experience of bar/restaurant work.

Myself & the Mrs. ate there. Menu is fairly limited and unimaginative. I had the Sirloin steak and chips. Steak was slightly overcooked, but otherwise nice. Quite small, and only came with chips - nothing else, which was as advertised, but at €23.50 was far from good value. I can get a better/bigger steak with all the trimmings in a nearby restaurant with full restaurant service etc. for the same money. Wife had a chicken burger, which was perfectly adequate, if again unimaginative.

Overall, the food is reasonable, but I would expect better given the prices and the level of spend which has gone into the premises. I'll be back there for drinks but not for food - there are far better value propositions in the area.