Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

Muahahaha

Chelon wrote: »

Seen they were putting up the signage at Keavens Port last week

I passed it yesterday and they've done a great job on the brickwork, it looks like a brand new building.

Read an article last week saying they are ready to pounce on small drink only pubs in city centre London whenever they go tits up because of the pandemic. Its a departure from their usual model but obviously Tim smells blood and will be taking advantage. I doubt they will be doing the same here though, you see suits in London knocking back pints at lunchtime whereas those days are gone here since the turn of the century.

irish_goat

Muahahaha wrote: »

I passed it yesterday and they've done a great job on the brickwork, it looks like a brand new building.

Read an article last week saying they are ready to pounce on small drink only pubs in city centre London whenever they go tits up because of the pandemic. Its a departure from their usual model but obviously Tim smells blood and will be taking advantage. I doubt they will be doing the same here though, you see suits in London knocking back pints at lunchtime whereas those days are gone here since the turn of the century.

It's on the way out in London too.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47858013

Geuze

Did the pub in in the former HQ Bar and Restaurant, in Hanover Quay, Grand Central Square ever open?

I note that the pub on Camden street is due to open in August 2021.

heffo500

Geuze wrote: »

Did the pub in in the former HQ Bar and Restaurant, in Hanover Quay, Grand Central Square ever open?

I note that the pub on Camden street is due to open in August 2021.

Still all boarded up, well the doors are. They must have postponed until things are back to normal.

L1011

https://ittn.ie/ireland/news/jd-wetherspoon-buys-building-near-temple-bar-to-develop-into-three-storey-superpub/

I'm guessing its the USIT building.

BeerNut

Looking forward to the planning objection letter from those quaint little neighbourhood establishments River Bar and JW Sweetman.

Muahahaha

Aston Quay will be a pretty good location for them and that is a sizeable building as well.

Its also remarkable that it will be just a 2 mintute walk from a host of bars in Temple Bar charging 7-8 euros a pint while Spoons will be charging 4 euro upwards. Fitzgeralds next door to it wont be able to compete, its always been a bit of a dive but now it'll be a dive serving expensive beer relative to whats next door.

Then the food factor, that area has lots of fast food outlets that are barely a couple of euros cheaper than Spoons for a meal and a drink but offer far less comfort for eating in, theyll do a fair trade from people shopping along Henry St and surrounds and its not far from Grafton St either. Would also think that pubs like Doyles and Cassidys who are reliant on students from Trinity are going to feel the Spoons pinch too, if a pint is 2 or 3 euros cheaper in Spoons then thats where the students will flock to.

Would imagine their next move now will be to try find a location half way between Aston Quay and the new one on Camden St that will allow them be close to the drinkers of the Sth William St area and shoppers from Grafton St looking for a bite to eat.

BeerNut

Muahahaha wrote: »

Fitzgeralds next door to it wont be able to compete, its always been a bit of a dive but now it'll be a dive serving expensive beer relative to whats next door.

That's like saying Fallon & Byrne can't possibly survive with Dunnes selling cheap food across the street. Different product, different market. If Fitzgerald's loses the clientele who are actually looking for the JDW experience, they'll find people to replace them, no problem.

Muahahaha

BeerNut wrote: »

That's like saying Fallon & Byrne can't possibly survive with Dunnes selling cheap food across the street. Different product, different market. If Fitzgerald's loses the clientele who are actually looking for the JDW experience, they'll find people to replace them, no problem.

Wouldnt agree, you cant compare Fallon & Byrne selling imported specialty ingredients to Dunnes selling pasta and rice for 99c. You wont find much in F&B for 99 cents.

Spoons and Fitzgeralds will both be selling several of the same products, except Spoons will be a fair bit cheaper and a much more comfortable place to be sitting in. Its not like Fitzgeralds is exactly a hopping pub to begin with, introduce a Spoons next door selling the same drinks but for cheaper and its business will drop away imo.

Like Spoons does a vodka and coke for 3.95, Id guess Fitzgeralds next door would be around 7-8 euro for the same thing. Glass of chardonnay 4 euro compared to 6+ euro in pubs then theyve pints of beer starting at 3 euros upwards compared to 6+ everywhere else. Fitzgeralds will be hit badly from that and I cant see a new bunch of customers emerging who are happy to pay over the odds to sit in what is a very dark,dingy and outdated pub. Id say a lot of the current clientele in Fitzgeralds are pretty price sensitive and if they can save themselves 20+ euro over a drinking session then they'll be straight into Spoons next door. .

Hotblack Desiato

I was in Fitzgerald's once, awful kip.

As for the former Harp Bar, seriously?!? Spoons would be a step up

TheDriver

Don't forget 1.95 ale or ghost ship for 2.65. can't beat spoons for beer. Or jug of godfather.

BeerNut

TheDriver wrote: »

can't beat spoons for beer.

Unless you're one of those rare Irish drinkers whose favourite beer is Guinness.

Blut2

They have Beamish. I'd wager the vast majority of Irish drinkers wouldn't be able to tell the difference any more than between Pepsi and Coke.

