The Palace Bar, Athlone

cena

Is the place closed down. BEEN passed the last two days and its been closed

L.Jenkins

Apparently so. Seems to have been out of business again this past while. I don't see it competing with Sean's, The Castle Inn and The Snug any more. To keep it open is flogging a dead horse and I never like the place to start off with.

DeeDee89

what about that place that was in the middle of the town it's like it's haunted everytime it's opened by someone new it only stays open a few months and is closed again

SilverScreen

cena wrote: »

Is the place closed down. BEEN passed the last two days and its been closed

The Palace is gone again? I was in there one Friday night only a few weeks ago and apart from a hen party crowd it wasn't particularly busy. Never liked it apart from the odd gig in the loft.

DeeDee89 wrote: »

what about that place that was in the middle of the town it's like it's haunted everytime it's opened by someone new it only stays open a few months and is closed again

I think you're on about Rayners/Suede. Yeah that place seems to be cursed, it reopened twice since Rayners originally closed and didn't stay open longer than a couple of months each time. It used to be the place to go at one stage years ago.

I see they're doing work with 41s at the moment. Don't know whether that's good news or bad news considering the type of crowd that used to go there.

demanufactured

SilverScreen wrote: »

The Palace is gone again? I was in there one Friday night only a few weeks ago and apart from a hen party crowd it wasn't particularly busy. Never liked it apart from the odd gig in the loft.


I think you're on about Rayners/Suede. Yeah that place seems to be cursed, it reopened twice since Rayners originally closed and didn't stay open longer than a couple of months each time. It used to be the place to go at one stage years ago.

I see they're doing work with 41s at the moment. Don't know whether that's good news or bad news considering the type of crowd that used to go there.

I know the person who's opening the former 41s...
Trust me there will be no scumbags allowed.

L.Jenkins

The people reopening 41s as the Malt House, ran a pretty tight ship when they had Shines and not one trouble maker got into the place.

SilverScreen

It's good news so. The very few times I've been in there I didn't stay too long, looking forward to seeing what they've done with it. I've always liked Shines as well, it a bit out of the town but it's always a great spot for a pint.

Even with The Palace gone there's still plenty of places to go. I'd imagine Coppers took a lot of the crowd away from The Palace over the years and The Prince always gets a decent crowd.

L.Jenkins

Ever since Coppers opened, no one had to cross town to The Palace, unless the Sean's was more your thing.

SilverScreen

The Castle Inn and Seans are more my kind of spot so I'm across that side of town fairly often. But a lot of the younger crowd seem to stay on the east side of the town these days and also not have far to go to Karma or Viva. There's nothing worse than crossing the bridge in the cold with sideways rain coming at you on your way to Karma.

L.Jenkins

The weather wouldn't put me off crossing the bridge to Viva or the likes, the young crowds that frequent such places would, as ageist as that may sound.

ifeelill

There seems to be a few shops opening around the town which is good to see. I wounder if someone will take on the local as well ?

The majority of the new shops i have seen opening seem to be small/family type business where the overheads for things like staffing are low.

Long Gone

One year on the green shoots of economic recovery in Athlone are still few and far between I reckon...

boredatwork82

To be fair the town has picked up, There seems to a good buzz around the town the last few months on both Friday and Saturday nights. Pubs starting to be busier, so I remain optimistic for the town.
The last few years town was dead every single night you went out.

It would be no harm if the big pubs (coppers/palace/Rayners) stayed shut and meant that all the little pubs stayed busy so you have a nice bit of variety going out on the town for a few scoops.

SilverScreen

Was in The Piano Bar on a Saturday night recently and it was wedged. The town seems as busy as it was 6 or 7 years ago, just that there's different popular night spots.

Long Gone

boredatwork82 wrote: »

To be fair the town has picked up, There seems to a good buzz around the town the last few months on both Friday and Saturday nights. Pubs starting to be busier, so I remain optimistic for the town.
The last few years town was dead every single night you went out.

It would be no harm if the big pubs (coppers/palace/Rayners) stayed shut and meant that all the little pubs stayed busy so you have a nice bit of variety going out on the town for a few scoops.

Good to hear - I'll be home for a while in a few months so looking forward to finding a bit more life back in the town. Ireland (and Athlone) totally lost its mind during the tiger - It was always going to end in tears.....

Long Gone

SilverScreen wrote: »

Was in The Piano Bar on a Saturday night recently and it was wedged. The town seems as busy as it was 6 or 7 years ago, just that there's different popular night spots.

There always used to be a good atmosphere around town when the weather was great like it is at the moment - Good to hear that some of that might be back.

My idea of heaven ? - A nice warm summer evening boating on Lough Ree followed by a few scoops in some pub with a good atmosphere and decent clientele....

Long Gone

SilverScreen wrote: »

Was in The Piano Bar on a Saturday night recently and it was wedged.