BeerNut

Blut2 wrote: »

They have Beamish. I'd wager the vast majority of Irish drinkers wouldn't be able to tell the difference any more than between Pepsi and Coke.

That's true, but immaterial. Several times I've witnessed the Guinness drinker being told it's not in stock so asking for Heineken instead and, in one instance, being told that wasn't available either so asking for Bulmers. Brand familiarity trumps flavour for a disturbing proportion of Ireland's beer drinkers.

Hotblack Desiato

Sure just look at the "surger" thread, people discussing at great length and no small expense not a beer, but the head on a beer. What it looks like seems to be the most important thing. But one does not drink the head!

Hilarious video on that thread where a blindfolded "Guinness Guru" cannot tell the difference between a widget can, a draught double pour and a "fast pint". Diageo bolloxology exploded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ho_VpqdzD8

Blut2

BeerNut wrote: »

That's true, but immaterial. Several times I've witnessed the Guinness drinker being told it's not in stock so asking for Heineken instead and, in one instance, being told that wasn't available either so asking for Bulmers. Brand familiarity trumps flavour for a disturbing proportion of Ireland's beer drinkers.

Thats absolutely true in a normal bar when pricing is equivalent. But when its €2.45 a pint of Beamish in Wetherspoons, and €6.50 a pint of Guinness around the corner in Temple Bar, I don't think Spoons is going to have many people refusing the Beamish.

They certainly don't in their already existing pubs anyway, I see plenty of people drinking stout there regularly.

Stevek101

I see Keavans Port is due to open Monday. Anyone hear if there will be any training days in advance of it opening?

Blut2

Not sure about that, but it looks very impressive inside: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/interiors/first-look-wetherspoons-27m-georgian-transformation-on-camden-street-1.4637809

Will be very interesting to see what the price of drinks is like.

hynesie08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117734195#Comment_117734195

Already active on the app, 2.95-4.75 a pint.

BeerNut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117734201#Comment_117734201

Listed in sterling. I doubt that's live data.

hynesie08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117734210#Comment_117734210

Yeah, it appears to be the same prices as Abbey st, but with a pound sign......

Blut2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117734201#Comment_117734201

3.45eur for a pint of cider, lager or stout. No sign of the 'Real Ales' yet but they're usually even cheaper. And 6euro for a double measure of Jameson, or other spirits, with a mixer.

Thats incredible value for Camden Street. Not far off half the price of anything around it... Its going to be packed out I'd say.

Muahahaha

Yeah the place will be wedged at those prices on Camden St. Other pubs on the street will still do a good trade but Spoons opening up in the busiest drinking area in Dublin is a serious bit of competition. Same with casual dining among groups of friends, Spoons will be doing a pint of beer/glass of wine and a main course for around 13 euro whereas the same would cost around 23-25 quid in the restaurants along the street.

The hotel is charging 150 euro a night for a double room with breakfast, theres some photos of the rooms here https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=318615;label=New_English_EN_IE_20153711665-SQOXN9lTaltDgtjqic7llwS77620569145%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg;sid=16f34a139e5468317d166017f0e897b5;checkin=2021-12-17;checkout=2021-12-18;city=-1502554;highlighted_hotels=7528835;hlrd=with_av;keep_landing=1;redirected=1;source=hotel&gclid=CjwKCAjwx8iIBhBwEiwA2quaq9HKRDsHqtOM_bmGWP9SASKEoKoHwOWumYmT-eC2Ngw-1hGZq5K2YRoCR8gQAvD_BwE&room1=A,A,;

Im guessing it is now the biggest pub on Camden St by a fair margin. Does anyone know the capacity of it? Its probably not far off the size Cafe en Seine, its definitely in the superpub category

BeerNut

Superpub? No no no, it's the ancillary restaurant and bar of a hotel, according to the planning documents.

I'm continually astounded by how gullible the Council are with this stuff. As long as you don't literally call it a superpub in your application you're grand.

There's a clause in the planning that the chapel can only be used for dining. I'm sceptical as to how the teenagers running the place are meant to enforce that one.

Blut2

I was about to post that €150 a night seems expensive but those rooms actually look very nice. And a great central location too.

I'd be curious as to the pub capacity too, I'd say its much smaller than Cafe en Seine though. Wetherspoons pubs don't usually have huge crowds of people standing around like Cafe en Seine has, its all tables, which should limit it comparatively.

DelmarODonnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117734261#Comment_117734261

The Beamish in J. O'Connells will still be cheaper. Rascals beer on tap and a fridge full of good stuff too.

Geuze

Any reports from the new Spoons? Isn't it due to open today?

BeerNut

It is, and it's live on the app. No cask beer yet though 😕

I'm going to pop in later this afternoon.

hynesie08

I'll pop in in a few weeks, have spoons ever had a smooth launch? Always seems to be issues with stock, or ice, or staff (mostly staff)

BeerNut

Yeah, it was a bit of a disaster in there. Lots of stuff not working or staff not knowing the basics. I'd give it a while before going. That said, a pint of very fresh cask Jaipur for €2.80 was extremely welcome. And all I had to do was talk the staff through the process of serving it to me.