Was The Wolf playing ?

Long Gone

Is The Palace shut down again now ? - I drove past it late the other night and it looked dark and dead as a doornail....

galait

It never reopened

L.Jenkins

It did for a very brief period, but closed just as quick. It was the main haunt for a lot of young people in Athlone, until the likes of Coppers opened. Another pub that never seems to be able to stay open is Coppers/Jacks and what used to be Raynors.

veryangryman

People are finding other outlets than the pub. Long may it continue.

Long Gone

Itzy wrote: »

It did for a very brief period, but closed just as quick. It was the main haunt for a lot of young people in Athlone, until the likes of Coppers opened. Another pub that never seems to be able to stay open is Coppers/Jacks and what used to be Raynors.

That's a pity. They made some really bad business decisions there. That really white redecoration that was done downstairs was appalling and ruined the whole atmosphere of the place. I though that business might pick up but I guess people still don't have enough money to spend too many nights out skulling pints at well over four yoyos a go...

Long Gone

veryangryman wrote: »

People are finding other outlets than the pub.

Like what ? You can't beat a few pints in a good pub.

veryangryman

Long Gone wrote: »

Like what ? You can't beat a few pints in a good pub.

Canoe Club
5 a side soccer
The local football team
Running/Jogging clubs
The gym
Kickboxing classes
Cycling clubs
Triathlons
Visiting friends house (with or without drink involved) or being visited.

There's 9 off the top of my head.


Don't get me wrong, the pub has its place and i do frequent it myself o ham go tam but there are other things one can do.

Lenin Skynard

The business is there, pretty much every pub within a five minute walking distance of the Palace is busy most nights of the week. Whoever is pulling the strings there must be having some kind of difficulties on their own side because it's not for lack of potential business that it's closed.

Long Gone

veryangryman wrote: »

Canoe Club
5 a side soccer
The local football team
Running/Jogging clubs
The gym
Kickboxing classes
Cycling clubs
Triathlons
Visiting friends house (with or without drink involved) or being visited.

There's 9 off the top of my head.

None of those are a substitute for the pub. They're just things you could do before going to the pub. In fact if you frequent certain establishments on Connaught Street you can get plenty of Running/Jogging and Kickboxing practice in on the way home afterwards as well ! .:D

Lenin Skynard

veryangryman wrote: »

Canoe Club
5 a side soccer
The local football team
Running/Jogging clubs
The gym
Kickboxing classes
Cycling clubs
Triathlons

Sounds like the running order for a tampax advert tbh.

SilverScreen

veryangryman wrote: »

Canoe Club
5 a side soccer
The local football team
Running/Jogging clubs
The gym
Kickboxing classes
Cycling clubs
Triathlons
Visiting friends house (with or without drink involved) or being visited.

There's 9 off the top of my head.


Don't get me wrong, the pub has its place and i do frequent it myself o ham go tam but there are other things one can do.

Person 1: "Hey it's my birthday."
Person 2: "Happy birthday man, pints tonight?"
Person 1: "Nah. I was thinking of going to the canoe club tonight instead."
Person 2: "..."

L.Jenkins

Hate to sound a bit dry, but my 30th is coming up in a couple of months and I have no intention of going to a pub or nightclub. A friend had a birthday get together last year, which involved having a Chinese and a few games of pool. I'd rather that than spending my money getting píssed and dying of a hangover the following day.

Long Gone

Itzy wrote: »

Hate to sound a bit dry, but my 30th is coming up in a couple of months and I have no intention of going to a pub or nightclub. A friend had a birthday get together last year, which involved having a Chinese and a few games of pool. I'd rather that than spending my money getting píssed and dying of a hangover the following day.

Hate to have to say it but you do sound very dry ! A Chinese and a few games of pool ? ! .:eek:
Each to his own obviously, but I must strongly dispute and completely reject your inference that it's not possible to go to the pub for a few social pints without drinking yourself into a stupor and suffering from near alcohol poisoning the next day.....:p

boredatwork82

Itzy wrote: »

Hate to sound a bit dry, but my 30th is coming up in a couple of months and I have no intention of going to a pub or nightclub. A friend had a birthday get together last year, which involved having a Chinese and a few games of pool. I'd rather that than spending my money getting píssed and dying of a hangover the following day.

Did you consider the canoe club?

boredatwork82

But on a serious note I do agree that the town has picked up. ALl this year the crowds have been bugger. Town is now busy on a Friday night as well as a saturday.
We need a new late bar venuw, the Piano bar is horribly cramped, what with been narrow and all those pillars in the middle of, too busy for the crowds it gets, and also they have moved all the sound bouncers to viva, and left older dryer bouncers in the Piano, who flip over little stuff, and just go around scowling at people.


But to finish off on a positive note, Athlone is on the up, we have a good selection of good pubs currently in Athlone.

veryangryman

boredatwork82 wrote: »

Did you consider the canoe club?

I guess one could have gone there during the day (allowing for maybe going to the bar after. Could as easily have done cinema or just visit friends).

Long Gone

veryangryman wrote: »

I guess one could have gone there during the day (allowing for maybe going to the bar after. Could as easily have done cinema or just visit friends).

Or you could have gone to 5 a side soccer....

Dizzyme

The Palace is still closed. And its now on the market.

- at 650K, is this cheap, reasonable or over-priced ?
- The cost of the refurb was probably close to 650K.... but I think that they made it too clinical, I reckon they lost sight of the fact that most people still like to have a drink in a place that has a bit of character. The clean lines and ultra-modern look is a bit sterile. Am I wrong ?
- will there be much demand for it (Palace) ? keeping in mind that it kind of is in the same market as Raynors, which can't seem to stay open for more than a few months. I can't understand how Raynors closed, it always seemed to be busy and IMHO had a good name
- If I buy it, I think I'll change the name, lose the baggage....
- It could be a gold-mine, under the right management. The location is perfect, the size of the premises is perfect. I'm thinking of turning it into the "Whelans" of Athlone. Live quality music venue. It will take time but the Irish economy is going to boom in the next 5 years and Athlone is getting even more and more accessible. We will also have loads of hippy Dutch, French and German Cyclists coming through with the new cycleway.


so, should I get my checkbook out or what ?

double_you_double_you_double_you.property.ie/commercial-property/The-Palace-Bar-Athlone-Co-Westmeath/223657/

veryangryman

Over priced. Theres a reason that the night market went from 3 late bars to 1.

Athlone getting more and more accessible you say? What is planned to make the town even more accessible (than it currently is).

The pub market is pretty flat in towns Athlone's size. Comparing it to a Dublin venue instead of a similarly successful venue (does such exist) from another population 20K town is a bit silly.

Finally, Athlone is a pretty tight fisted town; the locals don't spend alot of money. Successful businesses in town? Penneys, Aldi and Dealz. And yes, for that reason. A long time recouping your money.

Alot of money to put down on something that will likely fail. Sorry to rain on your parade, it is your money and i wish you luck if it goes ahead anyway.

Anesthetize

Rayners had fallen out of popularity by 2007, so it's closure wasn't too much of a surprise. Even when it reopened as JDs and then again as Suede they got good crowds initially before dropping off again.

rje66

[QUOTE=veryangryman;96185543

Finally, Athlone is a pretty tight fisted town; the locals don't spend alot of money. Successful businesses in town?

.[/QUOTE]
A bit off the mark there, how many towns the size of athlone have the vibrant restaurant scene/choice athlone has??

Mearings

Dizzyme wrote: »

The Palace is still closed. And its now on the market.
It will take time but the Irish economy is going to boom in the next 5 years and Athlone is getting even more and more accessible.
We will also have loads of hippy Dutch, French and German Cyclists coming through with the new cycleway.

That's what the local councillors think, so much so they are about to remove 15-25 mooring spaces from Athlone marina to facilitate a bike bridge.
Pity there is no local government election in the offing.

holyhead

The Piano Bar, Gerties and Sean's would appear to get most of the pub/nightclub business in Athlone. For a town its size which is not swamped with tourists it does have a healthy selection of restaraunts.

Long Gone

Dizzyme wrote: »

The Palace is still closed. And its now on the market.

- at 650K, is this cheap, reasonable or over-priced ?
- The cost of the refurb was probably close to 650K.... but I think that they made it too clinical, I reckon they lost sight of the fact that most people still like to have a drink in a place that has a bit of character. The clean lines and ultra-modern look is a bit sterile. Am I wrong ?
- will there be much demand for it (Palace) ? keeping in mind that it kind of is in the same market as Raynors, which can't seem to stay open for more than a few months. I can't understand how Raynors closed, it always seemed to be busy and IMHO had a good name
- If I buy it, I think I'll change the name, lose the baggage....
- It could be a gold-mine, under the right management. The location is perfect, the size of the premises is perfect. I'm thinking of turning it into the "Whelans" of Athlone. Live quality music venue. It will take time but the Irish economy is going to boom in the next 5 years and Athlone is getting even more and more accessible. We will also have loads of hippy Dutch, French and German Cyclists coming through with the new cycleway.


so, should I get my checkbook out or what ?

double_you_double_you_double_you.property.ie/commercial-property/The-Palace-Bar-Athlone-Co-Westmeath/223657/

You're right about the sterile look - Really ruined the place. The downstairs bar looked and felt terrible with all that white decor. A chrome and mirror and white wall palace was not what Athlone needed. I think it's overpriced. It would need total refurbishment /remodelling and a big problem is that there's not a lot of parking in the area. I hope you're right about the boom - And I hope that it's more sustainable than the last cheap credit and greed fuelled bubble.